When I was sent a few samples of a vitamin-infused coffee called VitaCup to try out, I was pretty — okay, wildly skeptical. For me, coffee has to taste good above all, because I’m drinking so darn much of it. Especially now when I’m waking up at 6:30 and it’s still pitch black. (Wah!) But when I mentioned VitaCup on our Instagram stories one weekend, we got so many DMS from fans who already love it so I stopped procrastinating to see what was up.
It’s not Stumptown, fellow coffee snobs, but I have honestly been enjoying it over the past month and believe it or not, I’m seeing a difference in how I feel, at least from a couple of the blend.
You can choose from blends designed help promote more focus and energy (yes please!), or help support weight loss, healthy skin and nails, better digestion, and…
Well, sorry. None of them will help you get rich.
Here’s the scoop.
via @drinkvitacup
This environmentally-conscious, California-based company starts with a decent, medium-roast Aribica bean base for all their coffees, which are then infused with various vitamins and high-quality ingredients to promote various shades of well-being.
What I’ve ben particularly enjoying most is the the VitaCup Genius Blend, which, if I ran the company, I would rename the Super-Amped High Focus, Reorganize Your Sock Drawer Blend.
I can see why this one is the company’s best-seller. It includes MCT oil (read this Healthline article to learn more about its benefits), antioxidants, vitamins galore including the Vitamin D we’re missing these winter months, plus flavors like turmeric and cinnamon. It’s got an interesting, complex taste as you might imagine from the turmeric and cinnamon, which I’ve grown to really like.
(As an aside: NPR’s Guy Raz shared on a Spawned podcast interview that his cool pick of the week was turmeric. Can Guy Raz be wrong?)
I I don’t know if the Genius Blend made me ready for the MENSA test, but I’m telling you…it gets me amped. And not like an over-caffeinated shaky way (or an Ellyn Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream way…eek, sorry!) , but the first time I drank it I cleaned out an entire closet. A big closet.
I do feel more focused with kind of a clean energy and yes ,I have more focus! I’ve come to really look forward to drinking a cup each morning, though I do move onto a regular coffee for my second cup.
The other blend I’m really enjoying is the VitaCup Slim Blend which is infused with B vitamins, Hydroxcitric Acid extract and Ginseng. Again, while I couldn’t speak to proof of any “slimming” properties, I like how it makes me feel. It not only tastes nice — it’s probably the flavor that’s most like a “regular” medium roast coffee — but I do notice my carb cravings are less uh, pronounced. I can’t say for a fact it’s connected to that or to my cycle in some way, but maybe?
For those of you dealing with digestive problems, there’s a VitaCup Probiotic Blend. It smells amazing (vanilla!) and includes aloe, B vitamins and probiotics to promote gut health. I will say it’s the least interesting flavor-wise to me, and tastes like the mildest blend, so I prefer it blended 50-50 with a stronger roast.
The other VitaCup blend that I imagine will be pretty popular, but I haven’t tried myself just yet, is the VitaCup Beauty Blend (up at top). It’s intended to give a little boost to your skin (yes, please), hair and nails, with the inclusion of collagen, plus Bitotin, Folic Acid, and natural antioxidants like cinnamon.
(I’ve been fascinated reading up on collagen lately, so if you have good experiences with this or any other products, I’d love to hear about it.)
For those of you Keurig fans, you should know that the company started by selling their vitamin-infused coffees in K-cup pods so they offer a full collection of those, easily found at Target or Amazon (our affiliates), and they’re recyclable, should you have access to a Number 5 recycling center. However I’m trying to cut back on single-use products like coffee pods these days, so I’m pleased to grab a pack of the ground, which costs you less, too.
Overall, I really am more impressed with VitaCup than I would have thought. And hey, with Daylight Savings over, and seasonal depression and fatigue setting in (argh) for some of us, I’ll take all the caffeinated help, vitamins, and light therapy I can get.
Have you evaluated the health risks associated with high quantities of B12 vitamins such as permanent nerve damage? It is possible to ‘overdose’ on vitamins.
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Ed note:
Please consult a doctor if you are concerned about your vitamin intake, or impact on an existing health condition.
According to Web MD, B12 is rated “likely safe for most people, even in large doses.”
They also write that “for vitamin B12 deficiency: Vitamin B12 doses of 300-10,000 mcg daily have been used. However, some evidence suggests that the most effective oral dose is between 647-1032 mcg daily.”
The only other study we found suggested a possible correlation between excessive B12 levels and gut microbiota but the study author stated “Our finding was only an association [and could not prove] a cause-and-effect relationship.”
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-926/vitamin-b12