Back in July (I know i'm waaaaay behind on a review) Zip Fizz sent me a sample of all their flavors to try out.
Naturally since I had seen so many reviews on different runners blogs I assumed it was an electrolyte replacement drink similiar to Nuun so when my shipment arrived I took it after a long bootcamp / run double header in the evening. I was wired afterward and had a hard time falling asleep. The next day I decided to actually see what was in there that kept me up and then I realized---- its designed to give you energy along with different vitamins, minerals and amino acids... guess I should have read that there was caffeine and a bunch of B vitamins in there BEFORE taking it at night.
So what's in it (taken from website HERE)
WHAT IS ZIPFIZZ?
Zipfizz is a healthy energy mix, with only 10 calories, no sugar, and 2 net carbs. It
contains 25 nutrients that give an energy boost usually in about 15 minutes. It is “the
healthy alternative to energy drinks, sports drinks and coffee.” Zipfizz transforms
water into a healthy, energizing performance drink.
WHAT’S IN IT?
Zipfizz contains 25 nutritional ingredients:
9 VITAMINS: vitamins C, E, all the Bs, and folate
8 MINERALS: potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, selenium, manganese, chromium, sodium
ELECTROLYTES: magnesium, potassium
AMINO ACIDS: arginine, taurine
ANTIOXIDANTS: green tea extract, vitamins C and E
THE 4 G’S: Grape seed extract, Ginger, Green tea and Ginseng
I was a little concerned if it was going to be too much caffeine, so I was happy to see this:
DOES IT HAVE CAFFEINE?
Yes. It has 100 mgs of caffeine from natural sources of green tea and Guarana. That’s
about one-fourth the caffeine in a Tall Starbucks coffee (375 mg) and less than two
Excedrin tablets (130 mg).
*** And for me the most important piece is how its sweetened. Now I promised myself I wouldn't go on a tangent, but I have to say something. It really bothers me when companies advertise that there is no sugar, because if it's sweet it has to contain either sugar, or artificial sweetners of some sort... PERIOD. A lot of products out there use sorbitol to sweeten said product without adding sugar. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that is actually KNOWN to cause diarrhea. This might deserve a post of its own but even runner's world last month said that runners should stay away from sorbitol to avoid "intestinal discomfort". So given the above infor, I just wanted you all to understand that I ALWAYS see what type of sugar / sweetner is used in everything before deciding if I want to use it, or if I let it slide***
HOW IS IT SWEETENED?
Zipfizz contains no sugar. With only 10 calories, it is sweetened with Xylitol (pronounced
“Zy-le-tall”) and Sucralose. Xylitol is a naturally occurring, low-calorie sugar substitute
found in berries, fruits and birch bark. Many dentists recommend chewing Xylitol gum for
good dental health. The average person produces 6-10 grams a day of Xylitol, it is a by-
product of sugar metabolism.
The fact that just sucralose and xylitol were used to sweeten it actually intrigued me because its rare to not have a laundry list of artificial ingredients. Personally I do monitor my sucralose (splenda) intake, but a little bit here and there isn't going to cause choloride poisoning like large doses can. Xylitol is fine for the reasons stated above.
After reading that it gave you energy, I decided to bring some of my stash with me for Ultra Ragnar NW Passage Relay, knowing that I would surely need a boost
I
I used it for my 2nd leg (by the 3rd leg NOTHING sounded appealing) and it gave me enough energy to get through my grueling miles just as I would anticipate it to. I've let Ashley try other electroylte drinks on our long runs and she never cared for them because the flavor was too mild. I gave her a swig of the above, Berry, flavor and her preference for this was much greater.
Since I haven't been doing a lot of strenuous running lately that would tire me out, I decided to have other people test them out or use them when I need to stay away awake
Pros:
- Definitely gives you that "zip" of sustained energy
- Great taste (full flavor) so you don't feel like you're drinking water
- tons of additional vitamins and antioxidants that you need
- Just deposit one tube into your water and it dissolves INSTANTLY- no need to sit around and wait, just make sure you shake so it mixes in.
- No intestinal discomfort experienced
Cons:
- For me, I noticed it increases my need to 'pee'. Not a deal breaker, but a consistent pattern in my experience.
- Some flavors are super sweet, (grape) so it might not be ideal for before an early morning run, but instead an afternoon pick me up.
Naturally since I had seen so many reviews on different runners blogs I assumed it was an electrolyte replacement drink similiar to Nuun so when my shipment arrived I took it after a long bootcamp / run double header in the evening. I was wired afterward and had a hard time falling asleep. The next day I decided to actually see what was in there that kept me up and then I realized---- its designed to give you energy along with different vitamins, minerals and amino acids... guess I should have read that there was caffeine and a bunch of B vitamins in there BEFORE taking it at night.
