FAQ about MonaVie

Thansk for stopping by, I know you won't be dissapointed. I'm so excited about the MonaVie juice and I want to make sure you know all about it. Below I listed the most frequently asked questions and I hope yours will be answered. Not only will you find out about the product but I also thaught you should know about the science behind the MonaVie product.

Enjoy your reading and if you don't find the answer to your questions, please, don't hesitate to contact me and it will be my pleasure to inform you.

The Product
What is MonaVie?
MonaVie is a delicious and energizing blend of the Brazilian açai berry—one of nature’s top super-foods—and 18 other nutrient-dense fruits. Developed with the philosophy Balance-Variety-Moderation, MonaVie delivers the phytonutrients and antioxidants you need to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. MonaVie’s Active formula also contains the added benefits of esterified fatty acids and glucosamine to help maintain healthy joints.

What fruits are contained in MonaVie products?
In addition to the açai berry, MonaVie products contain white grape, pear, acerola, pear puree, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, banana, apricot, prune, kiwi, blueberry, bilberry, camu camu, wolfberry, pomegranate, and lychee fruit.

What is acai?
Acai is a small, round, dark-purple berry with amazing nutritional properties. Its appearance is similar to that of a grape, but it has a smaller amount of pulp and a single large seed. Scientific experts have referred to the acai berry as the most nutritious and powerful food in the world.

Why does the acai berry seem to get more attention than the other healthful fruits in MonaVie?
While all the fruits contained in MonaVie have unique properties that benefit your body, the acai berry has become the “headliner” fruit because it is packed with nutritional value—proteins, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals. It also has a low glycemic index. So complete is this berry that the Brazilian people living along the Amazon can survive on it as their sole source of food and demonstrate amazing vitality and energy. More important than this, however, is the impressive amount of phytonutrients and powerful antioxidants that MonaVie is able to capture from the acai berry through its proprietary processing.

Does acai have a high ORAC score?
Yes, with an ORAC score of 1,027 per gram, the acai used in MonaVie boasts the highest ORAC score against the superoxide free radical of any fruit or vegetable tested to date. The superoxide free radical has been implicated in the age-related decline of joint function. The acai fruit is the star among other well-known antioxidants, such as blueberries, grapes, red wine, green tea, cranberries, blackberries, and pomegranates. By comparison, acai has more than 10 times the antioxidant power of cranberries.

Where does acai grow?
The acai berry grows in clusters on the acai palm, a genus of 25–30 species of palms native to tropical Central and South America. These tall, slender, and attractive palms can grow 15–30 meters tall, with leaves up to 3 meters long. The prime commercial source of acai comes from the area where several rivers converge within the Amazon estuary, emptying along the northeastern corner of Brazil into the Atlantic Ocean between the states of Para and Amapa. The people of Brazil refer to acai as the “Milk of the Amazon.”

Does harvesting the acai berry destroy the Amazon rainforest?
No. In fact, MonaVie is helping to preserve the Amazon rainforest by harvesting the acai berry. Each week, poachers illegally chop down 5,000–10,000 palm trees to obtain and sell a 12-inch section of the palm known as the “palmito.” As a result, the entire tree dies. On the other hand, by harvesting the acai berry, the palm tree continues to thrive and the natives have an incentive to preserve the acai-bearing palm tree.

Is MonaVie’s acai certified organic?
Yes. The acai used by MonaVie is certified organic through The Institute for Marketecology (IMO). IMO is one of the first and most renowned international agencies for inspection, certification, and quality assurance of eco-friendly products. IMO’s worldwide activities are accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS), according to EN 45011 (ISO 65), which is the international standard for organic certification.

Are all the fruits in MonaVie products certified organic?
Açai, acerola, camu camu, and bilberry are certified organic. However, it is not possible to have all the fruits in MonaVie products be certified organic; for example, MonaVie’s wolfberry is harvested in China, and the Chinese government does not have an organic certification process.

How much acai is contained in MonaVie products?
Because MonaVie product formulas are proprietary, the exact amount of acai or the other fruits contained in our blend is not disclosed.

Does MonaVie use flash pasteurization?
Yes. With flash pasteurization, the product is heated for approximately 15–30 seconds and then immediately cooled. By only briefly subjecting the product to high temperatures, most—if not all—taste and color changes are avoided. Flash pasteurization is preferred to other methods because it kills microbes without destroying beneficial phytonutrients.

Where are MonaVie products manufactured?
To ensure the highest level of quality, MonaVie blends and produces MonaVie products at its manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah (not far from the corporate office).

