Saturday, February 16, 2019

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Few Wacky Drinks

     This week's post features a couple of mundane edibles used in odd ways, as weirdo beverages.  Specifically, a beet juice energy drink and two kinds of "sipping vinegar."  The beet one is part of the Juice Performer line from CAJ Foods Products, Inc., and the vinegar drinks are from Vermont Village.
     I doubt there are many readers who have never eaten beets in their life.  This plant is a very common food, both its stems and leaves (the greens), and the taproot, the usually reddish bulb which is typically called the beet itself.  The young greens are eaten raw, in salads, and the older greens are usually cooked, like spinach.  The taproot, is eaten raw, boiled, roasted, or pickled.  Or in soups, like borscht.  They're also a common spiced side dish in Indian cuisine.  And I was surprised to personally learn that in Australia they're regularly put on burgers in fast food restaurants.  The beet itself is usually red, although it can be yellow or orangish, too.  The color is so intense that beets are sometimes used as a food coloring, to "punch up" the hues of jams, jellies, sauces, ice cream, cereals, and even tomato paste.  But, being featured as a beverage is still pretty rare.  I've read it is sometimes made into a wine, but I think this is even rarer still.
     The effects of beets are a bit contested.  Nutritionally they're decent sources of folate (27% of the U.S. daily recommended allowance), and manganese (16%), and they have small amounts of B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc.  Historically, though, people thought that they had medicinal uses, such as for treatment of blood and digestive disorders.  Currently, many folks claim that beets can increase blood flow, lower blood pressure, and help people exercise longer.  And that they may be anti-inflammatories, and aid in digestion, brain function, weight loss, and even cancer-fighting.  The Beet Performer can I drank says the nitrates in beets, "quickly deliver oxygen to your muscles." and, "aid in cardiovascular wellness with their heart-healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants."  However, as so frequently occurs, this is then followed by the asterisked, "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."  So I'm sure beets are a pretty healthy consumable, but if you do have any of the ailments mentioned earlier, don't go throwing out your medicines in favor of beets just yet.
     As far as the company that makes the Juice Performers, CAJ (based in Indiana in the U.S.), the website and online information about it was pretty scarce.  Other variants of the drink line are a 100% beet juice one (the kind I had was a combo of beet and passion fruit juice in undisclosed percentages), and a tart cherry flavor.  The company also markets the Biotta drink brand, which is also various kinds of fruit and vegetable juices.  Some of Biotta's flavors include beet again, carrot, elderberry, celery, cranberry, cherry, and even sauerkraut.  Biotta was begun in 1934 by a Swiss man named Dr. Hugo Brandenberger, and they started making juices in 1957.  No details were given on if CAJ bought Biotta out, or when, or if they're just licensed to distribute Biotta products.  And, the label of the drink I got says it was made in Austria, but no further detail was provided.
     Apple cider vinegar is made from, obviously, apple juice, which has had yeast added to ferment it, and then bacteria turns it into acetic acid.  It's regularly used in salad dressings, chutneys, and to "pickle" many sorts of vegetables and fruit.  The nutrients in vinegar are almost none--it has 1% of the calcium you need, plus 2% iron, 1% magnesium, 1% phosphorus, and 2% potassium.  However, like beets, many folks, since as along ago as 3300 B.C., have thought that apple cider vinegar, and vinegar in general, has good medicinal properties.  Just online currently I read about how apple cider vinegar can help with intestinal gas, heartburn, weight loss, hair and skin care, blood sugar regulation, cholesterol, gut bacteria, and even cancer.  It's also said to treat warts, poison ivy rashes, seasonal allergies, and can even kill fleas and pests.  It's even billed as being an effective deodorant in a pinch!  But there's more.  By coincidence, the other day in the mail there was an advertisement for a book called, "Vinegar:  The King of All Cures!" by Jerry Baker.  Aside from claims that vinegar can effectively clean things, and the usual meal recipes, it made some very bold health boasts.  Most notably, it said that if you drink (famous 19th century historical figure) Sam Houston's Vinegar Texas Tonic, made from various concentrations of grape juice, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar, "you'll live whip-smart and pain-free your whole life....".  There's also a whole page of testimonials from (alleged) satisfied customers.  Sadly modern science is much more skeptical of all of these health claims, and the evidence for these is lacking, even more so than with the beets. Once again, apple cider vinegar, and vinegar in general, has its uses, such as an ingredient in many foods, and food preparation, but to think that it's some miracle substance is unfounded, and let's face it, absurd.  Think how much cheaper and easier it would be if simply quaffing some vinegar could make everyone intelligent, or ensure that nobody ever had to suffer from any pain again.
     Moving on, according to the Vermont Village website, the company employs about 35 people, but their products are sold in 12,000 stores nationwide.  It started as a co-op in the 1970's, and was incorporated as the Village Cannery of Vermont in 1995.  Initially the firm sold mostly organic canned foods, but now they sell vinegar products, applesauce, and apple butter.  Their products are proudly unpasteurized, almost completely organic (since they add Vitamin C for processing, legally they're slightly less than 100% organic), kosher, and allergen-free.  (Well, unless you're allergic to apples, I guess!)  The website was also oddly nonspecific about who exactly owns and runs the company, or who's a major shareholder, even.  They're referred to as "moms and dads," and "gourmet chefs."  So it appears that they're rather shy.

