HIBO Superfood Energy Blue Raspberry (Sugar-Free)

4/5 taste, 4/5 energy mix, 5/5 effort to be healthy

For context, I'm an energy drink fanatic. I've had one daily since 2017, have published reviews of 20+ and tested probably 100+ so far. When a "healthy" energy drink comes along, I'm always eager to try it because I have yet to find one as tasty and potent as the artificial ones (e.g. C4, Reign). It's almost like waiting for the perfect electric car - I *want* to switch over from gas, but I haven't found the right model that fullly replaces the performance, reliability and value I'm accustomed to. Anyways, HIBO looked like an "electric car" worth test driving. I liked how the ingredient list was more good than bad (i.e. mostly coffee and tea extracts, notably hibiscus) and I like how it was founded by a married pair of UGA grads who wanted to give their parents something healthier to drink. Upon scanning the can, one of the first things I noticed is that it advertises a "260mg energy mix" but only contains 100mg of caffeine. The rest, ostensibly, comes from the healthy antioxidant mix in the can. I ordered the Blue Raspberry flavor which really tastes like blue raspberry + hibiscus (the third main ingredient). The taste is mild and highly drinkable, and much more tea-like than soda-like. It took two cans to get used to, but now I really like it. As for how the energy mix makes me feel, the founders didn't lie - there's no real "crash" since only 40% of the energy mix comes from straight caffeine. The rest is just natural stuff your body knows what to do with, as opposed to the industrial waste present in my other go-to daily energy drinks. As for value, $30/12 isn't bad, especially for a "healthy" option. I've seen cases of healthier, small-batch energy drinks go for $50+ so these are a good value in that regard. In the end, I'll probably end up ordering more HIBO and am generally impressed by it. It's probably the best healthy energy drink I've ested, and judging by the label, one of the healthiest and most natural, too. If it were an EV, it would be a Porsche Taycan - good value, great performance, few compromises for anyone coming from a "gas guzzler" energy drink. Easy 5/5.

HIBO Blue Raspberry, Gut Healthy Energy Drink

Wow, pleasant surprise: so many good ingredients. The taste is pretty good. My issue is about the sweeteners used. They have several in there, including stevia, which always has a detectable after taste to me. Also monk fruit which likely offers some health benefits. And then allulose. That is actually healthy--allulose. My suggestion to the manufacturer would be to go with JUST the allulose. Yes it's pricey, but I think it would be worth it. I got the blue raspberry and I am liking this a lot. Usually something with an artificial flavouring is not very good at all, but this is surprisingly good. Tempted to dock for stevia, but it has so many pluses to it that I don't think it would be a fair review. Never heard of the brand before, but hope this really takes off. Some real thought in this product and at least the flavour I got is very, very tasty.

Love this flavor. It needs to be permanent!!!