Do you ever wonder if product reviewers are just lying through their teeth most of the time when they sing the praises of a product? I can’t speak for other review bloggers, but I can tell you that if I don’t like something, I won’t ever lie and tell you that I do. Typically, if a product disappoints me, I contact the person I’m working with on the review and share my concerns. I prefer to give my feedback to the company directly so that they can seek to make the needed improvements.

Today I’m bringing you a product that I originally thought I didn’t like. It was through my conversations with the PR rep for the company, though, that I was able to try the product in a different way, and in the end, I really and truly liked it, after all. I wouldn’t be telling you about it if I didn’t!

It’s called Ola Loa, and it is a powder that you can add to water to give you a big ‘ole dose of nutrients that will absorb into your system better than any pill or tablet. The supplements are basically a way to drink your vitamins. I loved the concept, because I’m always sipping on a drink, but I’m terrible at remembering to take my multi-vitamin.

So what went wrong, at first? Well, I found the drink mixes to be just really intense, and not super sweet and awesome. What can I say? They didn’t taste like iced coffee or a super cold coke (the two things I’m normally drinking) and so, my taste buds just weren’t having it. After I talked with my contact, she said that she had a similar problem the first time she tried it. If your body is used to sugary drinks (and mine is…I like a little coffee with my sugar and cream), then the mixes might taste funny/weird. But there is a solution! She suggested that I mix the powder with half water and half orange juice to sweeten it up a bit.

I tried it. I liked it. A lot, actually! And I’m pleased to report that after downing my second drink (rather quickly, I might add), I did feel a bit of an energy boost for the next few hours.

In doing some research about Ola Loa’s supplements, I learned that the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) says you only absorb 10-20% of the nutrient content of a pill or tablet. I guess I shouldn’t feel as bad about not taking my multi-vitamins…doesn’t sound like they were giving me much, anyway. Ola Loa has an advantage from the start: the contents are already dissolved! Roughly 98% of the nutrients in a supplement like Ola Loa get absorbed by the body. That’s much better!

Buy it!: Do you need to add something to your diet that really and truly will help you get your daily needed vitamins? Ola Loa has what you are looking for. Just add a little orange juice to it! 🙂 In my experience the two places to buy the vitamins (for the best price) are Amazon and Drugstore.com. Prices fluctuate, but these two stores seem to be competitive with each other, and depending on which flavor/type you want to try, one of them will have a slightly better price than the other.

 

Edit: giveaway is closed! 

Win it! Ola Loa is giving one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader a 5 pack of their supplements! The contest will run until January 31st at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me what you do currently to try to get all the daily vitamins you need.

My answer: not much, unfortunately. I eat things that are green whenever I can, but I have a long way to go on this on.

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Like Ola Loa on Facebook
2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you.