When it comes to drinking in some extra zen, I’m a big fan of the occasional matcha—but alas, even that green drink can only get me so far.  So, when I was grabbing a few things from Whole Foods and I saw a chalkboard sign promoting Just Chill’s L-theanine levels, my interest was peaked. I grabbed two cans (one for Lemon and one for me).

One cup of matcha typically provides about 40 mg of L-theanine. A can of Just Chill provides 150 mg of L-theanine. It’s impressive. For moderate anxiety disorder, some holistic healthcare professionals recommend 50mg-200mg per day of L-theanine. Those levels land Just Chill as an effective stress-busting alternative, ideally used on days when you feel especially wound up.  

What is L-theanine? It’s one of mother nature’s best natural sedatives—an amino acid with a handful of studies (here, here and here) that can noticeably help your body feel calmer.  L-theanine stimulates alpha brain waves, increases GABA production, and enhances dopamine levels.

Featured by the likes of Ellen, Oprah, and the Huffington Post, Just Chill is a drink that’s caffeine free, non-drowsy, low-glycemic and non-gmo. Yes, please! The drinks are also supplemented with Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Zinc and Magnesium. Just Chill L-theanine’s source is SunTheanine. Instead of extracting L-theanine from green tea, SunTheanine is made through a fermentation process that creates a more pure/potent version L-theanine. 

What We Love About It: Just Chill drinks are a blessed alternative to energy drinks. Plus, if you're looking to cut down on your caffeine it makes the perfect proxy. On especially stress-filled days, Lemon’s been known to sip on two of these drinks (back to back) for extra doses of L-theanine. We joking describe Just Chill’s Zero Ginger as “what mellow tastes like.”

Good To Knows: Just Chill’s Tropical, Jamaican Citrus and and Rio-Berry all have crystalline fructose listed in the ingredients. In general, Lemon and I like to keep crystalline fructose to a minimum. So, we almost always opt for Just Chill’s Zero Ginger Flavor— it’s made from use a blend of erythritol and stevia (instead of crystalline fructose). It’s crisp, bubbly and not too spicy. Basically tasteing a bit like diluted ginger ale. 

Want to get your dose of SunTheanine without drinking Just Chill? You can try Goop’s Nerd Alert chews or NeuroGum instead.

Cheers,

Hazel