Fruit juice from dairy farmers? Who knew?

Today I’m tasting an energy drink from Live Real Farms. This is a new brand from Dairy Farmers of America, the second largest dairy cooperative in the country.

One serving contains about 46% fruit juice, plus lactose-free skim milk, water and other ingredients. Green tea extract, the company says, is added to boost energy. An 11-ounce serving has no fat, 12 grams of protein and 29 grams of sugar.

The sugar content is about what you’ll find in most chocolate milks but more than what you’ll find in a popular coffee and milk beverage.

The drinks come in three flavor combinations: peach-mango, berry-berry and strawberry-banana. The fruit flavors taste very natural. I like the raspberry flavor in the berry-berry combination.

The bottle says shake well for best results. I did, and that created a pleasant froth when I poured it into a glass.

The drinks are sold in paper Tetrapak cartons with a reclosable spout. They sell for about two dollars and you’ll find them in the milk section of your grocery store.

Bottom line: I like that this company has created a new category of milk-based beverages. But for me, when I need an energy boost, I’ll make a cappuccino.