I drink plenty of coffee, and if you’re like me, you’re probably looking for a way to reduce your intake. Yerba mate doesn’t do the trick, and I’m in no hurry to suffer through one of those hellish little 5-hour Energy drinks.
Neuro’s lineup of caffeinated gum and mints might be the thing you’re looking for. Made with a blend of natural caffeine, L-theanine, and B vitamins, Neuro’s energy supplements feel like a clear option for a healthy coffee replacement. Plus, it’s sugar-free, vegan, gluten free, and all the other buzz words you could possibly ask for.
But do Neuro mints and gum work? I tried two versions — Energy & Focus, and Calm & Clarity — to find out.
Neuro provided samples for this story. Prices and availability are subject to change.
Photo credit: Wilder Shaw / CheapismEnergy & Focus
To test this out, I skipped my morning coffee and grabbed a mint. The peppermints have a slightly strange taste since they are sugar-free, but they’re also aspartame-free, so it’s really not that bad. The cinnamon flavor is far superior.
While I didn’t experience a huge energy boost per se, I definitely did not have that I-need-my-coffee feeling that so many of us can get when we skip it.
I also have a chronic case of the 4 p.m. blues; nearly every day I start to get tired around that time. I saw this as an opportunity to test the gum. I don’t know, maybe it was just the act of having something to chew on, but Neuro gum easily helped me ride out of the wave of lethargy. Again, I didn't feel an energy blast, but I definitely didn't get tired.
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Photo credit: Wilder Shaw / CheapismCalm & Clarity
A little insight about myself: I’m an anxious wreck. I waited until something silly occurred to make me anxious (somebody hasn’t responded to my text for 30 whole seconds; they must be super mad at me, right?) and popped a Neuro.
The chai-ginger mints boast a sense of calm and mental clarity that coffee or energy drinks can’t match. And I’m not a chai guy, but I really like the taste of these.
Did I experience a big anxiety drain and revert back to normal immediately? No. I will say that after a few minutes I started doing something else, and before I knew it, I wasn’t thinking about being anxious anymore. And really, what’s the difference?
Photo credit: Wilder Shaw / CheapismThe Verdict
The facts, as the “Pushing Daisies” narrator would say, were these:
I felt tired. I had a Neuro mint, and I felt slightly less tired and did not become more tired at any point.
I felt anxious. I ate a Neuro mint, and I stopped thinking about being anxious.
Maybe it’s real. Or maybe it’s placebo. Or maybe it’s Maybelline. I don’t know. My big goals of leaving coffee behind seem slightly more realistic now.
I have no idea if these things work, but I like ‘em. I’m keeping ‘em.
Related: I Tried 6 Flavors of Ghost Energy, and Here Are My Caffeine-Induced Thoughts
