"Optimal hydration." Those are the words used over and over again on the Nuun website. Nuun, pronounced "noon," is a dissolvable tablet that is to be dropped into a 16 oz water bottle providing a flavored concoction which promises to replace electrolytes lost when the body is dehydrated.

Some of you may be thinking, "Well, isn't that what Gatorade is for?" You would be partly right. Unlike Nuun, which only contains electrolytes, Gatorade and other sports drinks also provide sugars, complex carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins and sometimes stimulants like caffeine, taurine, ginseng or guarana. Nuun prides itself on simply replacing electrolytes:

"…we know some people simply want to avoid unnecessary carbs, and it doesn't make sense to consume sports drinks loaded with them. Now, if you're participating in intense exercises lasting more than 60 to 90 minutes, you should consume carbohydrates to ensure energy levels for working muscles. But how you do that is up to you. Everyone manages energy consumption differently, whether it's with sports bars, gel or other sources of calories and carbohydrates."

So, what's all this talk about electrolytes, and why should you even care? For those of you who may have slept through high school biology, here's a quick refresher. The cells in our bodies are made primarily of water. In order for our bodies to work properly, we need to stay properly hydrated. In other words, we need to drink plenty of water! So why isn't drinking water enough? Well, our bodies use electrolytes to regulate the amount of water in our cells. If we run low on electrolytes, it is harder to stay hydrated, and we can quickly become dehydrated causing weakness, disorientation and, in sever cases, death. Electrolytes also play a key role in muscle and nervous system functions. I won't go into detail about that. I can already sense some of you lapsing into a coma. Suffice it to say that electrolytes are important!

Electrolyte balance becomes even more important when you are an athlete. The most common way for the body to lose precious electrolytes is through sweat, and athletes sweat a lot! This is where Nuun enters the picture. Nuun is "a small startup comprised of competitive cyclists, skiers, rock climbers, runners and triathletes" who needed a way to replace electrolytes in an easy and effective way without the extras that come as part of typical sports drinks. The makers of Nuun figure that it's easy enough to regulate things like carbs and proteins, but electrolytes are trickier.

Let's take a look at the product. I was provided with five different flavors to test drive: Tropical, Fruit Punch, Grape, Strawberry Lemonade, and Lemon Tea (which happens to be 'Caffeine Enhanced'). The tablets come in a tube that reminded me those tubes with the chlorine and pH testing strips I used when I was a lifeguard in college. Even the logo design is reminiscent of a pool chemical supplies company.

Each tab dissolved in 16 oz of water is under 8 calories and contains sodium carbonates (360 mg), potassium bicarbonate (100 mg), calcium carbonate (12.5 mg), magnesium sulfate (25 mg), Vitamin C (37.5 mg), Vitamin B12 (500 mcg), sorbitol, natural colors and flavors, and polyethylene glycol. (Lemon Tea contains 40 mg of caffeine per serving.)

Upon opening each of the tubes, I was greeting with the same kind of powdery sweet smell you get when you open a gelatin package of a similar flavor except for the lemon tea, which smelled like Nestea Instant Tea powder. The tablets looked were about the size of a half-dollar coin, but thicker, resembling an Alka-Seltzer or Airbourne tablet. When I dropped the tabs in water, they fizzed just like these types of tablets. It took about two minutes for a tab to dissolve, and each flavored tab slightly colored the water to match the flavor.

How does Nuun taste? According to the Nuun site:

"Our new flavor lineup includes a modern take on your old favorites. This medley will transport you back to summer days on the old cul-de-sac when a skinned knee or a grass stain were quickly erased by a cold glass of fruit punch, strawberry lemonade, or a grape popsicle. In classic Nuun fashion, the flavors are lush without being overpowering, sweet but still light. It's nostalgia in a glass without the sugar crash."

