Last week, “Big Red Boots” of MiamiExaminer.com stopped by to provide his feedback about my post on his review of FRS.  Here’s what he had to say:

no- - I tried the actual energy drink - not the syrup. And I do compare it to other energy drinks and found it silly. There is no “energy ” ingredients in here, unless you count the half cup of coffee’s worth caffeine.
To compare beverages to beverages, A glass of tea (plain old brewed black tea) has more caffeine and contains quercetin too. forget the energy drinks, If FRS gets you going, you should see what a tall glass of Iced tea would do for you at an eighth the price.

About a hundred different foods people normally eat during the day have quercetin. I am glad they give you energy - but I still find their business practices and health claims shady, and still think it tastes horrible.

First off, I want to say “Thank you!” for stopping by and giving your feedback to the post.

I really wouldn’t call FRS an energy drink, either.  It’s really more like an energy supplement, similar to Cytomax or Endurox.  Red Bull and Monster will provide a jolt of energy, but it will also give you a crash.  I’ve found that FRS keeps my energy up for a longer period without the jolt or crash.  I would prefer not to have a bunch of caffeine to get me going, but that’s just a personal preference.

My main point with your comparison to real food, was that any manufactured energy drink will pale in comparison to actual food in producing high energy.  I believe FRS to be more healthy than Red Bull or Monster as an alternative, but as I noted above, it’s not really like those energy drinks.

The only real issue I have with FRS‘ business practices result from the customer being automatically included in the auto-ship program.  This was the reason I posted the terms of the free trial, so the readers can get as much information about the product and service as possible.  These terms are also available for you to read on their site and one more time before you actually submit your order for a free trial.  Additionally, their site provides references to many health studies regarding quercetin and the FRS product, so the consumer can be fully informed, if they so choose.  I just do not see all this information as “shady.”

I agree, there are many other, less-expensive options available.  There are also others that are as expensive or more, such as the Cytomax and Endurox, mentioned above.  Everyone responds differently to different products.  For example, Power Bar gel is less expensive than Gu, but Power Bar gel gives me massive stomach aches, whereas Gu does not.  At least FRS provides a free trial option before you spend $50 or more to get the same quantity of a comparable product.

Again, I appreciate your stopping by and giving us more background and information on your review of the product!

It is not readily apparent on which team he will race, but rumors are that he will return to former race director, Johan Bruyneel with Team Astana.  Team Astana hails from Kazakhstan, the home of many up-and-coming young cyclists.  He will have two former teammates in Levi Leipheimer and Jose Luis Rubiera.

One has to wonder whether he will include FRS as part of his training regimen.

The research seems to indicate that quercetin reduces inflamation in the body, thereby enabling the body to better fight all disease.  It’s too early in the research to say conclusively whether quercetin fights cancer, but if the research proves true, FRS could have been one of the very early adopters of this wonder anti-oxidant.

This is a non carbonated gooey sprite syrup. They say shake well and they are not kidding as this drink’s ingredients settle.  I tried a sip warm right from the GNC and it reminded me of when you leave your open lemon lime soda out for a long while and forget about it - and then accidentally take a swig a couple days later (ewww). This is supposed to be 10% juice - but you would never know it from the taste.

I’m wondering (because he does not specify) if he actually drank the concentrate without diluting it.  You know, you are supposed to mix a small portion of the concentrate with a bottle of water.  I can imagine the concentrate tasting very syrupy if you don’t mix it with water, but when you do it correctly, it tastes like mildly flavored water. Here’s more of his review on the health aspects of FRS.

They say this is more healthy than eating a cup and a half of blueberries, mixed with a glass of green tea; containing more Flavonoids (yes, that actually is a real word) than 5 full cups of raspberries!
But what other exotic and unusual food items might have this wonder drug to make you feel super energized, lose weight and feel more alert without the caffeine? Apples. Plain old Fuji, Red delicious and granny smith. Food scientist Chang Y. Lee found that given the potential benefits of quercetin, plus the other nutritious qualities of apples, he suggests that people add an apple to the mix of fruits and vegetables that they eat each day.

Yes, as is always the case, eating the real, naturally occuring food upon which an energy supplement is based will always produce better, more healthy results.  However, if I had the time and energy to stop and eat an apple, I wouldn’t be looking for an energy drink or supplement.  He tries to discount the healthy benefits of FRS by comparing it to the real thing.  Compare it to the other garbage energy drinks out there, so that you are comparing “apples to apples.”

I used to drink Red Bull and Monster for a quick boost on the go.  I try to eat fruits as often as possible, but I don’t always have them on hand at home or at work and they are not always available at the quick-stop.  I figure, FRS is a much healthier alternative to Red Bull or Monster and it also lasts a lot longer without the typical caffeine/sugar crash an hour later.  I always have a couple of the FRS chews on hand, if not a couple ready-to-mix single-serve packets.  They travel very well, I can keep a few wherever I may need them, and they are clearly more healthy than most alternatives.

Additionally, FRS was the winner of the 2007 World Beverage Congress’ Best Health Initiative award.  They are also strong supporters of charitable foundations.

The FRS Company stands behind FRS healthy energy products.  If you’re unhappy with your purchase for any reason - even if you’ve used all of the products - you can return the products or the empty containers for a full refund of the purchase price minus shipping and handling.

They even provide a return shipping label on each packing slip.  You still have to pay to ship the products or empty containers back.

So, while you do have to pay for shipping and are enrolled in an automatic replenishment program when you sign up for the free trial, you can cancel the service anytime, without any difficulty, and the shipping is a minor cost to try out a great product.

Others have been talking about the benefits of Quercetin, also.

http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/quercetin.php
http://nutrition.about.com/od/phytochemicals/p/quercetinprofil.htm

When combined with the green tea extract in FRS energy products, the drinks help manage your weight, increase metabolism, strengthen the immune system, and helps the body burn excess fat and carbs.

So what are the key ingredients?  Each serving of FRS includes quercetin, 100% or more of the RDI of 7 key vitamins and minerals, and green tea extracts.  Additionally, FRS does come in no or low sugar options in the four forms of the product.

These ingredients will not produce a huge rush of energy.  Instead, in my experience, you just lose that “tired” feeling you have when you need an energy boost.  You feel a sustained energy boost that’s just strong enough to keep you working or playing.  The most accurate comparison I can make is to supplemental powdered drinks that athletes drink for sustained energy during a race or performance.

I personally prefer the chews form of FRS, but they also make a powder that comes in single serve packets that you can put in a bottled water, cans, and a concentrate that you also mix with water.  Each comes in a variety of flavors, including lemon-lime, orange, peach mango, wild berry, and pomegranate blueberry.