Product Review: AmBari Jumpstart Energy Mix (Blue Raspberry & Lemonade)

AmBari Nutrition is a proud sponsor of the 2020 Bariatric Foodie Pledge and is offering an exclusive Pledge discount! From January 26 – March 2, take 20% off with code Foodie2020 on the AmBari Nutrition website!

So this product review of AmBari Jumpstart Energy Mix affirms an essential truth my grandpa told me when I was young. “Focus most of your energy being the best at what you’re already good at.”

Because, let’s be real. We already know how I feel about the AmBari Jumpstart Energy mixes I’ve tried before. They’ve all been delicious. You might remember when I reviewed the Berry, I wasn’t sure if it worked because I was, like, the Energizer Bunny or something. Then, by the time I tried the Lime and the Orange, I was in a different space (and when I say “different space” I mean I am anemic!) and could attest that it did, in fact, give me a nice little boost.

So barring some seismic shift in the time-space vortex (I totally made that up) I figured I’d like these. But…if you’re new to these parts, buckle up and let’s go through the paces quickly!

AmBari Nutrition: Who the hell are they?

AmBari Nutrition is an online store that carries a variety of protein and health supplements, not only for the bariatric community but for anyone looking to live a healthier life. They’ve been a longtime supporter of Bariatric Foodie and, if the Foodie Nation is left to tell it, has the best customer service! You can check them out for yourself on their website.

AmBari Jumpstart Energy Mix: What the hell is it?

The elixir of the Gods…

KIDDING! But it is a mixture of things that, put together, have long been thought to boost energy and clarity, namely:

Ginkgo biloba
Caffeine
B vitamins

I ran down what those things can do to help your energy levels in my original product review of the Jumpstart mixes. Be sure to check it out!

Anyhoo…each box of mixes comes with 10 packets, each of which contain 4.5g of mix. As I said, I’ve already reviewed the berry, lime, and orange flavors. For this review, I’m doing the Blue Raspberry and Lemonade. Read on to find out what I thought!

The Stats

The serving size for this is one packet, which you mix with about 8 oz. of water (or another liquid, if you like). The nutrition panel lists the nutrients but no calories.

Here’s what they contain:

216 mcg vitamin A (as Retinyl Palmitate)
500 mg Vitamin C
20 mg Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate)
1.5mg Thiamin (as Thiamin HCI)
1.7mg Riboflavin
10mg Niacin (as Niacinamide)
Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCI)
Vitamin B12 (as Cyancobalamin)
110mg sodium
150 mg of a proprietary blend of Quercetin (as Quercetin Dihydrate), Caffeine Anhydrous, Licorice root powder, Asian Ginseng Root Powder, Ginkgo Leaf extract)

It also contains dextrose, citric acid, pink Himalayan sea salt, silicon dioxide, Guar gum powder, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose (the base ingredient in Splenda).

The Aesthetics

Nothing really new here. AmBari packaging. Little colored packets. All is in order. But I do have one very serious question.

What the (BLEEP) is a blue raspberry? Like where did that concept come from? Because raspberries are red. So how did that become a thing. Wait…let me go Google it. Hold, please!

Via Wikipedia:

“Blue raspberry is a common flavoring for candy, snack foods, syrups, and soft drinks. The flavor ostensibly originates from Rubus leucodermis, more commonly known as the “whitebark raspberry” or ‘blue raspberry’ for the blue-black color of its raspberry.”

So there you have it. Another of life’s great mysteries solved in my product reviews!

The Flavor

In the past, I’ve liked the flavors of the Jumpstart mixes, but just felt like they needed more than 8 oz. of water (my official preference is 10 oz). This held true for these offerings.

I was pleasantly surprised that the Blue Raspberry has an actual raspberry taste (as opposed to “raspberry flavored” taste) and it has a tang. It tastes kind of like a popsicle!

The lemonade has a good lemony flavor but it tastes almost like those candies, Lemonheads. I can’t describe what in those candies make them taste so distinctive but they do, and this drink mix tastes like the candies.

For good measure, I had my youngest daughter try the mixes as well. Her assessment was that she liked the lemonade and that the blue raspberry “tastes like vitamins.” (I wasn’t able to ascertain if that is a good or a bad thing.)

But do they actually work?

Like I’ve said in past reviews, I get a good pep out of these mixes. It isn’t Energizer Bunny level, but I definitely feel a pick-me-up that lasts pretty much throughout the day. (See my review of the Lime and Orange for more details on how that played out in my daily life.)

So in short, if you are what I call “dog tired,” or severely fatigued, I don’t know that this will reverse that. But if you are a bit sluggish or need to maintain energy for a long time, I honestly think these do help.

The Cost/Value

A box of 10 servings of drink mix will set you back $11.95. Whether that’s a good value to you or not is subjective. For me, I keep these on hand for those days when I am dragging because it does seem to help! Most recently I had one in my purse when I drove from Baltimore to Indiana to see my brother for Thanksgiving. I’m prone to highway hypnosis (even when I have gotten good sleep!) and the packets helped me stay focused and alert. So for me it’s worth it. But I don’t drink them every day, so also keep that in mind.

Also keep in mind that during the Bariatric Foodie Pledge, AmBari is offering 20% off orders with code Foodie20 so that would be $2.39 off, bringing the total down to $9.56 (yes, I did use a calculator for that, thanks for asking!)

For real though. I really like these and I’ve even used them on my Instagram stories throughout the year, so I’m not just saying that because they are Pledge sponsors. If you can use a little energy boost sometimes, I would recommend at least checking them out to see if they work for you!

And now is a great time to do it! From January 26 – March 2 enjoy 20% off with code Foodie2020 on the AmBari Nutrition website!