Review: Take 10 To Relax
Apr 18th, 2011 by Steve
We've reviewed a few "relaxation" beverages in the past, including ViB and Drank. Recently we were sent a variation on the category in shot form from a Grand Rapids, MI company called Take 10 Beverages. Today we look at one of their products, Take 10 To Relax.
According to the press materials we were provided, this 2 oz. liquid dietary supplement is a finalist in the "Best Relaxation Drink" category of the 2011 International Functional Drink Awards. So now you know.
Functional beverages are a hot thing these days, as marketers and beverage makers are angling that their product not only tastes good, but also provides some sort of positive benefit. Apparently you can no longer just say "hey, isn't high fructose corn syrup great!" and expect to sell tons. Go figure.
Take 10 To Relax comes in shot form, packaged in a clean white bottle with black and green accents. To be honest, while I was drinking it, it felt like I sipping out of a little shampoo bottle you get from a motel. That's probably not the visual they were going for.
Upon opening the bottle, you are greeted by a very strong grape scent (the official flavor is listed as "White Grape"). The drink itself tastes like severely sweetened Kool-Aid. It's non-carbonated and a bit syrupy. There is a grape flavor as well that provides an aftertaste that seems to cling to your tongue.
That flavoring can probably be attributed to the variety of supplements used, including rose hips, GABA, L-Theanine, and valerian root. The drink is also artificially sweetened with sucralose.
This being a functional beverage, just what is it trying to provide? The front of the bottle proclaims that it "improves mood, supports relaxation, lowers stress, and combats anxiety." So does it?
I followed the directions on the bottle and drink the entire thing for "Maximum Relaxation" in the early evening. I also avoided running any heavy machinery or combining it with alcohol.
My results weren't as impressive as I wanted them to be. I tried to sense if I felt more relaxed or mellow, but didn't seem very different. Maybe if I tried more of these on a regular basis, my results would differ. Take 10 is currently selling a 12 pack of these shots on their website for $35.88, which breaks down to $2.99 a serving. Is it worth it at that pricepoint? Personally, I don't think so. (I should note that while I didn't feel relaxed, I did have a hard time sleeping that night. I'm not sure what was up with that!)
Ingredients are as follows…
Take 10 To Relax
Filtered water, natural flavor, citric acid, malic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sucralose.Featured supplements:
GABA, valerian root extract, rose hips extract, eleutherococcus extract, rhodiola rosea extract, L-theanine, Choline
A 2 oz. bottle contacts 0 calories, 0 g carbs, 0 g sugards, and 5 mg sodium.
Official Website: Take10Beverages.com
Jeez, this sounds like a pretty bad drink and the bottle looks like a bottle of Head & Shoulders or something. Definitely think I'll pass on ever trying this.
[...] 10th, 2011 by Steve We previously looked at Take 10 To Relax and frankly weren't all that impressed with its ability as a relaxation shot. What happens when we [...]
I used to be pretty skeptical of all these so-called "relaxation" drinks, but I actually tried one and was proven completely wrong. I decided to try a Drank Beverage and it calmed and relaxed me to sleep very quickly. I know they might look like they aren't gonna work, but they very much do and you might just like one if you try it.