The awkwardly named Good Idea: The Swedish Sugar Buster is a mixer with a focus on trying to get you to drink healthier, layering in “five specific amino acids” and “a hint of chromium” to help reduce post-meal blood sugar from spiking, with studies showing a reduction of up to 30 percent. As the name suggests, these canned sparkling waters, produced in Marin County, north of San Francisco, are lightly flavored but include no sugar or sweeteners (though a 12 oz. can does have 10 calories from somewhere).

Some details:

Good Idea – the Swedish Sugar Buster notably known for helping a healthy person handle the sugar spike following a carb-rich meal has made its way to the NorCal region and is now securing placement at a growing number of retailers. The company GoodIdea Inc, originally from Sweden and now located in San Francisco is excited to have a growing footprint in a community that’s comprised of health conscientious people who are observant of what they eat and drink.

Most people would perceive Good Idea as just another flavored sparkling water, but the fact is that it is far from that. The “supplement facts” on the backside of the can reveal a proprietary blend of five amino acids and chromium, clinically proven to help the body handle the blood sugar spike following an ordinary meal rich in fast carbs. Good Idea is the result of years of research and development conducted by Good Idea Inc´s Swedish mother company Aventure AB and the Food for Health Science Centre at Lund University in southern Sweden.

While my focus here is on the taste of the product, I will note that I felt solid after drinking these during the day, and that the post-meal sugar-crash claims may not be off-base. Your mileage may vary. Please report as such in the comments.

We tasted two of the four available flavors.

Good Idea: The Swedish Sugar Buster Sparkling Lemon Lime – Sparkling water with moderate fizz and an ample mineral base, more of a cucumber note than anything detectable as lemon-lime. A kind of slate character lingers on the finish. B-

Good Idea: The Swedish Sugar Buster Sparkling Orange Mango – Much more clearly orange/tropical, particularly on the aromatic, almost flowery nose. More refreshing and more approachable — fruit flavors connote sweetness, even if none is really there — and more mixable should you be thinking about cocktailing with the stuff. B+

each $30 per 12-pack of 12 oz cans / goodideadrinks.com [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]

Good Idea: The Swedish Sugar Buster Sparkling Orange Mango

$30

8.5

Rating

8.5/10