After reading a description like that you'd expect to maybe get something resembling Crystal Light. What I got was something that more resembled Alka-Seltzer with diluted flavoring. While Grape, Lemon Tea, and Fruit Punch did resemble watered down versions of what you'd expect from a powdered drink mix, Tropical was more reminiscent of diluted peach flavoring. As far as Strawberry Lemonade… let's just say it didn't taste like strawberry lemonade.

That being said about these flavors, the sole purpose of Nuun is electrolyte replacement. Electrolytes come from salts. I can't say from experience, but if you are running a marathon or in a long distance cycling race, the last thing on your mind when wanting to keep your electrolytes and hydration balanced is vibrant, true-to-life flavors. I think Nuun would be better off focusing on the purpose of their drink tablets rather than overstating the flavors their tablets come in.

Nuun seems to be hitting a growing niche of drinks targeted at hydration replenishment effectively. I like their aim at doing one thing, "optimal hydration" through electrolyte replacement, and doing that thing well. It's a viable alternative to other sports drinks, especially if you want to pass on the extra sugars, carbohydrates, and proteins in those sports drinks. It also seems to be a good value at $6 per tube of 12 tablets, which comes out to $.50 for 16 oz of hydration… that's definitely less than a sports drink!

Official Website: Nuun.com

Like the To Relax variety, this dietary supplement comes packaged in a 2 oz. plastic bottle that looks like it was stolen from the "free shampoo" section of your local motel. It's white and accented with black and grey. The front of the bottle also argued that this shot "triggers sleep, improves mood, lowers stress, and combats anxiety."

Crack open the cap on this functional beverage and you are greeted by a subdued scent that's not quite strong. The packaging denotes a "Blackberry" flavor, but I had a hard time finding that smell. It wasn't bad, just hard to detect.

As for the taste, however, it was a tad on the syrupy side, with a heaviness present. The flavor was a subtle "berry" taste, which was supported by the coloring that resembled watered-down grape Kool-Aid.

The directions note that you should drink an entire bottle 20-30 minutes before going to bed for best effect. Now, it's here that I should note that I'm a very light sleeper. I've taken a lot of supplements over the years to help me sleep, such as melatonin and rose hips. Been there, done that, usually not with great effect. So I went into this experience quite skeptical, especially given my experience with Take 10 To Relax.

However, in this case, it worked.

I honestly did feel quite tired after drinking this 2 oz. shot. It's hard to describe, but I took notes. Eyelids felt heavier, breathing calmed, overall just felt more relaxed. I slept good that night! How funny is that?

In this case, I did find that the product worked as advertised, but I'm still not sure about the pricepoint of roughly $2.99 per serving. How much is good sleep worth to you? In any case, if Take 10 could work on their packaging a bit to be less shampoo-y, they may have something very special here!

Ingredients are as follows…

Take 10 To Sleep
Filtered water, natural flavor, citric acid, malic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sucralose, Red 40, Blue 1.

Featured supplements:
Chamomile extract, valerian root extract, rose hips extract, kava root extract, passionflower extract, L-Theanine, choline, melatonin

A 2 oz. bottle contacts 0 calories, 0 g carbs, 0 g sugards, and 5 mg sodium.

Official Website: Take10Beverages.com

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

This drink comes packaged in a tall 12 oz. call with an attractive package design, emphasized by a white and red color scheme. As with the others in this GABA line, I'm impressed by the look. There's quite a bit of text on the package, but it portrays the look/feel of a nutrient-oriented beverage.

The drink itself is light yellow in color, similar to a light tea or ginger ale. There's a faint grapefruit scent that emanates from the beverage. Overall, the feeling is airy and fresh.

As for the taste, it's watered-down in overall experience, and doesn't really taste like grapefruit. It's sweet and based in tea, but with a hint of citrus. Definitely would lean more on the juice side of the "tea/juice" tasting experience here. It's somewhat hard to describe, but it's pleasant. The flavors aren't overpowering and provide a nice compliment to food.

