The FRS Diet is not a typical weight management program; instead, FRS is a large line of products designed by the manufacturers to give users increased energy and, with this boost in energy, an enhanced ability to lose weight. The FRS line offers many options, all endorsed by cyclist Lance Armstrong and containing the compound quercetin, an antioxidant that FRS producers claim can greatly enhance stamina and energy levels. FRS products have many benefits, but they also present a number of disadvantages for potential users.
Background
The FRS line of energy-enhancing products is produced by the Santa Barbara-based New Sun Nutrition company. The initials, FRS, stand for Free Radical Scavenger and draw attention to the antioxidant powers that the company's products are purported to have. To follow an FRS-based diet, the manufacturers recommend consuming one serving of an FRS product twice daily to receive maximum benefits, preferably once at breakfast and once 30 minutes to one hour prior to exercise.
FRS Products
The FRS Diet involves incorporating the FRS line of energy-enhancing products -- drinks, powders, fruit chews and concentrates -- into your daily routine. The drinks are available in orange and apricot nectarine flavors, as well as four low-calorie selections: wild berry, peach mango, orange and citrus pomegranate. The concentrate, which uses 6 oz. of water per 2 oz. of concentrate to make an 8-oz. serving, comes in orange and low-calorie orange and peach mango flavors, while the powdered version of the drink is available in wild berry and orange. There are four FRS Healthy Energy chews offered: pomegranate blueberry, lemon lime, pineapple mango and orange.
Ingredients
All FRS products contain various combinations of the following ingredients: caffeine and green tea extract as metabolism boosters; beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, quercetin, citric acid, Vitamin E and the B vitamins as antioxidants; sucralose, Splenda and natural flavors for taste; and Arabic gum and locust bean gum as both sweeteners and thickeners. The manufacturers stress that of all the ingredients in their FRS items, quercetin is supposedly key to their products' ability to fight fatigue and increase athletic performance. Quercetin is a naturally occurring antioxidant compound abundant in foods such as blueberries, grapes, onions and apple peels.
Advantages
According to the manufacturers, FRS products provide an energy boost that can help increase the length and intensity of your workouts, as well as potentially stimulate the proper function of your immune system. The products are low-calorie and simple to work into your regular lifestyle or exercise routine. Because New Sun Nutrition offers many different types of FRS items, from chews to powder packets to ready-made drinks, they can be used and transported easily in any situation. Additionally, the Diet Spotlight site points out that the FRS Healthy Energy Drink is the only energy drink containing quercerin that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe for regular use.
Disadvantages
FRS products, particularly the FRS Healthy Energy drinks, contain high concentrations of quercetin, which can interfere with the function of statins, a type of medication taken to control high cholesterol levels. Additionally, the large amount of caffeine in the products may also pose a problem for some users sensitive to the effects of stimulants. Although FRS drinks and chews have been endorsed by several high-profile athletes, there is no scientific evidence available to prove that using the products to follow an FRS product-based diet has a direct effect on your health, energy level or weight.
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