Someone that calls himself “Big Red Boots” reviews energy drinks for the Miami version of Examiner.com in a section called “Caffeine Examiner.”  Back in May, he reviewed FRS and here is some of what he had to say.

This is a non carbonated gooey sprite syrup. They say shake well and they are not kidding as this drink’s ingredients settle.  I tried a sip warm right from the GNC and it reminded me of when you leave your open lemon lime soda out for a long while and forget about it - and then accidentally take a swig a couple days later (ewww). This is supposed to be 10% juice - but you would never know it from the taste.

I’m wondering (because he does not specify) if he actually drank the concentrate without diluting it.  You know, you are supposed to mix a small portion of the concentrate with a bottle of water.  I can imagine the concentrate tasting very syrupy if you don’t mix it with water, but when you do it correctly, it tastes like mildly flavored water. Here’s more of his review on the health aspects of FRS.

They say this is more healthy than eating a cup and a half of blueberries, mixed with a glass of green tea; containing more Flavonoids (yes, that actually is a real word) than 5 full cups of raspberries!
But what other exotic and unusual food items might have this wonder drug to make you feel super energized, lose weight and feel more alert without the caffeine? Apples. Plain old Fuji, Red delicious and granny smith. Food scientist Chang Y. Lee found that given the potential benefits of quercetin, plus the other nutritious qualities of apples, he suggests that people add an apple to the mix of fruits and vegetables that they eat each day.

Yes, as is always the case, eating the real, naturally occuring food upon which an energy supplement is based will always produce better, more healthy results.  However, if I had the time and energy to stop and eat an apple, I wouldn’t be looking for an energy drink or supplement.  He tries to discount the healthy benefits of FRS by comparing it to the real thing.  Compare it to the other garbage energy drinks out there, so that you are comparing “apples to apples.”

I used to drink Red Bull and Monster for a quick boost on the go.  I try to eat fruits as often as possible, but I don’t always have them on hand at home or at work and they are not always available at the quick-stop.  I figure, FRS is a much healthier alternative to Red Bull or Monster and it also lasts a lot longer without the typical caffeine/sugar crash an hour later.  I always have a couple of the FRS chews on hand, if not a couple ready-to-mix single-serve packets.  They travel very well, I can keep a few wherever I may need them, and they are clearly more healthy than most alternatives.

Yes, FRS is the healthy energy alternative endorsed by a certain champion athlete.  Although we cannot legally name that athlete, you can learn more about this endorsement by watching the video here.

Additionally, FRS was the winner of the 2007 World Beverage Congress’ Best Health Initiative award.  They are also strong supporters of charitable foundations.

The short answer is no.  You do have to pay for shipping and handling for the product which comes to about $6-8, depending on your location.  Additionally, FRS will enroll you in their automatic replenishment system that will send out a new supply of product each month.  However, you can cancel this service by contacting FRS at any time and they have a very generous return policy, outlined below.

The FRS Company stands behind FRS healthy energy products.  If you’re unhappy with your purchase for any reason - even if you’ve used all of the products - you can return the products or the empty containers for a full refund of the purchase price minus shipping and handling.

They even provide a return shipping label on each packing slip.  You still have to pay to ship the products or empty containers back.

So, while you do have to pay for shipping and are enrolled in an automatic replenishment program when you sign up for the free trial, you can cancel the service anytime, without any difficulty, and the shipping is a minor cost to try out a great product.

Quercetin is one of the primary sources of healthy energy in the FRS energy products.  Quercetin is a powerful anti-oxident that can be found naturally in the skins of apples, red onions, and blueberries.  It can also be found in cocoa and spinach.  According to the current research, it is believed that Quercetin lives for a long time in the blood stream and provides the sustained energy from the FRS energy products.

Others have been talking about the benefits of Quercetin, also.

http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/quercetin.php
http://nutrition.about.com/od/phytochemicals/p/quercetinprofil.htm

When combined with the green tea extract in FRS energy products, the drinks help manage your weight, increase metabolism, strengthen the immune system, and helps the body burn excess fat and carbs.

FRS is a new kind of energy drink that produces hours of energy, not minutes.  FRS provides healthy energy, rather than a rush and then a crash like most energy drinks.  Although it does contain caffeine, it is a small amount equivalent to half a cup of coffee.  FRS includes the caffeine to assist your body in the metabolization of the key ingredients in FRS.

So what are the key ingredients?  Each serving of FRS includes quercetin, 100% or more of the RDI of 7 key vitamins and minerals, and green tea extracts.  Additionally, FRS does come in no or low sugar options in the four forms of the product.

These ingredients will not produce a huge rush of energy.  Instead, in my experience, you just lose that “tired” feeling you have when you need an energy boost.  You feel a sustained energy boost that’s just strong enough to keep you working or playing.  The most accurate comparison I can make is to supplemental powdered drinks that athletes drink for sustained energy during a race or performance.pr

I personally prefer the chews form of FRS, but they also make a powder that comes in single serve packets that you can put in a bottled water, cans, and a concentrate that you also mix with water.  Each comes in a variety of flavors, including lemon-lime, orange, peach mango, wild berry, and pomegranite blueberry.