Root 100 Product Review

I tried to quit chewing about 1,000 times before I was successful.  WAY back in the day (I’m talking like 10 years ago) I did some research on smokeless alternatives and ran across a product called Root 100.  As it was so long ago I can honestly say that I don’t remember what it was like so I was very excited to get my hands on it and give it a whirl.  When I first had it a decade ago there was only an Original flavor available and today there are 7 flavors to choose from.

About The Product

From the company website, Root 100 is an, “All-natural, completely edible, safe and effective cessation aid that has already helped many quit tobacco, feel healthier and more energized in the process.”   So what is it you ask?  Essentially it’s ground up Ginseng with flavoring added to it.  Root100 is an American made product from Wisconsin.

Initial Impressions

As there were 7 flavors for me to review I did these over a couple of days.  If you haven’t every tried multiple products and multiple flavors let me tell you that they do tend to get mixed together in your mind (hence the reason I took my time).

This product has a nice full can where there’s no reason or need to pack it.  It doesn’t really look anything like tobacco (as it’s not) and it has kind of a weird orange/brown look to it.

Wintergreen – This one had a decent smell upon opening the can but it wasn’t overwhelming like some of the other alternatives I’ve tried.  I was never a swallower when I was a dipper so I wasn’t comfortable swallowing this, but I did give it a shot.  I have to say that I didn’t get the upset stomach/heartburn that I did when I swallowed my Kodiak.  There’s not a ton of flavor here, but what’s there is more than adequate.  I can’t  really equate it to a particular brand, but it didn’t evoke anything specific.  Flavor stuck around for a while and had a long aftertaste.  This was a decent chew.

Apple – This one smelled like “outdoors” when opening the can.  Kind of like fresh cut grass or weeds if that makes any sense.  I just got a hint of apple flavoring here…. almost as if you’ve kept a piece of apple in your mouth for a long time.  While it was long lasting just like the Wintergreen, it had sort of a bitter taste (and especially when you take it out).  I wasn’t a big fan of this flavor though to be fair I was never a big “flavored” dip guy with the exception of Skoal Cherry.

Cinnamon – The cinnamon smell here is nice and rather subdued.  It reminded me a cinnamon candle that my mom has out around the holidays.  Just as with the apple flavor, the taste here isn’t overwhelming but has a hint of the cinnamon flavoring.  If I had to guess I’d say that the “lack” of flavor here is a good thing.  Too much cinnamon for me would be a very bad thing.  This is my third flavor and they all have a sort of “metallic” taste to them.  I can only assume this is the ginseng coming through.

Tangerine – This is third “flavored” product that I’ve tried and all of them seem to just have a hint of the flavor in them.  Most of the flavor that I’m getting is very subdued and this one is no different.  Once again, it’s slightly bitter and it’s almost as if I’m sucking on an orange peel.  As I said before I think this “subdued” taste is actually a good thing.  That said, I’m not a big fan of “sweet” flavors of chew, but for tangerine would have preferred something a little sweeter.

Original – This was the one that I tried a decade (or more) ago.  This is the 5th flavor that I tried and even though I spread out my testing over multiple nights they were honestly starting to blend together at this point.  This is an interesting flavor but I’m still picking up that “metallic / weed” taste big time.  Personally I wasn’t a big fan and too this one out after a few minutes.

Peppermint – This was BY FAR my favorite of the bunch!  As this was my 6th flavor and I’d just come off what was probably my least favorite I didn’t have high hopes.  However, as soon as I opened the can I got a good whiff of the peppermint and knew that this would probably be my favorite of all the flavors.  It still a tad bit of the “metallic/weed” taste but by this point I’m thinking that’s just inherent to the brand and is most likely a flavor that’s coming from the ginseng (As that’s a common ingredient to all of these products).  The peppermint really comes through here in a nice way.  This one reminds me the most of my dipping days.  Recommend.

Ginger – I wasn’t really quite sure what to expect here as I’ve got kind of a love hate relationship with ginger.  I typically really like it but every once in a while I’ll run across a dish where I’m like, “Eh… what the hell is that?”  This has a  decent flavor but I don’t really get a “ginger’ flavor coming through all that well.  I’d consider this their “normal” flavor but it’s WAY better than the actual “original” flavor.

The Pros

• All natural – no need to spit.
• Several flavors to choose from.
• Soft feel in your mouth and it doesn’t fall apart at all.

The Cons

• Cost – at $5 per can you’re looking at a cessation product that is more than the real stuff.  There is a combo pack available where you can save some cash.
• Look / Pack – this doesn’t look anything like real tobacco nor does it “act” like it (IE, need to be packed).
• “Weedy” taste – this may just be me, but I kept picking up a very organic taste.

Overall

Flavors aside, all of these have a very “gummy” feel to them when popping in a chew.  It kind of reminded me of the Rice Krispy treats that I make with my kids.  Even though it’s got a very sticky consistency I LOVED the fact that it didn’t fall apart in my mouth.  Definitely a huge upside to the “gummy” feel in my book.  As I said before according to the site, there’s no need to spit, but I was always a spitter with my chew so I can never bring myself to gut any of these products.  This is definitely not a long cut substitute but it’s not a fine cut either.  All of the flavors had a good feel in my mouth and didn’t “hurt” my teeth or gums like some of the alternatives do.  All of the flavors were good “long time” chews that never really ran out of flavor or juice (though the flavors of some weren’t all that overpowering to begin with.)

This probably won’t be for everyone as it’s not very close to real tobacco.  However, if you’re a health buff and know a thing or two about the power of Ginseng these are going to be right up your alley.  There are also some new and different flavors here (tangerine, apple, ginger) that aren’t available from other smokeless alternatives.  I’d like to offer a special thanks to Kraig from Wisconsin’s Finest Ginseng for sending product for me to try.

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Give them a try and let us know what you think!

Root 100 Update – Out of Business

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