With the energy drink fully established in the consumer marketplace, I can't say I wasn't surprised to read about the "next big thing," unveiled during the All Candy Expo in Chicago last week: Energy candy.
Some of the products introduced during the show to cater to this new market:
- Sports Beans, lemon-lime and orange flavored candies full of vitamins C and E and electrolytes.
- XLR Energy Chews, a taffy-like candy laced with caffeine, ginseng and guarana that can provide a boost equal to drinking a can of Red Bull.
- Blitz Energy Gum, a sugar-free product that contains 100 milligrams of caffeine (the same amount as a cup of coffee).
I'm sure these products will trick your body, just like sports/energy drinks do, to provide that extra burst of energy, but at a high cost. Because that "go-go effect" doesn't last very long, your body will start to feel sluggish again and want more of it.
Considering there have been cases of young people dying as a result of mixing energy drinks with alcohol, would you want to get anywhere near a candy, with no nutritional value whatsoever, that could also test the limits of your health?
About the only good use of candy and soft drinks: In a pinch, you can start a fire by combining the two.
CNN June 18, 2005