Tuesday

Do-It-Yourself Energy Drink

Energy drinks are the younger generation's beverage. I enjoy 'em, but they're expensive, are packed with sugar, lead to a later crash, and (I suspect) mess with your brain by overloading it (more than once, I think my brain has operated at a deficient level a few hours after drinking an energy drink). I limit myself to two or three a week, but I still question the prudence of drinking them at all.

I now might be putting them aside altogether. During my annual jaunt to Wal-Mart to shop for Christmas presents, I ran across these: Lipton Energize Ice Tea Mix. I bought two boxes and started experimenting. After about four bottles, I think I've come up with a good solution: I empty the packet into an empty plastic water bottle, fill it with water, add a little honey and cinnamon (for these potential benefits), and chill it. For about 25 cents (20 cents for the packet, 5 cents worth of honey and cinnamon), I get a half-cup of coffee, vitamins, and other good stuff . . . with a little of the energy-drink stuff like ginseng. So far, I'm really digging it.