"Energy Drinks" a different category than multi-fruit juice-only drinks

I'm often asked to compare some Acai-based "Energy drink" to multi-fruit drinks that also have Acai. This is like comparing Apples to... well, caffeine. An "energy" drink is something like Red Bull or "RockStar". These are laced with caffeine and sugar and some synthetic supplements like B12. These are designed to give you a spike in energy. I've personally avoided these types of drinks because I enjoy coffee in the morning and don't want any more caffeine than that in my diet. I also avoid sugar at all costs.

Acai based beverages like Zola and Sambazon appear to be healthier alternatives to Red Bull, but they appear to be closer in style to the "energy drink" category than those drinks solely concerned with "health & wellness". For one, they always seem to include some additive or another... especially caffeine or sugar (Agave, a natural form of sugar, and Guarana a natural source of caffeine - but still sugar & caffeine - are very common in their blends). Acai is known as an "energy fruit" but these beverages apparently can't rely on their Acai content to insure a noticable energy spike, so they add caffeine and/or sugar which are what I call "stimulants". Stimulants spike energy unnaturally and personally have no place in my diet (other than my 1 cup of morning coffee :).

One designed as a health drink... NOT something to spike your energy so you can gamble late into the night in Las Vegas, or ski in Tahoe with a hangover is meant only to fight free radicals, to add plant-based phytonutrients, polyphenols, anthocyanins and antioxidants which aid long-term energy and health. Honestly, I'm glad to have products like Zola around if I want an energy spike since I'd rather get it from a healthier source than Red Bull or coffee.

But if you think you can replace a multi-fruit drink with an Acai-only product, or an Acai-based "energy drink", then you are completely missing the point described in all fruit research. Drink for your overall health, not for a few hours of forced energy that may result in a sugar-high like crash.

(update: see the "comments" exchange beneath this post for more on my thoughts on an even better Acai-only replacement if you want more Acai in your diet)