{"id":903465,"date":"2026-05-04T07:14:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T12:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/04\/functional-drinks-shift-focus-from-body-to-mind\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T07:14:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T12:14:35","slug":"functional-drinks-shift-focus-from-body-to-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/04\/functional-drinks-shift-focus-from-body-to-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"Functional drinks shift focus from body to mind"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Functional beverages have traditionally focused on powering up the body. And this is still a thriving area<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Vitamin fortification helps with energy and immunity. Isotonic drinks help with hydration. Protein builds up muscle. Calcium supports bones. Collagen helps make skin more resilient.<\/p>\n

But the latest frontier is the mind. How can our brains work more efficiently, more effectively and smoothly? How can we improve focus and concentration at work? And how can we relax at the end of the day?<\/p>\n

And \u2013 most importantly \u2013 how can beverages help us do that?<\/p>\n

Work smarter, not harder<\/h2>\n

Whether it\u2019s a CEO in the office or a busy mum on the school run, we all want to be more productive in our roles and manage our time better. <\/p>\n

Procrastination is the enemy: efficiency is the goal. A clear head and focused mind opens the doors to creativity and great ideas: fatigue makes basic admin tasks drag out for hours.<\/p>\n

So the last few years have seen an increasing number of beverage brands focus their attention on the mind. <\/p>\n

And while most of these brands are still relatively young, they\u2019ve shown impressive growth.<\/p>\n

Take, for example, Neutonic: the nootropic drink that promises increased productivity and sharped focus. The brand, co-founded by British influencers James Smith and Chris Williamson, was valued at $20m within 18 months of launching<\/a>: seeing superstar success in both the UK and US. <\/p>\n

Neutonic\u2019s ingredients include cognizin (which may support brain health by promoting ATP production); B vitamins (supporting energy yielding metabolism) and a blend of caffeine and l-theanine (this combination is being increasingly used to provide energy without the crash<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that we\u2019re now seeing a movement of people thinking more about brain health and brain function,\u201d said co-founder James Smith, a personal trainer, entrepreneur and influencer.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo us, productivity feels like the next fitness.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Neutonic\"<\/picture><\/div>
Neutonic launched in 2023, with the tagline ‘Fuel your focus’ (Image: Neutonic)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next generation of drinkers aren\u2019t looking to alcohol to relax at the end of the day, or traditional sugar-laden energy drinks to power up their afternoons, he said. They\u2019re looking for functional beverages with rewards. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had this shift where people are saying: \u2018my six-pack didn\u2019t pay the bills, it didn\u2019t alleviate the stress that my car finance is coming out in three days\u2019,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve been having their energy drinks and smashing it in the gym, but now they\u2019re saying: they need something to work harder, get more done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neutonic is not alone in this new focus frontier. There\u2019s also Bloom, with its sparkling energy drinks that support mood and promotes mental focus without the crash: thanks to L-theanine and ginseng.<\/p>\n

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\"bloom\"<\/picture><\/div>
Bloom Nutrition’s sparkling energy drinks launched in 2024 (Hand-out\/Image: Bloom Nutrition)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And more and more brands are exploring this space: particularly where energy and focus can overlap.<\/p>\n

Functional mushroom coffees, for example, often position themselves around the clarity and focus of mushrooms and the energy of coffee.<\/p>\n

And relax…<\/h2>\n

But it\u2019s not just about focus. On the other side of this drive towards productivity comes the need to rest and unwind at the end of the day.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a new need \u2013 herbal teas, for example, have embraced the natural properties of calming botanicals for years \u2013 but products are now being elevated to meet these needs.<\/p>\n

Trip and Recess both started in the CBD arena: but have since expanded to a broader concept of relaxation. <\/p>\n

Like Neutonic, Trip has seen spectacular success <\/a>over the last couple of years: it\u2019s the top-selling drink on TikTok with a host of celebrity backers and ambassadors.<\/p>\n

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\"Trip<\/picture><\/div>
Trip’s Mindful Blend is formulated with Lion\u2019s Mane, Magnesium, and Ashwagandha (Trip)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Its Mindful Blend, launched in 2024, is formulated with lion\u2019s mane (100mg), magnesium (120mg) and ashwagandha (100mg). <\/p>\n

