The Journal

READY, SET, READ

Real answers on caffeine, creatine, protein, and what belongs on a label — from the people who actually drink this.

Two cream-label aluminum cans side by side with kraft tags reading 'before' and 'after', with a small dumbbell and folded gray gym towel at the frame edge.
Buyer GuideSep 04, 2026

How to build a training day around two cans

One Energy+ before, one Protein+ after. Together they cover a full daily creatine dose, the caffeine you need for the session, and...

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A chocolate-brown aluminum can with cocoa nibs beside a cream-label aluminum can with a glass of clear pale liquid, on a matte off-white surface.
Buyer GuideSep 01, 2026

ReadySet Protein+ vs Slate Milk, clear whey vs ultra-filtered chocolate milk

Slate reinvented canned chocolate milk with 20 grams of protein and no lactose. Protein+ takes a totally different route with clear whey....

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Two glass tumblers side by side: opaque milky liquid left, clear pale-amber liquid right, with a small dish of whey isolate powder between them.
Buyer GuideAug 28, 2026

Ultra-filtered milk vs clear whey, two drinks doing two different jobs

Both formats deliver real protein. They're not the same drink. Here's how ultra-filtered milk and clear whey isolate actually differ, and which...

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A tall clear bottle of opaque milky liquid beside a cream-label aluminum can and a glass of clear pale-amber liquid, with whey powder and tart cherries between them.
Buyer GuideAug 25, 2026

ReadySet Protein+ vs Fairlife Core Power, milk-based vs clear whey

Fairlife Core Power dominates the RTD protein aisle with ultra-filtered milk. Protein+ takes a different route (clear whey isolate). Here's how they...

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A hand-torn cardstock card with 5 hand-drawn checkboxes beside a cream-label aluminum can and a charcoal pencil. Editorial buyer's guide vibe.
Buyer GuideAug 21, 2026

The "clean" energy drink test, what actually counts

"Clean" gets written on cans that don't earn it. Here's a five-question test that separates real from marketing, based on what actually...

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Two neutral-labeled cans, one pale sage and one cream with lime accent, with allulose crystals, green tea, and creatine powder in ceramic dishes between them.
Buyer GuideAug 18, 2026

ReadySet Energy+ vs Gorgie, the clean-energy showdown

Gorgie and ReadySet Energy+ are both playing the clean-energy game. Both are worth reading closely. Here's how the two actually stack up,...

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Two glass dishes of electrolyte crystals: coarse dipotassium phosphate on the left, translucent potassium citrate on the right, with a fresh lemon slice for citrate reference.
Buyer GuideAug 14, 2026

Potassium citrate vs dipotassium phosphate, why electrolyte source matters

Two drinks can list the same potassium number on the front of the can and deliver very different things inside. Here's what...

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Two ceramic dishes side by side: fine white sucralose powder left, coarse allulose crystals with a halved fresh monk fruit right.
Buyer GuideAug 11, 2026

Why sucralose keeps showing up in "clean" drinks

Sucralose is in almost every zero-sugar energy drink, even the ones marketed as clean. Here's why brands keep reaching for it, what...

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A cream-label aluminum can beside a cracked coconut, a dish of dipotassium phosphate powder, and a dish of translucent potassium citrate crystals.
Buyer GuideAug 07, 2026

ReadySet Energy+ vs Prime Energy, a label comparison

Prime Energy went viral, went international, and got pulled from some school shelves along the way. Here's a straight-label comparison with ReadySet...

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A magnifying glass over a mock nutrition-facts panel showing a proprietary blend line item, with a red pencil underlining it. Editorial buyer's-guide still life.
Buyer GuideAug 03, 2026

What "proprietary blend" actually hides on a supplement label

A "proprietary blend" isn't a formulation secret worth protecting. It's a labeling shortcut that lets brands hide how much of each ingredient...

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Two aluminum cans side by side, pastel pink-lavender left and cream with lime accent right, with dishes of caffeine crystals and green tea leaves between them.
Buyer GuideJul 30, 2026

ReadySet Energy+ vs Alani Nu, a label comparison

Alani Nu owns the pastel energy aisle. But the branding is one thing and the label is another. Here's the honest breakdown...

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Editorial flat-lay: a slim aluminum can beside green tea leaves and a torn sweetener packet with spilled crystals, on a matte off-white surface.
Buyer GuideJul 17, 2026

ReadySet Energy+ vs Celsius, a label comparison

Celsius sits in every gym fridge, but the "healthy energy" label deserves a closer read. Here's a side-by-side with ReadySet Energy+ on...

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