By Nikhail Thakker, Dr. Christine Wong, PhD
Much has been discussed online about the side effects of relying on caffeinated energy drinks to get through our daily routines, yet for some of us, it still feels like an unshakeable habit. Luckily, the need to escape the cycle has sparked innovation in functional drinks, creating alternatives that still pack the power to provide boosts in concentration, focus, and energy levels without all the health-compromising asterisks. But what actually sets functional drinks apart from the big guns in the energy drink market? Let’s dive into Flojo drinks, a new innovative functional beverage company redefining what energy drinks are. Hint: say goodbye to sugar and caffeine crashes from traditional energy drinks.
Who are Functional Drinks Made For?
The short answer is––everyone! It might be students and working professionals who seek enhanced productivity and focus the most, but the mood-boosting and stress relieving properties of many functional ingredients serve to benefit the livelihoods of everyone. Think of it as productivity defined, functional beverages like Flojo support mental energy and focus for the moments that are most important to you – be it levelling up your productivity for your next big project, zoning into your exercise and training, or being fully present with your family.
What sets Flojo Functional Drinks apart?
1. Naturally Sourced Ingredients
All the chatter about ‘ultra-processed’, ‘synthetic’, or ‘battery acid-like’ energy drinks being detrimental to your health brings about feelings of guilt on the occasion where you do crave a caffeine or sugar hit for a productivity boost. That’s where functional drinks like Flojo come in, giving you that much needed refresh in concentration in a beverage that you can feel good about drinking, using ingredients such as extracts of mushrooms, nootropics botanicals and adaptogenic herbs.
2. Science-Backed Blends
Perhaps the energy drinks industry’s worst kept secret is making their micronutrient content the centre of attention in their marketing. In reality, what perks you up is the copious amounts of caffeine and refined sugars loaded into each can.
On the other hand, the blends of nootropics and adaptogens used in most functional drinks comprise the backbone of what provides a vitality and mood boost, as opposed to unsustainable surges of blood sugar levels or caffeine-induced jitters. Naturally sourced brain-boosters such as Yerba Mate or Reishi are excellent providers of mental clarity and sharpness, in addition to helping to manage emotions relating to stress and anxiety.
3. Low and No Added Sugars
Many functional drinks that pride themselves upon their naturally sourced ingredients, often including healthier sugar substitutes. One such substitute is natural stevia leaf extracts, which propagates sweetness from compounds called steviol glycosides (1). These compounds aren’t digested in the body the same way regular sugars are, saving you both the calories and letting you skip the processed sugars found in most mainstream energy drinks. Flojo functional drinks have no artificial sugars and no added sugars, so it's powered by ingredients that you can feel good about putting in your body.
So Are Functional Drinks Better than Energy Drinks?
If you’re looking to tap into the world of functional drinks and leave the caffeine and sugar crashes of energy drinks behind, try a can of Flojo, a fruit-infused, all-round powerhouse for vitality and mental well-being. You’ll get your fix of Yerba Mate and Reishi amongst a super blend formulated by neuroscientists with nootropics, adaptogens, and vitamins, bringing you wellness on the tip of your tongue. Give Flojo functional drinks a try, and let us know, do you think functional drinks are better than energy drinks? (We’re team ‘yes’!)
PHOTOGRAPH BY FLOJO DRINKS
Works Cited
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Peteliuk, V.; Rybchuk, L.; Bayliak, M.; Storey, K. B.; Oleh Lushchak. Natural Sweetener . PubMed 2021, 20, 1412–1430. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2021-4211.
