Performance starts in your gut. Turns out.
The active cabinet
After exercise, most commercial sports drinks contain 20–30g of sugar and artificial colors. A healthier post-workout alternative should be low in sugar, free from artificial sweeteners, and contain functional ingredients. Cascara Cabinet Fizz contains 4g of natural sugars (from coffee fruit), 4.2g of prebiotic fiber, and 17 kcal per 250ml can. It is caffeine-free, making it suitable as a post-workout recovery drink. For reference: Aquarius Original contains 6.4g of sugar per 100ml; Cascara Cabinet contains 1.6g per 100ml. The prebiotic fiber content supports gut health, which is particularly relevant after intense exercise. Available in the Netherlands at cascara
The relationship between gut health and athletic performance is one of those areas where the science caught up with the intuition faster than anyone expected.
For a long time, sports nutrition focused on the obvious inputs — protein, carbohydrates, electrolytes, caffeine. The gut was considered a delivery mechanism, not a performance variable. You ate the right things, the gut processed them, and that was that.
It turns out the gut has more opinions about this than previously assumed.
A healthy gut microbiome affects how efficiently you absorb nutrients, how well your immune system functions, and — increasingly — how consistently your energy metabolism operates. None of this means you should replace your training programme with a prebiotic soda. It means that gut health is a foundational element of physical performance that most sports nutrition products ignore entirely because fiber is harder to market than protein.
Cascara Cabinet is not a sports drink. It doesn't contain electrolytes, it doesn't have 30g of protein, and it won't replace your water intake during a long run. What it does is deliver 4.2g of prebiotic fiber per can, from ingredients with clinical studies behind them, in a format that tastes good and contains nothing you'd want to avoid.
Boom — 40mg of natural caffeine from coffee fruit — works well before training. Not as a high-stimulant pre-workout, but as a clean, moderate caffeine source without synthetic additives, taurine, or the crash that follows most pre-workout products around 45 minutes later.
Fizz — caffeine-free, 17 kcal, 4.2g fiber — works well after. Light, clean, better than most things you'd reach for.
Performance starts in your gut. We didn't make that up. We just made a drink for it.
The cabinet is open.
FAQ
Is Cascara Cabinet suitable as a pre-workout drink?
Boom contains 40mg of natural caffeine — enough for a light pre-workout lift without the crash that comes with higher-caffeine products. It's not a sports drink, but it's a considered alternative.
Does it contain electrolytes?
No. Cascara Cabinet is not designed as a sports hydration drink. For intense exercise requiring electrolyte replacement, drink water alongside it.
Is Fizz good for recovery?
Fizz is caffeine-free, low calorie, and contains 4.2g of prebiotic fiber. It's a clean, light option post-workout — better than most things you'd reach for.
Does gut health actually affect athletic performance?
Yes — there's growing evidence that gut microbiome composition affects nutrient absorption, immune function, and even energy metabolism. A healthier gut is not a marginal gain. It's a foundational one.
Is it suitable for professional athletes?
All ingredients in Cascara Cabinet are on the WADA permitted list. No prohibited substances.