by Matt Weik
I’m always on the lookout for products that can check several boxes. Being that I run multiple businesses, a house full of three insanely energetic kids under the age of seven, and then try to squeeze in a daily workout, my energy levels are tapped out before the clock hits noon. I saw some gummies that caught my eye and decided to give them a try. What am I talking about? It’s the Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies.
Now, what this product is capable of doing is actually nothing new. In fact, many of you may have the “who cares?” mentality — and that’s totally cool. However, there are going to be a bunch of people who share the exact “ah-ha” moment that I did and may find these gummies to be useful.
What’s the Deal with the Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies?
For starters, let’s look at the actual profile of these Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies. Each bottle contains 60 gummies which may sound like a lot, but the serving size is seven gummies that provide only 8.5 servings. Each bottle has three flavored gummies — green apple, sour peach, sour mixed berry. There are a few gripes I have with this product, though. First, the price point is pretty high as you’re going to spend around $20 for the bottle to get less than nine servings (that breaks down to $2.50 per serving).
Honestly, in most cases, I’d grab an energy drink, save some money, and call it a day. But let’s continue to break down the profile. Each serving of seven gummies will provide you with 110 calories, 19g of carbs, 13g of sugar, 2g of protein, 5g of amino acids, and 100mg of caffeine coming from coffee bean.
Ugh. Where do I even start? 100mg of caffeine… eh, it’s ok. I wouldn’t write home about 100mg of caffeine, though, especially at $2.50 per serving. Add in 5g of aminos, ok… we’re getting somewhere. But then the wheels fall off. Now, I understand it’s difficult to mask the taste of caffeine but 13g of sugar (19g of carbs)? Really? And then, to top it off, they use artificial colors and dyes in their gummies. I mean, it’s 2021, use natural colors!
With the amount of sugar in a serving of Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies, you’d think these things would taste amazing, no? Well, pump the brakes there, Richard Petty. When you first toss one gummy in your mouth, you get a pleasant taste. However, it then transitions into a weird, bitter taste by the time you swallow the gummy. Mind you, a serving size is seven gummies, and you only downed one at that point.
That’s my opinion on the profile and flavor, you may have a different opinion about it, and I’d love to know your thoughts. But next, let’s talk about the reasons why I actually like the idea of these Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies.
What Do I Like About These Gummies?
Some of you may think I was a little critical above, but I’d rather tell it like it is than sugarcoat everything and have you spend your money on these Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies and then try them and have a similar reaction.
So, why am I still eating these sugar-filled gummies that look like a mini lemon or orange slice? There are a few reasons.
1. Eat vs. Drink
Personally, with so many powders and liquids on the market, sometimes it’s nice to just EAT something versus having to mix it with water or drink a supplement. Not having to wash out a shaker bottle is nice too! Being a gummy also makes the Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies great for tossing in a bag and taking with you to the office or the gym.
2. Any Time-of-Day Use
I like the fact that you can eat one, four, seven, however many you want to take in according to the caffeine content you’re looking for. I do believe, though, that people are using this product for energy and not the amino acids, but the 5g of aminos is a selling point that may push people over the fence to make a purchase.
You can use these any time you want. Mid-afternoon in the office to get you through a hectic workday. Pre-workout if you didn’t want a stim-heavy pre-workout that contains 300mg+ of caffeine. Post-workout to enhance recovery and provide you with a pick-me-up to get through the rest of your day. Or the ability to use these gummies whenever and wherever you want. I like options. You probably do too.
3. Focus and Energy Boost
As mentioned earlier, I’m pulled in a ton of directions every day. Sometimes I feel like I’m playing the dizzy bat game and spinning around in circles until I fall over. These gummies provide you with the ability to get focused and energized to get you through busy days. I need to be as productive as possible with my day in order to fit in everything I need to get done. These Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies definitely help.
4. Supports Muscle Recovery
Last but not least is the recovery aspect. While I (and maybe you) would use these gummies primarily for the energy and focus aspect, it’s good to know you’re also getting 5g of amino acids to help with muscle recovery.
It doesn’t hurt that those seven gummies are actually quite voluminous, and you can even use them as a snack. All in all, would I recommend these Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy Gummies? If you have some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket and you don’t want to give the money to me, sure — go ahead and pick up a bottle to try. Despite the gripes I had at the beginning of this article, they aren’t a bad option if you want to try something different.
