Tropicana Berry Punch Makes a Good Addition to an Energy Smoothie

My treadmill and I have a date every day Monday through Friday. Sometimes I hate that fact with every fiber of my being, but nonetheless I acquiesce to the health gods concerning the need for daily exercise.

One thing I have discovered with regular exercise is the need to pump up my energy before hand. I use to do that with a healthy breakfast. However, more often than not that came back to haunt me in the stomach department later on. Then I switched to fruit beforehand, which worked okay but didn't hold throughout the routine.

Finally, my daughter recommended a smoothie that I could sip before, during and after my walk. Having never ventured into smoothie territory before, I left it to my husband to come up with something I would like. He did.

My magic formula consists of fresh strawberries, blackberries, ice and splash of Tropicana Berry Punch. The taste is phenomenal thanks to that little extra lift provided by Tropicana.

Tropicana Berry Punch comes in a carton much like those you find in the refrigerated section of grocery mart where orange juice is sold. There are 64 oz. of juice in each carton. It retails for around $2.89 to $3.49, depending on where the purchase is made.

Tropicana Berry Punch is rich in vitamin C, which is an important ingredient to a healthy immune system. It is also a powerful antioxidant that helps the entire body - - organs, tissue, hair and nails.

Tropicana Berry Punch contains flavorings that resemble blackberries, cherries, raspberries and strawberries. However, it actually contains apple, grape, pear and strawberry juice concentrate as well as fructose corn syrup, filtered water and citric acid.

A serving size is 8 fl. oz., which equates to 120 calories. This is not a low calorie drink, so it should be used in moderation if you are counting calories. Since my husband only uses about 3 oz. in my smoothie, that's a mere 40 calorie addition to that of my natural berries.

Tropicana Berry Punch contains no fat or cholesterol. It does; however, contain 31 grams of carbohydrate, 29 grams of sugar and 10 milligrams of sodium per serving. That may mean this drink is out of the reach of individuals who are watching their carb and/or sugar intake.

On a more positive note, Tropicana Berry Punch contains 10 milligrams of potassium and 100% of the daily-recommended amount of Vitamin C.

As I said before, the taste is great, although not 100% authentic. Whether you use it alone or like I do to supplement a smoothie, Tropicana Berry Punch fits the bill with 4 out of 5 stars.

Although this drink is not terribly economical, if you use it sparingly as I do, it will last a long time and cover several servings. That is worth another 4 out of 5 stars.

Easy to locate, Tropicana products are sold in most major grocery stores and Tropicana Berry Punch is no exception. For that, it gets 5 out of 5 stars.

When it comes to nutrition, you have to give this product its due with regard to Vitamin C. Nonetheless you can't ignore the high carb and sugar intake. That means it only gets 3 out of 5 stars in this category.

That is 16 out of possible 20 stars, that averages out to 4.4 stars. That still makes this drink a valid possibility.

RATING SCALE:

5 stars - outstanding
4 stars - good
3 stars - average
2 stars - below average
1 star - poor