Taste is complex. The brain perceives flavor as a hodgepodge of sensory information drawn from the gustatory receptor cells in the tongue’s taste buds, but also from smells, visuals, textures and temperatures — even memory. Our individual genetic makeup has its say in the matter, too. The point is: taste is personal, it’s opinionated, and one man’s delicious is almost certainly another man’s disgusting. In the world of energy foods, the most interesting flavors come outside of bar form — from gels, to waffles to squeezable pizza.
Energy Gels: An Energy Shot Made of Calorie Goo.
GU Cola Me Happy: GU’s harnessed the flavor of the world’s best-selling beverage and injected it into a squeezable package. Cola Me Happy is the result of a new flavor contest; it beat out Piña GU-Lada and Basil Lemonade to take home the grand prize and find its way to shelves. It’s an immediate callback to its source material, but your brain and tongue might experience a certain amount of dissonance linking the flavor to a new, more viscous texture.
Energy Chews: Energy-Packed, Cube-Shaped Gummy Bears.
Honey Stinger Cherry Cola: Yes, more cola; this time, cherry. It immediately stirs up memories of burger joints and teenage hangouts (when beer was still just too bitter). It’s also packed with energy thanks to a healthy dose of white tea caffeine, so you can look back on long summer nights from times past while cranking out a half marathon.
