Spark Energy Drink by AdvoCare AdvoCare boasts that Spark Energy Drink Is a sugar-free source of long-lasting energy and heightened mental focus and performance.* Here is the overview from their website: OVERVIEW •Our #1 seller •The most nutritionally advanced energy drink on the market •Sugar-free, long-lasting energy* •Surprisingly fast-acting* •Contains 21 vitamins, minerals and nutrients designed to synergistically provide a healthy, balanced source of energy* •Just 45 calories per serving •Sharpens mental focus* *And as usual those statements are not evaluated by the FDA. Yahda ,Yahda. For a more complete overview of this product you can visit the description page on AdvoCare here. Spark comes in several flavors. Cherry, Citrus, Fruit Punch, Grape, Mandarin Orange and Pink Lemonade. 14 Pouches (1 serving each) will run you $22.95, or you can purchase a canister with 42 servings for $51.95 ($1.24 per serving). AdvoCare recommends 1 to 3 servings per day, between meals. Today I tried the Mandarin Orange flavor mixed in 8oz of iced water at 11:20am. My first impression of the taste? Whoa! Too sweet. Ugh. So I added a couple more ounces of water. Ok, I can drink this. It has a very Tang like flavor. Remember Tang? Im not a huge Tang fan, but the flavor wasnt too off putting and I drank it down pretty fast. I didnt guzzle it, doing that with anything makes me sick. But I drank it in under ten minutes. I think if you were/are a Kool-Aid fan youd dig this flavor. Im thinking this might be fun in some sparkling water. Note to self, try that with the Fruit Punch flavor next time. You really have to give it a few good stirs or its a bit gritty. I let it sit for a few with the ice to get it nice and cold and to give the powder time to really dissolve. That seemed to do the trick. It has a little bit of a funky after taste. Maybe the artificial sweetener (Sucralose)? I loath diet pop and all things with Splenda/Saccharine or any other form of artificial sweetener, so I think this might be a personal hang up and not something everybody experiences. Spark boasts 125mg of Caffeine (about the same as a cup of coffee according to Mayo Clinic, but Red Bull has 76mg and Extra Strength Excedrin has 130mg for 2 tabs) along with 200mg of Taurine, 750% DV of Vitamins B-6 and B-12, 300% DV Vitamin C along with high percentages of a few other vitamins and minerals. I researched all of the major ingredients and didnt find anything dangerous (although the Mayo Clinic sure doesnt have a high opinion of Caffeine!) to the average healthy person. Healthy is the key word here peeps! This product should not be used by pregnant or nursing woman and should not be used by children or persons sensitive to caffeine or taurine. Below you will find a run down of how my day played out with the use of Spark. Timeline 7:45am - Woke up sore and tired (as usual). 8:30am - Ate 1 1/2 servings of Chocolate Frosted Mini Wheats w/ 6oz Skim Milk 11:20am - Drank Spark with 10oz iced water 11:30am - Started to feel something. Maybe my blood pumping? Maybe I feel a tad bit more alert. Is it my imagination? 12:00pm - No jitters. Feeling a bit more awake, but otherwise normal. At Broccoli Cheddar Soup and a Whole Grain Baguette. 1:00pm - Feeling like Ive had a lot of coffee. No shakes or jitters, but feeling excitable and like my heart is beating a little faster than normal. Im certainly awake and alert now. 2:45pm - Feeling a bit better, not quite so coffee feeling. Still no shakes. Starting to feel a little tired again, but overall still alert. 5:00pm - Dont feel anything, like caffeine coursing through my veins. But dont feel quite so tired. Ate Dinner, Tamale and Chimmichurri rice. Didnt feel the need to snack. Thats something. 5:30pm - Boxing Class 6:30pm - Ate an AdvoCare Double Chocolate Snack Bar (OMG! It tasted like a candy bar!) 6:40pm - Spin Class (too tired to notice anything) 8:30pm - Shower, noticed that Im not feeling the effects but that I dont feel mentally tired, just physically (from 2 hours of exercise). 10:15pm - Bedtime. I couldnt fall asleep. I laid there for what felt like hours, tossing and turning. I had a horrible nights sleep. I woke up countless times and slept very restlessly. 8:15am - Awoke feeling pretty much the same as usual, sore and tired. The problem is that I dont know if my sleep problems were because of the Spark, or because of the exercise. I usually sleep hard after an intense work out, but I was so sore and wiped out after spin class. In pain really. I do intend on drinking the other Spark mix later this week. At that point Ill come back here and write a follow up. That way Ill be able to know if it was the Spark or if it was just me. Fitandfuel.org
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 18:16:02 +0000