Home > Categories > Food > Health Supplements > Sport Beans review
Scientifically Formulated to Maximize Sports Performance
• Carbohydrates to fuel your body during intense activity
• Electrolytes (sodium and potassium) vital for maintaining fluid balance
• Vitamins B1, B2, & B3 to help burn carbohydrates and fat
• Vitamin C to protect muscles and cells against oxidative damage
Available in the following flavors:
• Orange
• Lemon/Lime
• Assorted
www.sportbeans.com
NOTE: These are not designed as 'pick-me-ups' in the manner of energy drinks, they are designed to provide your body with resources to enhance and extend stamina.
Product reviews...
Sport Beans, the energizing jelly beans according to the website. We were recently selected to trial some sport beans in 3 different flavors: lemon/lime, orange and assorted. The beans are naturally sweetened, gluten free, all natural colors and flavors and supposed to aid in endurance by providing the electrolytes and vitamins the body needs. The packages are very funky and eye catching and of course a great size meaning easy to pop in your pocket, handbag or even your sock if you so desire. The packets are also resealable which is awesome.
When reading the packages it says to take one packet with water and wait half an hour before activity... I am unsure why you need to wait half an hour, and personally even though the packets are a nice small size, they do seem a lot to take with the glass of water. and after half to three quarters of a packet I personally felt I had had enough.
The first to be tried was the orange - made with real orange juice and only 100 calories. They have a real sweet but nice orange flavor, but then I am a big fan of orange. I have recently started bush walking so thought the sport beans would be perfect for the days I was doing this, to be perfectly honest, I am not sure if I noticed a change in my performance or any increase in endurance while walking. But in saying that it wasnt a real hard bushwalk either.
The packets also state that you can take more beans through out the activity partaking in, so for my next walk (up hill etc) I tried the lemon and lime first and then decided to take the assorted flavor with me on the walk.
The lemon/lime, like the orange, is made from real juice of limes and lemons. A great balance of carbs, electrolytes, vitamins B & C. These have a tart and tangy taste to them, which can make your face squish up a little if you are not a big fan of tangy. I liked them though, possibly more than the orange.
I waited my half hour then off I went on my hilly bush walk, water and assorted flavored sport beans in hand. Again I wasnt sure if I noticed a major influence on my endurance or performance levels ... Perhaps I dont know what I should have noticed? So after about half way through my 3 hour walk I decided I would try a 'top up' with the assorted flavor beans.
The assorted mix is a mix of the original four flavors - orange, lemon/lime, fruit punch and berry. Glad I had enough water on me :) I really liked the berry and fruit flavors but Im not a fan of eating etc when out walking and then I did wonder whether I should sit and wait half an hour before carrying on. All n all I think the assorted mix was probably my favorite. It was my favorite packaging
Unfortunately for me I did not notice any major change, but like I said I wasnt sure what I should have noticed. In saying that I would be keen to try the 'Extreme' sport beans lot, especially the cherry flavor.
My husband works nightshift and took a couple of packets to work with him, as they do some pretty heavy lifting and also have to work very fast. He said that in his environment they did seem to provide a little extra umpf, but not a huge difference he said. He also wasnt a big fan of the flavors, except the orange.
Price wise these are definitely worth it, as they do replace lost electrolytes while doing physical activity/sport etc which is a great bonus. They provide extra vitamins and carbs, so they do definitely have bonuses.
Sport Beans are fabulous!! I am a huge fan of jelly beans full stop and when I was given the chance to try out these little beauties I jumped at the opportunity. I am super glad that they come in 3 different flavours, orange, assorted and my favourite lemon/lime, so there is a flavour to suit every taste bud.
The re-sealable packet is also a great idea.....as I found while out walking I could munch on a couple and seal the pack up again so the beans remained fresh and within the packet while in my pocket. I found the beans gave me an extra boost while I was out walking and I didn't feel as warn out once my walk was over.....I could have walked for longer too, as my muscles within my legs weren't sore and my energy levels weren't drained.
