Why They Don’t Drink the Water, Kids Jazzed on Energy Drinks

When I was a young girl it was an exciting time when I could add chocolate or Ovaltine  to my milk. That was a pretty simple time. Today, the number of sugary drink options my children have is absolutely astounding. According to a recent study by Yale’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, there are now 600 products to choose from. They range from full-calorie sodas, sports drinks, vitamin water drinks, flavored waters, fruit drinks to the fairly new option of “energy” drinks.

Reporter's Notebook: Beverage Buzz – I Had No Idea Alcoholic Energy Drinks Were Such A Big Deal

I remember the very first time I tasted an energy drink. As a long-suffering veteran of media jobs that came with odd hours, I thought anything that could potentially carry me through a dreaded overnight shift was certainly worth a try. When I finally took a sip of the product that was all the rage at the time, I thought it tasted like a flat cream soda and, quite frankly, I never went back for more. Now many moons later I’m shocked and, well, appalled to learn that the accusations abound that the makers of these sugary caffeinated concoctions have now added alcohol to their mix and have allegedly set their sights on young people as their target market. My story about the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce’s efforts to stop these potent drinks from getting in the hands of young people was a real eye opener for me personally.