Jones GABA Grapefruit Tea Juice
Filtered Water, Inverted Cane Sugar, White Grape Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (PharmaGABA™), Caramel Color, FTC Natural White Tea From Brewed Tea, Tea Polyphenols

A 12 oz. can of Jones GABA Grapefruit contains 80 calories, 25 mg of sodium, and 19 g of sugars. The back of the can also notes that this drink contains 12% juice, as is also Fair Trade Certified.

With a light citrus, tea-infused flavor, Jones GABA Grapefruit Tea Juice provides pleasant refreshment for a non-carbonated drink. Throw in the GABA with its promise for improved "focus and clarity" and you've got a nice combination!

Earlier this year a new beverage was designed for active individuals looking to hydrate while also giving their bodies the added protein it needed to help repair and build the muscles from a hard workout. Pro H20 is a high protein water designed to hydrate and supply protein without added fat and sugar. I recently had the opportunity to give it a "test run" and share a little of my thoughts.

Pro H2O is a sucralose-sweetened beverage that is enhanced with whey protein. Each 16.9 oz bottle has only 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbohydrate, and 20 grams of protein, which makes it ideal source of protein for those looking to keep calories down. The bottle is similar to other flavored waters on the market and the coloring is unique. It is fairly clear to cloudy white (both flavors).

How did it taste? I tried both Pro H20 Black Cherry and Pro H20 Kiwi Strawberry flavors, which were refreshing and good. It honestly tasted like similar artificially-sweetened drinks but with a different aftertaste that indicated the addition of whey protein. If you have experienced other protein drinks, you know what I am describing. It is not ideal, but it is often what results from adding whey protein. The best way to describe that sensation is that it quickly quenches and then immediately gives you a thirsty feeling again. Hopefully that is an area that will continue to improve the longer Pro H20 is on the market.

Why a protein water? Protein is essential if you are working out because it supports lean muscle tissue. Lean muscle tissue = higher metabolism. Who doesn't want that? If you don't give your body adequate protein, especially after a workout, your body WILL get what it needs even if you don't supply it. It will basically digest your muscles to get that protein. That, my friend, is a VERY expensive and inefficient way of getting protein. The developers of Pro H20 figured that you need to hydrate after a workout, why not also get the added protein that you need at the same time.

From a health perspective, I tend to lean away from artificially-sweetened beverages because I feel that they lead me to crave more sweet things during the rest of the day. I also tend to lean more towards natural products. But, if you migrate towards sucralose-sweetened beverages and are a seeking additional low-calorie protein in your diet, I think you should give it a try.

If I was choosing a recovery drink from Pro Foods, I would lean more towards their Pro Ade Orange sports drink beverage because it is sweetened with sugar (NOT high fructose corn syrup) instead of sucralose. Per bottle 16.9 oz bottle, Pro Ade has 220 calories, 0 grams of fat, 36 grams of carbohydrate, and 22 grams of sugar. I also didn't notice as much aftertaste in the Pro Ade. The calories are more than double that of Pro H20. But, if you have burned off adequate calories in a workout to truly deserve a recovery drink, then I wouldn't worry about the calories too much. Your body needs it!

Wondering if you had a hard enough workout to need a recovery drink? If you have to ask, then it wasn't hard enough!

Official Website: Pro-Foods.com

Elations Raspberry White Grape

The drink comes in 6 packs consisting of 8 oz. plastic bottles with the recommendation that you should drink one each day "for best results." The shape of the packaging resembles a small bottle of apple juice that you might buy at a coffee shop where breakfast juices aren't the top item on the menu.

Elations Cranberry Apple

Both flavors of the drink are red in color, like a cherry-flavored juice. You have to look carefully to tell the flavors apart, as the colors of the caps on the bottles are exactly the same (purple). The labels are the differentiator, with the Raspberry White Grape flavor showcasing a purple logo/flavor listing, while Cranberry Apple uses a pink color scheme.

