One of the treats I got from the All Candy Expo was this pack of VE2 energy gum. It’s candy with a conscience – the packaging is very minimalist and it says, “To save trees & make less trash this package avoids using a paper sleeve wrap.” I love the idea that a medium which traditionally relies on packaging for impact can be promoted in a environmentally friendly way.
Developed over a period of 2 years by an ER doc, one packet of VE2 is equal to five cups of coffee. The press about VE2 claims that you can absorb caffeine through your oral membranes faster than via digestion – so in theory VE2 gives you a quicker energy hit than your usual energy drinks. I’m one of those people who can drink a can of coke or a espresso before bed and still fall asleep with no problem, so I viewed this gum review as a bit of an experiment.
The first thing I noticed was the smell. As soon as you pop a tablet out of the blister pack the peppermint smell is almost overwhelming, and slightly medicinal. Once you start to chew it, the peppermint taste becomes ridiculously strong… as in, chow down a couple dozen Altoids at once strong. Honestly, it was all too much for me. Considering that it takes two tablets to get the hit of one energy drink, and I couldn’t really fathom chewing more than one piece for fear of burning my mouth, I couldn’t really complete the experiment.
For journalistic purposes I enlisted some friends to try this gum out. The package says to chew for at least five minutes to get the full effect, but given that I could barely chew it for five seconds, I needed some other opinions . Even those who like peppermint found it to be really strong – almost off-putting, really. Those who managed to chew it for longer than a minute all reported a definite buzz – so at least the caffeine in there (listed as the first ingredient) is working.
There are a whole lot of reasons why chewing one of these would be way better than sucking down an energy drink, so I was disappointed not to be able to really give it a full try. Given that I couldn’t get past the flavor, it would be nice if there was some other option other than peppermint available. Until then, I think I’ll leave this stuff to the doctors.. .who might have some emergencies of their own if they’re chewing this stuff.