I like how the sport beans fit easily into my pocket which means I don't need to carry an extra bottle of sports drink as well as my water while I am out walking, the beans seemed to be enough to kept me hydrated along with my bottle of water. I was also surprised that the beans didn't melt in my pocket while out walking, and tasted refreshing (not hot) as I munched away on them.
The lemon/lime flavour was my favourite, I like the tangy favour, and these were the first ones I tried out. I am 'training' for the Relay for Life 24 hr walk where I am part of a team that takes turns to walk around the track for 24 hours and I will definitely be stocking up on this product as I know it does boost my energy levels and at hour 20 with little sleep and 4 hours to go these beans will by my saving grace to enhance and extend my energy levels for the last few laps.
The orange flavour I found very sweet but again when I used them I felt more energised and willing to workout, walk, do housework for longer and/or all in one go. The convenience to grab the packet rip it open and in my case easily consume the whole lot was perfect and tasty. It kept my going and gave me the confidence that I am replacing the much needed electrolytes to keep my body healthy and hydrated throughout my physical activities.
My least favourite was the assorted packet, the combination of the different flavours was a little weird tasting. But taste aside like the lemon/lime and orange flavour the beans gave me the extra edge and ongoing boost in my energy levels.
I have recommended these Sport Beans too some friends I am doing the Relay for Life with and they have had similar results to mine so they are definitely worth every penny and I will continue to use them while walking to maintain my energy levels and stay hydrated.
This summer I have found myself becoming very run down by the end of the day just by doing everyday activities such as gardening, cleaning and looking after two monsters. I was extremely keen to try this product to see if my energy levels could help stay consistent through out the work out time. I do not drink energy drinks so was not really sure what to expect.
The first flavour I tired was the Orange flavour. I had the garden to do so thought was the perfect opportunity to try them out. The instructions say to eat 30 minutes before doing the activity which I found rather strange. I assumed would eat them and be good to go so tried to keep my daughter occupied for the time specified but to be honest went out after 20 minutes. I found the flavour to taste rather like Vitamin C tablets, quite tangy, which I was not a fan of. States to eat the whole packet but if I did I think I would of thrown up so only had three quarters of the packet and that was a struggle - only reason managed the three quarters of a packet as was drinking water after every second one. I am not sure how effective they were, done the garden but still had to have a sit down afterwards.
Next flavour I tried was the Lemon Lime. First thing I noticed was the smell of the packet could definitely smell the citrus and it smelt so yummy. Had to clean the girls rooms and then we went for a walk to the recycling station to drop off some donations. Again I could not eat a whole packet only managed about three quarters of the packet again and drank lots of water. Found tangy as well and could taste the citrus. Did notice a spring in my step and on returning home after our walk ate the rest of the packet without much issue.
My favourite was definitely the Assorted flavours especially the purple one which I am guessing could be a berry of some description. Although to be honest found the combination a bit strange - didn't find they all mixed together very well as all have different flavours. Even though I enjoyed this packet the best still only managed three quarters of a packet drinking a lot of water in between.
Personally I am not a huge fan. I did not like the tastes of any of the jelly beans and even though the packets are small I could not finish one in a whole sitting. I also did not like the fact it takes about 30 minutes for it to kick in. My husband took a packet to work (the assorted flavours) and commented how he found them disgusting and shared around with a couple of the guys and they didn't think much of them either. The taste really was not that great and I am not sure if they gave me extra energy or if it was the extra water I was drinking which kept me hydrated. I will not be purchasing again in the future sorry.
Whoa, I am VERY impressed with these products, while having them, I was able to do exercise for longer, whereas now that I have eaten them all I get puffed more easily. They were also good for an energy boost, I feel rather tired and drained during the day and so these gave me the energy needed to keep me from falling asleep! I loved the range of flavors, here's what I think of each:
Orange: This was the first flavor I tried, at first it tasted a bit weird, I have never tried sport-drink jellybeans before, but after time it became quite a nice little treat to have. Out of all the flavors, this one had less of a "zing", this made it a great flavor that didn't leave my taste-buds all tingling. I have always been a liker of orange-flavored sport drinks, and a HUGE fan of jellybeans, so it was quite a shock when I saw these, because now I have have both in the same bite! What a head-rush, I'll say!
