Generation UCAN: Flavor Reviews and Recipes

About a month ago, I did a review of Generation UCAN. That post focused on:

– What it is
– What to use it for
– How to use it
– The history behind it
– How it works
– Critics

This post will focus on:

– Flavor reviews
– Genearation UCAN recipes

I contacted Generation UCAN and requested samples of the new Tropical Orange flavor. The company kindly sent me several Tropical Orange samples, and I tried one before a workout, during a workout and prior to a ten-mile race. They also sent me some literature that I have posted below (two of the pages would not post for some reason – my apologies).

Generation UCAN offers a sports drink mix in the following flavors:

– Lemonade
– Pomegranate/Blueberry
– Cranberry/Raspberry
– Tropical Orange

There is also a protein-enhanced drink mix that comes in:

– Chocolate
– Vanilla Cream

In the past, I have used Lemonade for all of my endurance events. I have also used the Chocolate protein-enhanced drink for recovery.

In my opinion, the Lemonade is still the best flavor. However, the new flavor, Tropical Orange, is a close second. Pomegranate/Blueberry isn’t bad, but I would stay away from the Cranberry/Raspberry! Again, this is just my opinion, but I have heard the same thing about the Cranberry/Raspberry from other runners.

These drinks are not as sweet as Gatorade, Powerade, etc. This is because those drinks are filled with sugar (16oz of Gatorade has nearly 30g of sugar). This may take some getting used to, but I think it is worth it.

First, you definitely want to use a blender bottle to mix these drinks. Otherwise, you will end up with a bit of powdery residue and that’s no fun. Second, I find that they mix a little better if you prepare them ahead of time and let them sit overnight (just give them a good shake in the morning). Obviously these are downfalls of a mix-it-yourself drink. However, the upside is that you can prepare it however you want using whatever proportions/ingredients you want!

Recipes (these are also available on the Generation UCAN website)

CHOCOLATE BANANA UCAN SMOOTHIE: r1
1 packet Generation UCAN Chocolate
12 oz water
1/2 cup of ice
1/3 banana
Blend on high speed until it is a smooth consistency

UCAN CHOCOLATE COCONUT SURPRISE: r2
1 packet Generation UCAN Chocolate
12 oz coconut water
1/2 cup of ice
Dash of Cinnamon
Blend on high speed til it is a smooth consistency

VANILLA MIXED BERRY DELITE: r3
1 packet Generation UCAN Vanilla
12 oz water
1/2 cup of ice
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
Blend on high speed til it is a smooth consistency

UCAN OLD FASHIONED LEMONADE: r4
1 packet Generation UCAN Lemonade
12 oz water
1/2 cup of ice
1/2 squeezed lime
Blend on high speed til it is a smooth consistency