Ever noticed that so many energy drinks taste like that pink Fizzer from your childhood?

There’s a reason for that.

Many of the defining ingredients of energy drinks like caffeine, B vitamins and Vitamin C have very strong flavours. And then there’s taurine, the ingredient we’ve come to associate with all things energy drink-related.

Taurine is super bitter and acidic, which means that to cover it up, you need to up the flavour, and sour tart flavours do the job better than others.

All of this leads us back to that Fizzer taste. Fine to eat at a children’s birthday party when you’re trying to avoid talking to other parents, but not really what we’re all after when looking for a little mid-day kick.

The solution? No taurine means more variety.

Take 28 Black, for example. They looked at the standard flavour and decided to do something about it. In 2008, they created the first taurine free energy drink that didn’t taste like candy.

They also wanted to up the sophistication – because seriously, we could use a little energy boost sometimes. It isn’t the sole domain of muscly men who want wings.

The energy in 28 Black comes from natural arabica coffee and natural raw sugar. It’s also vegan-friendly, gluten and lactose-free, and contains no artificial preservatives. Yup, now you get to boast about your energy drink being vegan-friendly.

It also comes in a variety of flavours like Açai Berries, Açai Berries Zero (which has zero sugar and calories), and Pink Grapefruit-Mint.

When it comes to caffeine, it’s common knowledge that too much isn’t always advisable, and it’s one of the ingredients you always hear about when people go after energy drinks.

To put things into perspective, Caffeineinformer notes that a can of Coke contains five milligrams of caffeine per ounce, while coffee contains anywhere between 12-30 milligrams of caffeine per ounce.

28 Black, on the other hand, comes in at only 10 milligrams per ounce, which is enough to keep you energised, but not enough to make you feel weird.

So, if like me, you need the caffeine to make it through the day without a dramatic crash and burn, this is an alternative to your morning coffee.

It’s a way to cut back on your caffeine intake without losing out on the energy boost.

You’ll be seeing more of 28 Black popping up, including at fitness events around the Western Cape, and now you know what all the buzz is about.

[source:caffeineinformer]