Lemon Lime: well, I don't think I've ever had an actual lime before, but I do know that lemons contain quite a bit of "zing", so this was the best flavor of sport beans to have if your after a citrus-induced wake up call! it was still very good tasting, I had these more often than I had the orange flavored ones, it just, yeah, they were definitely the most "energetic of the lot!
Assorted: Okay, I never did know about the other two flavors in this pack before, but after having them in the assorted packet, I am really glad I know now! This pack was perfect for having a mixed blend of flavors on the go instead of having to bring 3 or 4 packets at once to get the "mixed" flavors, and the range was great, four different flavors each with different effects: orange, lemon lime, apple, and raspberry. The raspberry was quite a sweet, juicy and extremely tasty flavor, whereas the apple was a little less sweet and just made my mouth water.
Overall, the beans were effective, tasty, and had a small but good flavor range. All of these aspects have driven me to one response: THUMBS-UP SPORT BEANS!
I am far from being an "active" person these days. Ever since a knee injury stopped my martial arts days, my activity levels have declined horribly. However, with the impending loss of our old garage, and the construction of the new one completed, some 'physical labours' were inevitable, so I decided to give these a go...
Consuming a full pack of the lemon-lime variant before the event wasn't possible - they are just too tart to eat a full pack, I found. So instead I ate half a pack of the lemon-lime and half a pack of the orange, and that was fine. Then after I had been hefting heavy boxes from one end of the property to the other for an hour, I ate the other half of each pack. Plenty of water was being consumed throughout the day anyway due to the heat.
Another hour, and a full pack of the black-bagged 'assorted' went down the gullet, along with a hasty sandwich and more water... by this point, I was surprised I wasn't making sloshing noises as I walked! A further hour of effort and a break for lunch with the family. I took an hour off for this, and there was simply no room for more beans after that. However, I did notice that I still felt up to the task for another 2 hours of exertion and then I had had enough. Not that I had run out of energy, just that my back was starting to mutter musculo-skeletal obscenities at me.
The next day, was spent driving around doing errands, so it was the day after that I returned to the test. Another pack of the 'assorted' (So totally my favourite of the three flavours!) and I was into doing the lawns. Due to sloppy workmanship by the labourers who poured the foundation pad for the new garage, my chosen lawnmowing contractor was leaving large patches untouched, due to chunks of concrete damaging the blades on his gear. So... I was having to do them with a push-mower borrowed from a neighbour. Not exactly 'smooth sailing' work... and yet, by the end of the day - and 3 more packets of beans - and I had finished a job that normally knocks me out after 2-3 hours, leaving the job half-done at best.
Overall, though I don't think these beans do much for how I feel, I can attest that when used with thought, and lots of water to keep the metabolism from spinning out of control and burning up - leaving you feeling sick or dizzy - they certainly do allow you to just keep chugging along. I can imagine that a dozen packs of these in the hiking kit would be a smart move, along with the trail mix and low-G.I. foodstuffs. These will help your body push through that last little bit to get you to the top... or keep you motivated and fuelled up to survive a night in the wild if you get off the track.
I really think sports beans are a great idea as an alternative to some of the sports drinks and other performance enhancing products on the market such as berocca, protein shakes, and protein bars.
I tried the beans three different ways to give them a go a number of different ways. I am an active mum of a very busy 1 year old boy who certainly keeps me on my toes and some days I feel like I just cant keep up with the abundance of energy he has. The first day I ate a packet with a big glass of water when I woke up and replenished with further beans throughout the day. I did feel like they made a difference in that I felt less fatigued in the afternoon and I think the vitamin C helped my body which was recovering from a chest infection at the time.
