Pursuits
With Caffeinated Snacks, Who Needs Coffee?
Brownies, sunflower seeds, jerky—caffeine's waking up everything
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U.S. retail sales of caffeinated foods have increased 49 percent since 2008, to $1.6 billion, and the FDA is finally considering regulations. A test of nine of the buzziest snack items on the market:
Cracker Jack’D Power Bites
$2.49 per bag
Frito-Lay’s Cracker Jack’D line, launched earlier this year, includes Power Bites, a crunchy, cocoa-coated wafer made with ground coffee. The snacks are sold at Walmart, Walgreens, and convenience stores nationwide.
Caffeine per bag: Frito-Lay wouldn’t confirm the caffeine content, but reports say it’s 70 milligrams (just less than a shot of espresso).