1) Beet Performer, Endurance-Enhancing Body Fuel, beet juice with passion fruit juice flavor:  Came in a 8.4 ounce (250 mL) can.  Ingredients were just lacto-fermented beet juice and passion fruit juice.  Only one lame pun on the label--"BEET them to the punch."  Listed nutrients included 3 grams of protein, 24 grams of sugar, 80 milligrams of sodium, 15% potassium, and 15% magnesium.  Had mine chilled, as directed, and as I prefer all my beverages.  The color, not shockingly was an intense blood red.  It was pretty bad.  I should say that I don't like beets in general, so the odds of me enjoying this were low.  The odor was unpleasant, too, and the drink had a negative aftertaste to go with the crappy before and during tastes.  It was hard to finish.  And I can only imagine how terrible the 100% beet juice kind must taste.

2) Vermont Village Sipping Vinegar, ginger and honey flavor:  Ingredients were raw, organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, organic honey, and organic ginger.  Bottle was 236 gram/8 ounces.  Two serving suggestions were to mix it with 8 ounces of either water or seltzer.  Not being big on seltzer, I went with the former, and chilled it first.  Its color was yellowish-brown.  The odor was like regular vinegar--strong and pungent.  It was like drinking vinegar, only slightly diluted.  Or, in other words, not good at all--unpleasantly sour and astringent.  I was barely able to finish this small amount.  I didn't really detect any honey or ginger flavors, either.  It makes me wonder whether anyone really likes this as a beverage, or if just about all consumers just choke it down because they think it's good for them.

3) Vermont Village Sipping Vinegar, cranberry and honey flavor:  Ingredients were the same as the other, only substituting organic cranberries for the ginger.  Bottle was the same size, too.  Color of this one was more reddish-brown, evidently from the cranberries.  This flavor was maybe slightly more palatable than the other, or, to put it more accurately, slightly less unpalatable.  But still not a tasty experience at all.  And once again the flavor additives weren't detectable.

     So, obviously I wasn't a fan of any of these, and won't be buying them again.  Especially because I find their alleged health benefits to be very alleged, and not real.  I did experience one common side effect from the beet one, too.  The results of a subsequent trip to the restroom were somewhat alarming, resembling the final scenes of the movies "Carrie" or "Dead-Alive."  (That's called beeturia, and  it is harmless.)  Also, be aware that consumption of apple cider vinegar can cause tooth decay or throat issues, since it's so acidic, and it can also lower a person's potassium levels and cause problems with blood sugar regulation.  Despite what Sam Houston probably asserted, I suppose. 







































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