Recess, meanwhile, uses magnesium and adaptogens in its sparkling water, Recess Mood: with founder Ben Witte describing the brand as the \u2018Red Bull for Relaxation\u2019<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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\"Recess<\/picture><\/div>
Recess Mood is a sparkling water infused with magnesium and adaptogens. (Image: Timothy Inklebarger)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alcohol-free alternatives<\/h2>\n

Relaxation is particularly important in the evenings. Consumers are reducing their alcohol intake, being increasingly conscious of the effect it has on their physical \u2013 and mental \u2013 health. <\/p>\n

For some consumers it\u2019s as simple as wanting to avoid a hangover and fuzzy brain the next day: but for others, it\u2019s concerns over the negative effect alcohol consumption has on mental health<\/a> (alcohol affects the chemistry of the brain, increasing the risk of depression, panic disorder and impulsive behaviour).<\/p>\n

That opens the door for alcohol-free alternatives in beer, wine and spirits. But for other innovators, it\u2019s about going further and offering the same concept of relaxation through functional ingredients, but without the alcohol.<\/p>\n

Take, for example, Impossibrew: the alcohol-free beer with its proprietary alcohol alternative, designed to replicate the sensory and social relaxing experience of drinking with L-theanine, ashwagandha, thiamine and nootropics.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Impossibrew\"<\/picture><\/div>
Founded in 2019, Impossibrew’s founder Mark Wong was turned down by investors on Dragon’s Den (Shark Tank) but completed a $1.5m fund raise from more than 1,200 investors on CrowdCube in 2025 (overfunding by 315% of its \u00a3500,000 target). (Image: Impossibrew)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And beyond the traditional beer, wine and spirits analogues, there\u2019s De Soi<\/a> (reishi, mushroom, l-theanine) Kin Euphorics<\/a> (ashwagandha, reishi, saffron) and Hiyo (adaptogens, nootropics, botanicals) to create drinks that help people unwind and relax.<\/p>\n

For Hiyo<\/a>, that\u2019s about what it calls \u2018the float\u2019: a proprietary blend that includes ashwagandha, l-theanine, lion\u2019s mane, lemon balm, passion flower and ginger) to create a light, mood boosting lift.<\/p>\n

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\"Hiyo\"<\/picture><\/div>
Hiyo launched in 2021 (Hiyo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a subtle, relaxed feeling that supports presence without intoxication,\u201d explains co-founder George Youmans.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people don\u2019t drink alcohol for the buzz: they drink it to feel relaxed, connected and present. Hiyo delivers those effects naturally through functional ingredients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mood beverages<\/h2>\n

This idea of \u2018mood beverages is one of the most interesting sub-segments of the functional beverage category.<\/p>\n

It comes as consumers think beyond physical health and more about their mental state.<\/p>\n

And with consumers increasingly skeptical of \u2018big pharma\u2019, the concept of \u2018food as medicine\u2019 remains strong: with people searching for natural remedies rather than strong pharmaceuticals with unwanted side effects.<\/p>\n

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Mood beverages<\/h3>\n

Mood beverages are up 42% in dollar growth, according to SPINS data. \u201cAs concerns in the general population about stress or sleep have become more prevalent, we\u2019ve seen a huge rise in products that are including ingredients and positioning that help consumers relax,\u201d said Ben Lerman, vice president of brand growth consulting at SPINS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

And while many of the benefits honed in on by brands are about the short term effects, there\u2019s also a growing awareness of keeping the brain healthy and active as people live longer.<\/p>\n

With an aging population, diseases such as Alzheimer\u2019s and Parkinsons are an increasing concern, with consumers wanting to ensure healthy cognitive function into older age. <\/p>\n

The brain will continue to be front-of-mind moving forward.<\/p>\n

Rachel Arthur
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Functional beverages have traditionally focused on powering up the body. And this is still a thriving area. Vitamin fortification helps with energy and immunity. Isotonic drinks help with hydration. Protein builds up muscle. Calcium supports bones. Collagen helps make skin more resilient. But the latest frontier is the mind. How can our brains work more<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":903466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[928,38158],"tags":[11275,44253],"class_list":{"0":"post-903465","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-drinks","8":"category-functional","9":"tag-drinks","10":"tag-functional"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/903465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=903465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/903465\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/903466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=903465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=903465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=903465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}