If "designer" sports drinks, that claim to make you stronger, fitter and healthier than the average bear, can do "great" things like dissolve your tooth enamel, and, with the right mix of alcohol, kill you, it's hard for me to imagine a candy labeled as "Sport Beans" is much of an improvement.

Taking a cue from marathon runners who use jelly beans for a quick energy boost, Jelly Belly Candy recently introduced Sport Beans to compete for business in the $3 billion sports drink/food industry. I suspect the only difference between the jelly bean candies Jelly Belly makes and its Sport Beans are the amount of vitamins C and E and extra carbs, sodium and potassium the latter contains. But does it really do anything beneficial for your health? I think not...

As Dr. Ben Lerner pointed out in one of his more recent columns, some energy foods -- full of sugar and caffeine -- may be somewhat beneficial when used properly by athletes training at a high level, but certainly not for most people.

The vast majority of these useless energy drinks, bars and powders, only add hazardous toxins, chemicals and useless calories to one's diet. However, you can improve your energy levels if you retool your diet based on your body's unique nutritional type and increase your intake of omega-3 fats by taking a high quality fish or cod liver oil every day.

Chicago Tribune October 16, 2005 Registration Required