On Feb. 11, Pepsi Co. issued a press release announcing a new sparkling juice beverage: Kickstart by Mountain Dew. Greg Lyons, Mountain Dew’s vice president of marketing says, “Consumers told us they were looking for an alternative to traditional morning beverages.” And so problem solved: the new breakfast drink will hit retail shelves nationwide on Feb. 25.
Don’t imagine, however, that it’s a healthy alternative to a morning glass of juice--it only contains 5% fruit juice. Admittedly, that’s 5% more than most soft drinks, but it’s certainly nothing nutritionists will be raving about. On the plus side, there’s only 80 calories per 16 oz. can.
Speaking of the being on the plus side, soft drinks often receive a decent-sized chunk of the blame for the obesity epidemic. They’re also on the list of foods that are responsible for health problems, including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and strokes. It’s doubtful that adding them to the breakfast menu will reverse that trend.
Still, if you’re interested in getting a free can of Kickstart before it hits the shelves, you can visit www.kickstartfirsttaste.com to request a can. And you can submit a picture of yourself holding a can for a chance to be included in the upcoming “Chasing Sunrise” anthem video.
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