AOk Red Grape & Cherry Juice Drink

Made by: AOk Drinks Ltd

Origin: UK

AOk Drinks was founded in 2008, with the aim of creating a drink to deliver the body's daily antioxidant requirements in a single serve. Antioxidants are utilised by the body to combat 'free radicals', being harmful molecules which enter the body in a variety of different ways, ultimately as a result of our interaction with the environment.

Unless free radicals are neutralised by antioxidants then they cause damage to cells that results in accelerated ageing and ultimately disease. The result of the founders' research was a drink formula combining different, complimentary active ingredients, thereby producing a potent antioxidant mix.

The drink is a deep purple colour, opaque at the core like a young red wine, and containing a small amount of red fruit puree in suspension.

Aromatic on the nose, with a sweet, earthy (like ginseng) and berried quality. There are various notes of gingercake, liquorice, menthol, molasses....quite complex.

Sweet, soft earthy blueberry and prune flavours give way to the gently sour and tart cherry. Gingercake and mint add interest, and there is a nice balance between the sweet and tart elements.

The effect becomes lightly mouthwatering on the finish, with the sweeter notes sustaining the flavours well.

Verdict

There's a lot going on here on the nose and palate, although considering the prominence given to cherries and cherry juice on the label, it's distinct flavour is well integrated and hard to isolate beyond the tart effect it produces on the finish. The dark, rich and sweet flavours should appeal to fans of blueberries, ginseng and Concord or black grape juice. Quite apart from that the drink's powerful antioxidant content is delivered in a compact and handy size.

If you like this drink then you may like to try these: the Berry Company Acai juice drink, Feelgood Drinks Co. Apple & Blueberry juice drink, Top Gin ginseng drink

Our thanks go to Helen Lewis for providing the sample.

Packaging claims: Anti-oxidant drink, 100% natural ingredients, no artificial sweeteners, no artificial colourings, no artificial ingredients, no added sugar, your daily recommended requirement of antioxidants, one of your 'five a day', just 145 calories

Ingredients: Juice from concentrate and pressed juice 99% (grape 83%, tart cherry puree 15%, ginger 1%), rehydrated powdered aloe vera juice 1%, natural flavour

Price: Should be about £1.60-£1.70 for a 250ml PET bottle, available from branches of Waitrose, via Ocado, and from health food stores nationwide

the Berry Company Goji juice drink

Made by: the berry juice company

Origin: UK

The Goji berry is the red berry fruit of the boxthorn shrub. It is also known as the Wolfberry, derived from the Greek origin for the plant Genus. The plant is a relative of the chili pepper, tobacco and deadly nightshade plants, and most commercial plantings are to be found in Northern China. In the past ten years Goji berries have started to generate increasing interest as part of a new group of 'superfruits', prized for their nutritional and especially antioxidant properties.

This Goji drink is pale burnt orange in colour, showing good intensity. It is cloudy/translucent and contains some fine fruit pulp in suspension.

On the nose rich, thick apricot puree, followed by more stone fruits: Mangoes this time. The sweet, fleshy aroma is given a 'lift' with a heady note of passionfruit.

The palate is lighter than the nose would suggest, with satisfying flavours that combine soft orange stone fruits (apricots and peaches) with their tropical cousins (mangoes and passionfruit).

The drink develops from an initial sweetness, akin to white grape juice, to turn pleasantly sour on the finish. The use of passionfruit comes into its own here, providing a tangy freshness and balancing out those sweeter notes. Another interesting release from the berry company.

Packaging claims: No artificial colours, no artificial preservatives, no sweeteners, in partnership with Heart Research UK

Ingredients: Water, pressed Wolfberry/Goji fruit (20%), fruit extract concentrate, pressed passion fruit juice (10%), natural flavour malic acid, antioxidant ascorbic acid

Price: Should be about £1.50-£1.60 for a 330ml PET bottle, available from Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Department stores and health retailers nationwide