So what's in it (taken from website HERE)
WHAT IS ZIPFIZZ?
Zipfizz is a healthy energy mix, with only 10 calories, no sugar, and 2 net carbs. It
contains 25 nutrients that give an energy boost usually in about 15 minutes. It is “the
healthy alternative to energy drinks, sports drinks and coffee.” Zipfizz transforms
water into a healthy, energizing performance drink.
WHAT’S IN IT?
Zipfizz contains 25 nutritional ingredients:
9 VITAMINS: vitamins C, E, all the Bs, and folate
8 MINERALS: potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, selenium, manganese, chromium, sodium
ELECTROLYTES: magnesium, potassium
AMINO ACIDS: arginine, taurine
ANTIOXIDANTS: green tea extract, vitamins C and E
THE 4 G’S: Grape seed extract, Ginger, Green tea and Ginseng
I was a little concerned if it was going to be too much caffeine, so I was happy to see this:
DOES IT HAVE CAFFEINE?
Yes. It has 100 mgs of caffeine from natural sources of green tea and Guarana. That’s
about one-fourth the caffeine in a Tall Starbucks coffee (375 mg) and less than two
Excedrin tablets (130 mg).
*** And for me the most important piece is how its sweetened. Now I promised myself I wouldn't go on a tangent, but I have to say something. It really bothers me when companies advertise that there is no sugar, because if it's sweet it has to contain either sugar, or artificial sweetners of some sort... PERIOD. A lot of products out there use sorbitol to sweeten said product without adding sugar. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that is actually KNOWN to cause diarrhea. This might deserve a post of its own but even runner's world last month said that runners should stay away from sorbitol to avoid "intestinal discomfort". So given the above infor, I just wanted you all to understand that I ALWAYS see what type of sugar / sweetner is used in everything before deciding if I want to use it, or if I let it slide***
HOW IS IT SWEETENED?
Zipfizz contains no sugar. With only 10 calories, it is sweetened with Xylitol (pronounced
“Zy-le-tall”) and Sucralose. Xylitol is a naturally occurring, low-calorie sugar substitute
found in berries, fruits and birch bark. Many dentists recommend chewing Xylitol gum for
good dental health. The average person produces 6-10 grams a day of Xylitol, it is a by-
product of sugar metabolism.
The fact that just sucralose and xylitol were used to sweeten it actually intrigued me because its rare to not have a laundry list of artificial ingredients. Personally I do monitor my sucralose (splenda) intake, but a little bit here and there isn't going to cause choloride poisoning like large doses can. Xylitol is fine for the reasons stated above.
After reading that it gave you energy, I decided to bring some of my stash with me for Ultra Ragnar NW Passage Relay, knowing that I would surely need a boost
II used it for my 2nd leg (by the 3rd leg NOTHING sounded appealing) and it gave me enough energy to get through my grueling miles just as I would anticipate it to. I've let Ashley try other electroylte drinks on our long runs and she never cared for them because the flavor was too mild. I gave her a swig of the above, Berry, flavor and her preference for this was much greater.
Since I haven't been doing a lot of strenuous running lately that would tire me out, I decided to have other people test them out or use them when I need to stay away awake
Kim adding grape to her water
chug chug a lug
and me on my recent trip back to Ohio- I knew I wouldn't get in till midnight and would need the extra energy. My favorite flavor thus far "orange soda"
- Definitely gives you that "zip" of sustained energy
- Great taste (full flavor) so you don't feel like you're drinking water
- tons of additional vitamins and antioxidants that you need
- Just deposit one tube into your water and it dissolves INSTANTLY- no need to sit around and wait, just make sure you shake so it mixes in.
- No intestinal discomfort experienced
Cons:
- For me, I noticed it increases my need to 'pee'. Not a deal breaker, but a consistent pattern in my experience.
- Some flavors are super sweet, (grape) so it might not be ideal for before an early morning run, but instead an afternoon pick me up.
I don't do giveaways often enough, so this is long overdue. For one lucky reader the will receive a zipfizz bottle and my favorite flavors (I'm thinking orange soda and pink lemonade but I haven't made the final decision yet)
Mandatory
+1 Entry- be a follower of this blog and leave a comment letting me know you are
Optional
+1 Entry- Let me know what is your "go to" for a pick me up to increase energy either during day or for workouts.
Giveaway Ends 9/28 and I'll announce the winner 10/1