Interestingly, both flavors list the exact same ingredients:

Elations Raspberry White Grape / Elations Cranberry Apple
Water and 2% or less of each of the following: apple juice concentrate, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, CCM (calcium hydroxide, citric acid, malic acid), sucralose, born trihydroxide, Red 40, calcium disodium EDTA (to protect color), natural and artificial flavors

Each flavor sports 30 calories per 8 oz. bottle (which is considered a serving). They also feature 8 g of carbs, 1 g of which is sugars. On the nutritional supplement side of things, you'll also get 300 mg of calcium, 1500 mg of glucosamine HCl, 1200 mg of chondroitin sulfate, and 6 mg of boron.

OK, enough of the details. How does this stuff taste?

Elations Raspberry White Grape is officially described as a "delicate blend of raspberry and white summer grape flavors that is fresh, delicate and satisfying." When I opened the bottle, I was greeted by a berry/grape smell. Upon that first taste, my reaction was, "this doesn't taste like white grape at all." The flavor is amazingly artificial with a very filmy mouthfeel present throughout the drink. There isn't much flavor at the beginning of the sip, but it's the aftertaste that will get you. You can tell there's sucralose in there. It's not very good overall.

Meanwhile, Elations Cranberry Apple is noted as a "soft, aromatic blend of cranberry and apple that's unexpectedly smooth, not tart." Seriously? I didn't find much apple flavor at all, mostly just a berry sensation. And like Raspberry White Grape, there was a filmy, artificial flavor throughout the experience. Yuck.

Even if the flavor was decent, I have to question the economics of going with a liquid beverage to stock up on these supplements. I did some quick math based on the per bottle price of a bottle of Elations via their website ($31.96 for 24 bottles = $1.33 per bottle, daily serving 1 bottle) vs. purchasing a bottle of glucosamine/chondroitin from a drug store (Walgreens, $31.99 for 150 pills, daily serving 3 pills). If you breakdown the daily dosage, the pill form is about $0.63 per serving vs. Elations being about $1.33 per serving. This drink is considerably more expensive.

Overall, we're not a fan either of the flavors of Elations. On top of that, the nutritional benefit comes at an inflated price vs. other available means. However, if you are looking for a liquid take on your joint supplements, then it may be something that fits your needs. Just not ours.

So what exactly is OOBA? The name is an acronym for "One of Botany's Advantages." It's part of the recent batch of nutrient-oriented functional beverages to hit the marketplace, offering a unique twist on a fruit juice inspired drink. In this case, the drink gets its primary flavoring from the hibiscus flower. Combined with cane sugar and carbonated water, it fits along side other juice drinks like Pom, Izze, and SoBe.

The big differentiator with OOBA beyond the use of hibiscus as the flavor is the fact that the drinks including a high amount of antioxidants and Vitamin C. There isn't much really in the drink if you look at the ingredients:

OOBA Hibiscus
Carbonated water, cane sugar, pure hibiscus extract, citric acid, and ascorbic acid

I really have to applaud the folks at OOBA on their packaging as well. It's unique and distinctive, featuring 16 oz. bottles that are wide at the bottom, narrow at the top, almost pyramid-like is shape. Each flavor also differentiates itself through a color (for example, the main flavor features a red/pink scheme) and clear typography to showcase the drink. Finally, the OOBA brand logo is quite attractive, even if you don't know what it is or how in the world to pronounce it (It's like the "oo" in "zoo").

When you open a bottle, the scent isn't very strong, but what you do smell has a fruity quality. The color of the beverage is dark redish, like cranberry juice. And when you actually taste it, those comparisons to cranberry continue, as it tastes a lot like a carbonated cranberry fruit drink. It's not as tart or bitter as cranberry juice, but rather light and effervescent. It tastes far more authentic than something like Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash.

I really wonder if the cranberry comparison was just something in my head, but then this line from the Hibiscus Wikipedia entry seemed to confirm it: "In Mexico, the drink is known as agua de Flor de Jamaica and is quite popular for its color, tanginess and mild flavor; once sugar is added, it tastes somewhat like cranberry juice." It was a great flavor to experience.