The next day I had some beans before taking my son for a walk in his pushchair to the beach, I'm reasonably unfit and it is only a couple of kilometres walk but has a lot of hills so is a reasonable work out for someone of my fitness level. I had a bottle of water and some beans during the walk and then had some more when I got home afterwards with some more water. I usually will eat an orange off the tree when I get home to rehydrate and get a vitamin c boost so the beans and the water did the same thing except better because of the added electrolytes and carbohydrates. I did feel that they made a difference and I did not need to sit down for as long when I got home to recover as I normally would.
The third set I gave to my partner who is a landscaper to have while he was at work. He had them throughout the day to keep him going. As he is working out in the sun for long days he goes through a lot of water and can sometimes come home feeling really dehydrated because of the heat. He mentioned that having the beans and lots of water helped with this.
The beans come in three different flavours. The first I tried was the orange. I liked the orange flavour it was sweet and juicy not much different to a orange raro juice or similar. I was expecting it to taste like a berocca so was pleasantly surprised that it had a nice flavour.
The second flavour was lemon and lime. I am not a big fan of artificial lemon flavouring so wasn't sure if I would like these however again I was pleasantly surprised. They had a sweet juicy taste rather than an artificial lemon flavouring. I think the texture of the beans which is really moist and juicy helps as they are similar to eating a fruit jube in that the centre is moist not dry like some lolly beans can be.
My favourite flavour was the mixed flavour bag which had the previous two flavours and also had berry flavoured beans in there as well. The berry flavoured beans were delicious and I found myself picking out the berry ones to eat first as they were so good.
UPDATE - 20/02/2013: After completing my three trials on the sports beans, I had some left over beans which I put away for a rainy day and unfortunately that rainy day came in the form of a stomach bug. The day after having been ill, I felt tired and woozy, and really dehydrated but after having some of the jelly beans I felt a lot better I felt more energised and less thirsty and the beans got rid of the horrible taste at the back of my throat as a bonus too.
It was quite good having them because when I have been sick I don't like eating for a while after but of course once you have eaten something and brought your blood sugar back up a bit you feel a lot better, so having these were great because it didn't really feel like I was eating as such.
Wow. Sport Beans is what you get when you cross a sports drink with a jelly bean. I wish these were around in my active days when I power walked half marathons and went on long tramps. They would have been a great morale booster as well as providing the nourishment needs to finish. There was many a time I had an energy gel (usually one that had been in the bag for a far while) leak and have a sticky syrup through my bum bag. With these beans because they are not a liquid there is no risk of it. The packets are resealable too which means I can have one or two keep me going while on the go.
The first flavour I tried was the lemon/lime. This is definitely my favourite. It has a sweet citrus tang. It also has a fizzy quality too. It reminded me of one of Schweppes sparkling lemon drinks but in a jelly bean.
I also enjoyed the orange flavour. Although it contained natural flavouring it was more like a fanta drink both in flavour and fizz. I think this would be the flavour I would have to hide from the kids.
The assorted pack of Sport Beans appealed to me the least. I was surprised by this because the I really enjoyed the other packets. I found the flavours of them all to be very bland. The berry flavour tasted more like cherry to me which is a flavour I dislike.
I baked some of the assorted beans into my favourite chocolate chip biscuit recipe. The beans melted a bit but still still looked and tasted great especially when warm. I made these particularly for my husband who is recovering from chemo and has just returned to his job on a research farm. These will be great in his lunch box and will provide him with the boost he needs to keep him going through the day.
I used the Sport Beans as directed while mowing the lawns in the heat. I ate a packet before hand and another when I had finished. I made sure I had lots of water with them too. I found although I was sweating when I had finished it wasn't as bad as I had dreaded. It was also nice to have a sweet treat when I had finished.
Jelly Belly make great gourmet jelly beans and although this are bigger than their gourmet beans they are certainly great quality. I now have an excuse to eat jelly beans (or at least Sport Beans) as long as I workout.
When it comes to me and Jellybeans, I tend to go through them far too quickly, so I knew with these that I would have to keep them out of sight when not using them, but also just to try and avoid my automatic, devour the whole lot in one go, mindset that I have when it comes to jellybeans.
