Starbucks debuts fruity energy drink less than 2 months after Panera discontinues Charged Lemonade
Starbucks launched a drink at stores nationwide called Iced Energy, which has up to 205 milligrams of caffeine — about the same amount as six cans of Coke.
Starbucks on Tuesday launched a drink at stores nationwide called Iced Energy, which has up to 205 milligrams of caffeine in it — about the same amount as six cans of Coke. The fruity energy drink debuts less than two months after bakery-cafe chain Panera Bread announced it was discontinuing its controversial Charged Lemonade, a beverage that lawsuits blamed for two deaths and referred to as a “dangerous energy drink.”
The Iced Energy comes in three flavors, including one only available temporarily through the Starbucks app. Its two in-store menu offerings, Melon Burst and Tropical Citrus, range in caffeine from 180 milligrams to 205 milligrams, according to Starbucks. That’s more than a grande Starbucks Caffe Latte, which has 150 milligrams of caffeine, but significantly less than Panera’s Charged Lemonade, which had 390 milligrams of caffeine when it was served in a large, 30-fluid-ounce cup without ice. Panera started phasing out the Charged Lemonade on May 7, and it has denied any wrongdoing, saying it removed the beverage as part of a broader menu transformation.
Except for its limited-edition Frozen Tropical Citrus Iced Energy with Strawberry Puree, Iced Energy is sugar-free, made with artificial sweeteners. All flavors are sold in Starbucks' venti, 24-fluid-ounce size only and have caffeine, vitamins and taurine — an amino acid common in popular energy drinks that has been touted as helping to improve exercise performance, though more studies are needed. While taurine is not a stimulant, some animal studies indicate that regular consumption of it in high doses could be harmful to adolescents’ developing brains.
Charged Lemonade, on the other hand, contained sugar and guarana extract, a stimulant that purportedly aids with weight loss and improves cognition, but that can be unsafe when it is taken long-term in large amounts.
A Panera Charged Lemonade in 2023.Justin Sullivan / Getty Images fileCharged Lemonade and Iced Energy are part of a growing category called “functional beverages” that chains big and small are eager to jump into, according to experts. Such beverages contain ingredients that are said to improve health.
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