GURU Energy Drink
GURU is an energy drink originating in Canada but distributed all over the world.
The drink is certified USDA organic, non-GMO project verified, and vegan.
It contains naturally-occurring caffeine due to the presence of guarana seed extract and green tea extract.
There is a sugar-free version called GURU Lite: "GURU Lite is sweetened with luo han guo juice concentrate and cane juice concentrate, and contains only 10 calories per 8.46 fl oz can"
GURU Energy Water
GURU just released a sparkling energy water with less caffeine than their energy drink.
Their energy water contains just 100 mg of caffeine per 12 floz can.
Where To Buy GURU Energy Drink
GURU Lite Natural Energy Drink – Low Calorie, Vegan, Organic Energy Drinks – Experience Energy Without the Jitters, Rush or Crash – 24 x 8oz/250ml Cans
Price: $48.99 $45.15
Available from Amazon / Guru
GURU Organic Energy Water, Sugar Free, Zero Calorie, Sparkling Water with Natural Caffeine, 12-Ounce, Variety Pack (12 count)
Price: $32.99 $32.99
Available from Amazon / Guru
GURU Original Organic Energy Drink, Vegan, Non-GMO, Natural, 8.4oz can (8 Count)
Price: $18.99 $18.99
Available from Amazon / Guru
GURU Lite Organic Energy Drink, Low Calorie, Vegan, Natural, 8.4oz can (8 count)
Price: $18.99 $18.99
Available from Amazon / Guru
Guru Energy Drink Organic Energy Drink - 12 ounces
Price: $2.98 $2.98
Available from Amazon / Guru Energy Drink
Review
When I think of a guru, I think of an all-knowing teacher.
Ready and willing to put me through trials before learning how to live day in and out, like a Stock Market Guru or Financial Guru.
When I think of Guru Energy Drink however, I think of a serious can that has come to the party with hopes to impress. Seeing as Brain Toniq was the original 100% natural energy drink, Guru might not see as many open arms as it hoped for.
Step 1: Diversify
With six alternative flavors each coming in 12fl oz. cans, this Guru definitely has plenty of costumes. The flavors themselves, are much more difficult to explain.
- First and foremost, comes the original Guru. No listed flavor, just Guru flavored in a powerful red, silver, and black can. Realistically it tastes closest to an all natural Redbull, sweet and tangy, guarana tasting bitterness.
- Guru Lite looks remarkably feminine, with a clean white and silver can and 90% less calories than the original Guru my guess would be that it's supposed to represent purity, the kind that comes from eating disorders and self regurgitation.
- Green Tea Honey-Lemon Guru is definitely up there with the most interesting of the bunch. Colored Lime green with yellow highlights (however did they think of THOSE colors?) the can represents wholistic and organic, while seeming cutting edge and of course "green".
- Superfruit Guru, Lemonade Guru and Tangerine Guru are the obvious Juicy Fruit reference. All in bright cans, Superfruit in a red and pink colorway, Tangerine in orange and yellow, Lemonade in Blue and Green. In all the Green-Tea and Superfruit caught my attention the most, not just because of their colors but due more to their unique off the wall names.
Step 2: More = Better
Looking at the overall Guru package it becomes quite clear (rather eerily so) that there is a ramp-up throughout the entire line-up. One example being Calories. Lite contains 10 Calories, Guru 100, Green tea 110, Lemonade 120, Superfruit 120, and lastly Tangerine at 130. I'm not sure how or why they orchestrated such a creepy caloric makeup but there's surely something for each and every calorie counter out there.
All six cans have the exact same 1,285mg Proprietary Guru Blend, containing Guarana (97mg) for caffeine, Echinacea, Ginseng, and Ginkgo Biloba. Aside from the nearly useless Ginseng and Echinacea, the other two are necessities when it comes to every Organic Energy Drink. Normally I don't break down drinks into their actual ingredients but in this case there's something special I noticed. Lots and lots of organic natural juices, and rare ones at that.
Acai juice, black currant juice, yumberry juice, white grape juice, and cane juice are just few of the wide variety these drinks offer. Note also that the Lite is sweetened with Stevia Extract (an asian sweet leaf supposedly 300x sweeter than sucralose) for hardcore health fanatics that are interested. If you haven't been impressed up to this point, now is the time to start. Some of those fruits even I have never been able to find, and believe me, I've looked. Considering the fact that the Superfruit contains the majority of these fruit juices it instantly became my favorite.
If you're used to the most bad-ass drinks out there you might have difficulty feeling the Guru crew. Initially when I tried these midday the effects were nearly nonexistant. When I drank one instead of my morning coffee however, my engine was definitely in high gear. Surprisingly, this is very similar to what I noticed with Brain Toniq. Natural ingredients seem to be better at starting the day but unnatural ones are the only way to keep up the same productive demeanor the entire day, something to keep in mind. No jitters, productive, upbeat, the natural wakefulness these provide are hard to beat. As a side note if you try these DRINK COLD they have a horribly bitter taste when warm.
Lasting Words: Buy Low, Sell High
I've already mentioned my love for Superfruit but there's another that came in a close second without the fancy frills of the rest; just plain Guru. Being one of the only two carbonated drinks in the family (the other being Lite) and actually tasting good I enjoyed drinking these day after day where as some of the others we're... well, much less pleasant.
So does the Gang of Guru hold up to our previous champ Brain Toniq? In short, yes. Plenty of ingredients and a wide variety of flavors, as well as the ease of finding in stores, lend Guru a helping hand. Honestly though, if Brain Toniq were as prevalent in stores as Guru is I would more often be reaching for that. Considering it isn't, at least not yet, Guru does nicely satisfying my Natural Energy cravings I get from time to time.
Guru can be found online at guruenergy.com or in many of your local grocery stores. I see it most often at Whole Foods Market if you have easy access to one for $2-$3 per can.
Overall Score (4/5)
Review by Josh (blog: Cubicalism & Coffee)
Ingredients in GURU Energy Drink
Sparkling water, organic cane sugar, organic white grape juice, citric acid, apple acid, natural flavors, organic green tea leaf extract, organic guarana seed extract, organic echinacea flower extract, organic Panax ginseng root extract
Sugar content: 30 grams (per 12 ounces).
Compare Sugar ContentCaffeine Concentration
GURU Energy Drink contains 11.67 mgs of caffeine per fluid ounce (39.45mg/100 ml).