The Orange taste like just that, orange, but also with a hint of fizz to them. Reading the ingredients on the back I was very pleased to see that it uses real orange juice from puree and natural colour from apples and carrots.
I liked the Lemon Lime flavour more than the orange flavour and as with the orange I was pleased to see that if uses lemon and lime and not 'flavours'. These, as with the orange, taste like they have a bit of fizz to them and reminds me of berocca.
The assorted flavours says that they are Apple, Raspberry and Orange. They used apple and carrot for the colouring, but I must say that the Raspberry tastes far more like carrot to me, and tastes really really nice. As with the others, these taste a little fizzy.
The directions recommend that you have one whole bag 30 minutes before your chosen activity, more as needed while doing said activity and then one more bag after accompanied by water throughout. For me, personally, I would not want to spend up to $9 for one activity, especially when my activity consists of up to an hour and a half of walking three days per week, and up to four hours of walking two days per week.
Instead, I had just over half a packet over a day, having one jellybean when it felt like I needed a little bit of an extension with my energy levels. Considering how exhausted I am at the moment, these really did help out quite a bit. I used some yesterday having taken the kids to kindy and school, picked them up again at the end of the day, sorted and tidied the house and entertained the kids outside. These gave me the extra help my body needed.
If I go by the way that I used these, which is one packet per day, maybe occasionally two per day, then I can see myself getting these for trips to the zoo, stays in hospital etc. If I were to go by the recommendation on the packet then I wouldn't buy them again.
But, a good product, that I am sure to get again for a variety of activities, even just an average day.
I was given some Sports Beans recently to use towards some fitness and exercise I was planning to undertake. I read up as much as I could about the beans as I wanted to try and use them in the optimum way. The packet suggestion is a bag of beans before activity, using them with water. You then have some during the activity and follow with another bag after the activity. So approximately 2.5 packs with water.
On first go, I opened a packet of the beans and ate them. I then drank some water and went for a walk around the zoo. After a while I got a bit of a headache. I wasn't sure if it was because of the beans or not. But the headache went away after I drank a far greater quantity of water. So I really think that the amount of beans you eat is dependent on the level of activity you are doing and the amount of water you drink too. If you are going to be running for an hour, you may need more than if you are doing 15 minutes of strength training.
With a little thought around the beans and water combo, I came up with the ratio that works well for me. So before I start my exercise program, I eat half a bag of beans. I then drink approximately 300 mls of water and wait the 30 minutes. Then I do my workout, drinking water through-out and finish on more water and 1 - 3 more beans. This is a great balance for me, and I definitely feel like the beans are helping my energy level when completing my training. I feel alert, energised and I don't have that flagging feeling I sometimes have when I work out. Love that these bags are re-sealable too, because you really don't need the whole pack to get the benefits.
The Sports Beans come in three flavours. Orange was the first flavour I tried. I thought that their flavour was a salty fizzy orange. My husband had one and thought it was some kind of soda or fanta flavour. So they are not super sweet, but they are tasty.
The lemon lime flavour is a more general citrus taste. They also have that salty fizzy taste to them. In fact the after taste reminded me of baking soda on the tongue. But its possible that is coming from the electrolytes. That after taste lingers for quite a while too, so you don't feel like you need more because you can still taste them.
The Assorted packet was probably my favourite because it has lots of different flavours altogether. The flavours according to the website are Lemon Lime, Orange, Fruit Punch and Berry. So I was already familiar with Lemon Lime and Orange. However, I really liked the Berry flavour. It almost had a cherry flavour to it, which I really enjoyed. I would have loved a bag of just that berry type. The fruit punch was also nice, but didn't hold a candle to the berry. Again, they all have that salty fizzy taste to them as well. Overall, I liked the product. At $3 a packet, these seem expensive. But when you compare them to a bottle of Powerade or similar sports water products, these would work out slightly cheaper. Especially if you can make one packet last two workouts as I have been doing.
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