A full 16 oz. bottle contains 180 calories, 10 mg of sodium, and 44 g of carbs (of which 40 g are sugars). It will also provide you with 50% of your recommended daily value for Vitamin C.

Every now and then you get to taste a drink and really like the experience. I'm happy to say that OOBA Hibiscus falls into that category. We really loved the sparkling cranberry-like taste, creative packaging, and clear market positioning of this drink. If you get a chance to track it down, and are looking for something just a little different, OOBA should be on your list!

ViB Mango Lime

One of my biggest criticisms of ViB when we first reviewed it is that instead of coming in a namesake bottle, it arrived in a can. The folks at ViB later informed me that the can packaging was temporary. ViB Mango Lime arrives in a unique 12 oz. aluminum bottle that sets it apart from others in the growing "relaxation" beverage category.

Upon opening the bottle, you are greeted by a light citrusy smell. It's not very strong, but you do get a sense of lemon/lime inside. The drink itself is clear with a light red/orange tint. You definitely get the feeling that this is being pitched as "light refreshment."

The flavor itself is actually very refreshing, especially if you partake from a nicely chilled aluminum bottle. There's a crispness there in the experience. Kudos again on the package shape. We're seeing more soft drinks and alcoholic beverages adopt the aluminum bottle approach, and I like it. This sparkling drink doesn't have a fruity flavor, rather it's more just a bubbly drink with a light touch of lime. Despite the "Mango Lime" flavor labeling, I couldn't say that I was able to detect much in the way of mango. That said, the flavor overall wasn't very distinctive. In this case, I'm not pitching that as a negative. Rather, it's not like when you grab an orange soda or a root beer and go "yeah, that's orange" or "yup, it's root beer!" In this case, it's just a light, lime-ish drink that does seem rather refreshing.

Uniquely, in order to keep the calories down, this ViB Mango Lime is sweetened not only with cane sugar, but also the artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K). This produces a 12 oz. bottle that has 60 calories.

ViB Mango Lime is also branded as "The Happy Relaxation Drink." We've been taking a look at this growing sub-genre recently, namely with our reviews of Drank and Drank Deuce, along with other beverages that throw in elements that aim to provide other nutritional benefits, such as Jones GABA Fuji Apple Tea Juice and Fruit2O Essentials Cranberry Raspberry Water. To set Mango Lime apart from the pack, you'll find that B-Vitamins have been added along with amino acids (L-theanine and L-threonine). The company claims that these additions will help you relieve stress and "make you feel happy."

What else is in this drink? Let's take a look at the ingredients:

ViB Mango Lime
Carbonated water, cane sugar, natural flavors, citric acid, potassium benzoate, potassium citrate, potassium sorbate, L-theanine, L-threonine, maltodextrin, lycii berry extract, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, niacin (Vitamin B3), pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), FD&C Red 40, cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)

A full 12 oz. bottle has 60 calories, 15 of carbohydrates consisting of 15 g of sugars, 0 mg of sodium, and 0 g of protein.

Even with the use of artificial sweeteners (which aren't too noticeable), I have to admit that I liked the taste of ViB Mango Lime. It's light, it's refreshing, it's different. In my opinion, it's far superior in taste to ViB Pomegranate Berry. While Pomegranate Berry tastes a little too artificial in flavor, Mango Lime feels just about right in taste.

ViB Pomegranate Berry

If there is a negative I have to mention regarding the ViB lineup (and I've mentioned this before), it's the amazingly horrible package design. Please ViB, whoever is doing your label branding and concepting work, please fire them now! It looks amateurish, like an intern was given 10 minutes to find a beach scene image via iStockPhoto.com, slapped a prefab logo on the front, and forgot the first rules of brand identity, flavor identification, or how to best stick out in the marketplace.