What is the shelf life of the MonaVie Original and Active Juices and MonaVie Gel?
If unopened, both the MonaVie Juices and MonaVie Gel have a shelf life of one year. If the MonaVie Juice has been opened, then the shelf life is approximately 30-60 days, as long as the opened bottle is refrigerated. The MonaVie Gel should be consumed in its entirety as soon as it is opened.

Are MonaVie products safe?
Yes, MonaVie products are safe and contain only well-tolerated foods. MonaVie contains fruit juices and purees naturally found in the food supply that have been consumed by various cultures for hundreds of years. However, if you have any health concerns, you should consult a physician before starting any new product or program.

Are MonaVie products FDA approved?
There is no official approval process or certificate issued by the FDA to approve the sale of any food or juice product. The Food and Drug Administration has established stringent regulations, called Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) to ensure the safety and manufacturing of foods sold in the United States. MonaVie is manufactured in a GMP-compliant facility. The ingredients contained in MonaVie products are generally recognized as safe (GRAS), and obtaining prior approval from the FDA is not required.

Do MonaVie products treat, cure, or prevent disease?
Eating a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables is known to aid in the prevention of disease and in living a long, active, and healthy life. It is not the purpose of a natural product like MonaVie to treat, cure, or prevent disease; the FDA only approves drugs to offer these benefits. MonaVie products are made with a specific selection of powerful super-fruits and other natural compounds, such as glucosamine and esterified fatty acids. The fruits and compounds in MonaVie have been shown in some studies to help support the body’s ability to protect itself from various ailments.

The Science

What does ORAC mean?
An acronym for oxygen radical absorption capacity, ORAC is a way to measure the antioxidant capacity of a food. Foods with high ORAC values are desirable for their ability to neutralize free radicals, thus inhibiting the ability of the free radical to cause cell damage. The ORAC measurement was developed by a scientist at the National Institute of Aging in 1992 and has proven to be a valuable tool in quantifying health benefits associated with consuming fruits, vegetables, and other antioxidant-containing foods and supplements.

How many servings of fruits and vegetables does the U.S. National Research Council recommend we eat daily?
The U.S. National Research Council recommends that you consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day to maintain a proper supply of food derived antioxidants for your body. Research indicates that only five percent of the U.S. population consumes five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

What are phytonutrients?
Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds that contribute to the flavor, color, and disease-resistance of plants (i.e., fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes). Phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants, but their value extends much beyond free radical protection. Maximum health benefits are derived from consuming a variety of phytonutrients with a full spectrum of colors and pigments, such as those found in MonaVie products.

What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are “agents” that inhibit harmful compounds known as free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to your cells through the process of oxidation. By donating an electron to unstable free radicals, antioxidants neutralize their harmful effects. Obtaining a variety of antioxidants through diet or supplementation is essential to maintaining your good health.

What are polyphenols?
Polyphenols are a class of powerful antioxidants that play an important role in preventing cardiovascular diseases (e.g., heart disease, heart failure, and stroke) and that have been shown to reduce harmful LDL cholesterol. Polyphenols are also thought to be responsible for the French Paradox: the French have a diet relatively high in fat, yet have a decreased incidence of heart disease. This is attributed to the amount of polyphenols present in the grapes used to make French wines. MonaVie products contain a powerful variety of polyphenols, including anthocyanins. It is estimated that MonaVie products have 20–30 times the amount of anthocyanins found in red wine.

What are free radicals?
Free radicals are atoms with at least one unpaired electron. In excess, free radicals produce harmful oxidation that can damage cell membranes. Free radicals are analogous to cattle let loose on a field of planted crops. Uncontrolled, the cattle would destroy the crops. Ranch hands are hired to make sure the cattle stay in place and graze. Antioxidants act much the same way. As the ranch hands for our bodies, antioxidants prevent free radicals from potentially damaging millions of healthy, functioning cells.

What is oxidative stress?
Oxidative stress occurs in your body when there are not enough antioxidants to counter the effects of damaging free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to all cellular components, including proteins, lipids, and DNA—the blueprint to cell proliferation. Oxidative stress has been implicated in the aging process and numerous health-related issues.

What causes excess free radicals?
Tobacco smoke, alcohol, pollution, insecticides, radiation, chemicals in the home or at work, and excessive amounts of sunlight are all prolific contributors to the formation of free radicals. Other causes include a high-fat diet, stress, insufficient sleep, and strenuous exercise.

