Review: Starbucks Refreshers

So, since I've already admitted my vice... I may as well indulge you with more details! Yes, caffeine is my drug of choice. While there's nothing better than a cup of coffee, my dorm room digs lack a machine to make it with. Sure, I've spent plenty of my meal plan at our on-campus Starbucks or Buffalo Springs, but that isn't always an option for early morning study time.

Honestly, I was getting a little bored of Red Bull all of the time (have you checked out my review of Red Bull Total Zero?) and wanted to try something new. When I saw the can of Starbucks Refreshers in Raspberry Pomegranate on the shelf at the grocery, I grabbed it immediately.

From the first sip, I knew I had a new favorite energy drink indulgence. The tangy pomegranate is delicious but not overpowering, nicely muted by the sweet taste of raspberry. The latter fruit definitely has a stronger presence, and at times it feels like you're sipping sparkling fresh raspberry juice. The drink is only lightly carbonated; this sets it apart from other energy drinks, which boast excessive carbonation or none at all.

The energy kick from this product comes from a unique source: green coffee extract! So what, exactly, is green coffee extract? According to Starbucks's website:

"Freshly harvested green coffee beans are typically heated and roasted to bring out the signature dark colors and bold flavors coffee is famous for. But now, Starbucks is using a patented new process to pull the naturally occurring caffeine and other good stuff from 100% green Arabica coffee beans before they are roasted. The result is green coffee extract - all of the natural energy from coffee, but with none of the coffee flavor."

The result? Not the taste of coffee, don't worry! The drink boasts 50 mg of Panax Ginseng, 25% juice (from concentrate), 60 calories, and 100% Vitamin C. It's also fortified with B vitamins, giving you 25% Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B, and Niacin.

No, you probably shouldn't be drinking this every day-- coffee is still the healthiest way to get your caffeine fix. For a delicious treat on the go, however, this drink is sweeter than its energy drink counterparts and lacks the tangy aftertaste most of them have. Try it once-- it comes in Raspberry Pomegranate, Orange Melon, and Strawberry Lemonade, and every flavor is pretty tasty.

Product Review: Red Bull Total Zero

Okay, okay, so this goes against everything to do with minimal/natural living... but sometimes a girl (or guy) needs a pick-me-up, right? Ever since I've cut out soda, I've been allowing myself to have "cheat" days with Sugar-Free Red Bulls. My boyfriend is an energy drink aficionado, but Red Bull is the only thing I'll touch anymore! So, when I saw a can of Red Bull that wasn't in a shade of blue, I was totally intrigued... and naturally, I bought it immediately. So much for rationing my meal plan!


Red Bull already has a Sugar-Free variety, so what's different about Total Zero? Shockingly, it isn't the calories: both boast 10 calories/12 fluid ounces. Sure, we'd expect something called Total Zero to have zero calories--that's how it was advertised-- but ten is no big deal, right?

What does the name refer to, then? Total Zero is different because it has zero grams of sugar (and, by extension, zero grams of carbohydrates). It's a sign that low-carb diets like Atkins are becoming all the rage again, about eight years after they last faded out. Whether the difference is due to the sugar or a creative choice, the taste of Total Zero is definitely different than its Sugar Free counterpart. Total Zero is significantly less tangy, and the amber drink taste has an almost peach-like aftertaste. It's definitely smooth, but it will remind you more of a soda than those tart-but-sweet low-cal flavors that you find in other energy drinks.

Summary: Red Bull Total Zero is Red Bull without the afterbite. Sweetened with aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame K, it still has the 10 cal/12 fl.oz as its Sugar Free counterpart. It's caffeine content is similar as well, with 114 mg/12 fl. oz. Unless you're on a low carb diet, this drink isn't worth buying into; if you are on a low carb diet, however, this no-carb energy drink is totally worth your while.