As I've mentioned in this review, ViB Mango Lime is actually a tasty drink, but there is no way I would have picked it up on store shelves with the way it currently looks. The aluminum bottle is a nice distinction, but it's completely lost with the overtly busy label wrap. On top of that, there's no easy way to tell the flavor differences between Mango Lime and the original Pomegranate Berry. The bottles just feature beach scenes and only if you read clearly the flavor description text (which is in different locations on each flavor) do you know what you are in for. This is unacceptable. Don't hurt the future growth of this product just because you cut a few corners in the design/branding department. Clean that up, and I think you've got something to be proud of here!

Fruit2O was created by the folks at Veryfine, maker of various juices, and originally owned by Kraft Foods. However, just a few years ago Veryfine and Fruit2O were sold to Sunny Delight Beverages Company, makers of… you guessed it, Sunny Delight! All these brands are based in Cincinnati, OH.

This Cranberry Raspberry flavor combination is pitched as "the tart zing of cranberry softened around the edged with just the right touch of raspberry sweetness." Did you get all that? This series of drinks contain no calories, made possible by the use of artificial sweetener sucralose. While Fruit2O's flagship brand is just flavored water, the Essentials line tries to get in on the "nutrient drink" train that seems popular with many beverage brands these days. Specifically with the Cranberry Raspberry flavor, the highlighted nutrients include manganese (80% of your recommended daily values, in fact), zinc, Vitamin E, phosphorus, and potassium. There are 6 total flavors in the Fruit2O Essentials line, each with differing selection and levels of nutrients.

The bottle design is very light, being transparent with a bubbled "barbell" shape of raised plastic ridges at the top and bottom. The label is printed on a transparent material that allows you to see into the bottle, noting the clear appearance of the water. Each flavor in the Essentials line features a different color cap that ties into the flavor type. This bottle of Cranberry Raspberry featured a purple/pink cap and color accent in the package design. After talking to Kristen Orr, who is a public relations representative for the brand, she noted that the package design was intentionally created to appeal to the female demographic, noting that "consumer feedback revealed that women wanted a bottle they could comfortably hold, fit well in a cup holder, and a mouth opening allowing them to sip the water, instead of "chug"” like with various competitor bottles." This is also the reason that the water is clear instead of colored, given that research showed that customers wanted their water looking like, well, water!

So what does this stuff taste like? Well, you probably wouldn't be surprised if I told you that it tasted watery, right? (That was a little beverage reviewer joke… you are supposed to laugh at this point!) Starting with the opening of the cap, you are greeted with a sweet, candy-like scent and hints at the berry infusion inside. This somewhat oversells, I think, because the flavor itself isn't as strong as the scent.

The flavor is hard to pinpoint, actually. I know it says "Cranberry Raspberry" on the bottle, but I had a difficult time distinguishing either. Just tasted "berryish" to me. Granted, that's not a bad thing, as the overall flavor experience of Fruit2O Essentials Cranberry Raspberry was actually pretty good. It's light, sweet, and tasty. The primary drawback is the residue and aftertaste provided by the artificial sweetener. That's the price you have the pay for no calories, I guess! If the use of sucralose doesn't bother you, then I think you'll like this nutrient water quite a bit. It actually reminded me a bit of Gatorade's Propel line, though obviously marketed for more female-oriented, casual drinking vs. active, athletic lifestyles.

What's inside? Here's the ingredient list:

Fruit2O Essentials Cranberry Raspberry Water
Purified water, contains less than 2% of natural flavor, maltodextrin (fiber), potassium ascorbate (Vitamin C), manganese gluconate dihydrate (mineral), potassium chloride (electrolyte), potassium citrate (electrolyte), potassium pyruvate (electrolyte), Vitamin E succinate, zine lactate gluconate (mineral), calcium D-pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Vitamin B6, selenium chelate (mineral), citric acid, sucralose, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preserve freshness)

An 18 oz. bottle is 1 serving and features 0 calories, 105 mg of sodium, 350 mg of potassium, and 1g of fiber. The product is gluten free and caffeine free.

