*This
review is not sponsored by anyone and all opinions are 100% mine.
Anyone
can tell you that starting off your morning with a big gulp of
Mountain Dew probably isn't a particularly healthy choice. Despite
that, I bet you know at least one person that does the Dew more than
the mocha latte each morning. With the introduction of Mountain Dew Kickstart, now it's okay to drink pop (or soda, for those who live
outside the Midwest) in the morning. Sort of.
While
reading the list of ingredients, you will quickly understand that
this is not much better than any other soft drinks. There are still
plenty of names for sugar and artificial sweeteners in that list. The
redeeming qualities of the drink? It contains 5% juice and it is only
80 calories for a 16 ounce can. So, you are not drinking your whole
breakfast calorie allotment, but you may also get evil stares from
the health nuts when holding the conspicuously large energy
drink-like can.
The
other concern that people may have with Kickstart is the caffeine
content. You may belong to one of two camps—those who worry it has
too much caffeine, and those who worry it will just never be enough
to keep your eyelids open. The good thing about Kickstart is that it
is not hiding behind the “dietary supplement” label like energy
drinks and does list its caffeine content on the can. It contains
92mg/oz, which to some may seem like a large number. However, this
number means something different to everyone, depending on your
current caffeine intake. I used http://www.energyfiend.com/
to compare what I normally drink with Kickstart. Turns out, about two
or three cups of the type of coffee I drink is equal to one can of
Kickstart. And since I pace myself with the can, drinking it over a
couple of hours (room temperature or chilled—tastes good either
way), it is about equal to my normal intake.
Now,
that doesn't mean that Kickstart doesn't have image issues. People
close to me swear up and down that it is an energy drink and that I
need to be careful about how much I consume (usually one can a week).
I don't have health issues and I know not to overdo caffeine in
general, so the claims that this is one of those killer energy drinks
is just giving it a bad rap (at least my my household, anyway).
And
the taste? I have only tried the orange flavor, but if you have ever
had Mountain Dew Live Wire, it tastes about the same. It also has less
carbonation, which is great for those who want a smoother drink.
Overall, if you typically drink copious amounts of carbonated drinks,
this is right up your alley.
Verdict:
Best drink ever.
5 comments:
It can be the best drink ever and still be a bad idea... I spent about 8 years of my life thinking that about rum.
A few times I've "done the Dew" to wake up, but I'm a bit of a coffee fiend, so that's my drug of choice.
As in all things, moderation is the key!
That's very true... moderation is key.
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