Fruit2O Essentials Cranberry Raspberry Water is a tasty entry in the nutrient-enhanced water category, though that's a pretty crowded space these days. The flavor is subtle and full of berry taste, which produces a light sensation, though earmarked with the aftertaste of an artificial sweetener. However, at zero calories and an interesting collection of nutrients thrown it, it's worth checking out if you are looking for more than just flavor in your water!

The current hype in beverages these days are energy shots, made popular by market leader 5-Hour Energy, with familiar brands like Red Bull and Monster finally getting into the ring. Noted for coming in small packaging, being non-carbonated, not requiring refrigeration, having high concentrations of caffeine, vitamins, and functional "stuff", and featuring a relatively high price point, this new sub-category of energy drinks have become the new darlings of the beverage world.

Drank Deuce is the relaxing take on an energy shot, produced by a partnership between Drank owner Innovative Beverage Group and Layfield Energy. Those involved note that it's "under the specified liquid limit for airport security, which makes it the perfect travel companion when crossing multiple time zones." Another selling point being pushed is a lower calorie count. While a 16 oz. can of Drank packs 220 calories, a 2 oz. shot of Drank Deuce only has 16.

The packaging is the standard look of an energy shot… tiny plastic container with a narrow screwtop. Think a taller bottle of Liquid Paper and you get the right idea. In this case, Drank Deuce comes in black packaging with a wrapped label, showcasing the brand's "D" logo all "pimped" out with a crown and sparkly attributes. The bottom of the shot notes that this is a dietary supplement.

Upon opening the bottle, you are welcomed with Drank's notable grape-ish scent, which also influences the light pink/purple color of the beverage, keeping it in line with the original. As for the flavor itself, it's very different from the original Drank. While I thought the canned beverage was very syrupy, this is cleaner in nature. The grape taste is weak, feeling more watered-down in general, as if you made Grape Kool-Aid and didn't get the mixture quite right. There's no carbonation, and surprisingly, I didn't really miss it… nor did I mind that the drink wasn't refrigerated. While I think it would taste better with a stronger flavor base, I actually liked the taste of Drank Deuce more than original Drank. Granted, it's hard to really analyze when you are dealing with just 2 oz. of liquid!

Is there a big difference in the ingredients between the flagship drink and the shot? When comparing the ingredients, Deuce contains the same as standard Drank, complete with the flagship "relaxation" elements of melatonin, valerian root, and rose hips:

Drank Deuce
Water, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium citrate, potassium benzoate, potassium sorbate, niaciamide (Vitamin B3), D-calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5), valerian root extract, rose hips extract, pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Red 40, melatonin, Blue 1, cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)

Also just like the canned version, the following callout appears on the packaging:

Warning: This product may cause drowiness. Not recommended more than 2 servings within a 24 hour period.

A 2 oz. shot (which is a single serving) contains 10 mg of sodium, 4 g of carbs (which are sugars), 40 mg of Vitamin B3, 4 mg Vitamin B6, 12 mcg Vitamin B12, 20 mg Vitamin B5, and 42 mg of the aforementioned "relaxation" stuff, which Drank calls it's "Proprietary Calming Blend."

When we first reviewed Drank, I noted that while I loved the concept, I really didn't see many calming effects with the drink itself. I'm a light sleeper and quite sensitive to caffeine ("So why are you reviewing beverages, Steve?") and really wanted to see a personal correlation with the claims. With Drank Deuce, I think the calming effects are more notable, without all that extra stuff like 54 g of sugars and carbonation (Deuce just has 4 g of sugar). I'm not saying all the sudden I got drowsy and slumped over the keyboard, but there was a certain amount of "mellowness" present after about an hour or so. Take it for what it's worth!

Drank Deuce is the relaxation-oriented energy shot version of big brother Drank, making it a curious entry in this growing beverage classification. While the flavor could be stronger, the shot incarnation of the formula agrees with us better in regards to its functional benefits and taste.