How well does freeze-dried acai scavenge other free radicals such as peroxynitrite (NORAC), hydroxyl (HORAC), and superoxide anion (SORAC)?
The MonaVie Juice blend is a very powerful antioxidant against these additional free radicals; in fact, the SORAC assay score of 1,614 unit/g represents the highest value ever reported for superoxide scavenging activity in vitro of any food.

What is glucosamine hydrochloride?
Glucosamine hydrochloride is a natural compound found in the body that is used to help make and form cartilage. Glucosamine has also been shown to help lubricate, cushion, protect, and rebuild joints.

Is one form of glucosamine more effective than another?
There are three types of glucosamine: glucosamine hydrochloride (HCl), N-acetyl glucosamine, and glucosamine sulfate. Both glucosamine HCl and glucosamine sulfate are rapidly converted into “free” glucosamine in the stomach. So, from a medicinal standpoint, they are equally effective. However, glucosamine HCl is 79 percent glucosamine, while glucosamine sulfate is only between 47 and 52 percent glucosamine. We formulated MonaVie Active Juice with glucosamine HCl because this form of glucosamine contains the highest level of free glucosamine.

What are esterified fatty acids?
Esterified fatty acids are thought to reduce pain-like symptoms and rapidly promote joint health, improving flexibility and mobility. Esterification is the general name for a chemical reaction in which two chemicals (typically an alcohol and an acid) form an ester as the reaction product.

How much potassium is in MonaVie Original and MonaVie Active?
For customers concerned about potassium levels for reasons relating to dialysis, please consult a physician before taking MonaVie products. The potassium level in MonaVie Original and MonaVie Active is approximately 56 mg/oz. MonaVie Original and MonaVie Active contain no potassium additives, grapefruit, or cantaloupe.

Is there any vitamin K in MonaVie Original or MonaVie Active?
For customers concerned about vitamin K levels because of blood thinning medication, please consult a physician before taking any MonaVie products. The vitamin K level in MonaVie Original and MonaVie Active is approximately 12.4 µg/oz.

Why do MonaVie products contain preservatives?
Preservatives help maintain a product’s freshness. Sodium benzoate, an organic chemical preservative, can prevent the growth of almost all microorganisms (e.g., yeast, bacteria, and fungi) and occurs naturally in some fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, wines, and teas.
Potassium sorbate is a potassium salt version of sorbic acid, a polyunsaturated fat used to inhibit mold growth. Sorbic acid has been repeatedly tested for safety and efficacy, and today stands as one of the most thoroughly tested food additives in history.

MonaVie Juices contain the preservative sodium benzoate and the antioxidant vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Is it true that sodium benzoate and vitamin C can react to form benzene?
In the presence of trace amounts of certain metals, which act as catalysts, vitamin C can produce free radicals that convert benzoate into benzene. The FDA and World Health Organization have set a standard for benzene levels in water and that level is 5 parts per billion. MonaVie tests its MonaVie Juices for benzene, and we are always well below the FDA’s and World Health Organization’s acceptable levels for benzene.

Do any of MonaVie's products contain MSG?
No.

Is MonaVie Active Juice safe for children and pregnant or nursing women?
The MonaVie Active formula is extremely safe; however, MonaVie Active Juice contains glucosamine hydrochloride and esterified fatty acids, which have not been tested in these types of individuals. It is MonaVie’s recommendation that children under the age of 12, pregnant women, and women who are nursing should not consume MonaVie Active Juice. If further information is required, please consult with your physician.

Are MonaVie products gluten-free?
Yes.

If someone is allergic to shellfish can they consume glucosamine hydrochloride?
Shellfish are a known allergen and glucosamine is derived from shrimp shells. However, people who are allergic to shellfish are actually allergic to the protein troponin, which is found in the muscle (protein) of shrimp. Analyses do not find any protein in the glucosamine hydrochloride used in MonaVie Active Juice. Glucosamine hydrochloride (GHCl), the form of glucosamine used in MonaVie Active Juice, is more than 99 percent pure. Because shellfish is a known allergen, please consult with a physician before taking MonaVie Active Juice.

Why are there natural flavors in MonaVie products?
MonaVie uses natural flavors in its products because a juice concentrate, which contains only the juice from a fruit, does not give you the entire flavor of the fruit. MonaVie’s natural flavors make our products more palatable and balanced by staying true to the natural flavor of the entire fruit. The natural flavor used in MonaVie Original and Active Juices and in MonaVie Gel is a mixed berry natural flavor.

I want to tell the whole world about this great product and I aslo want the whole world to know about the science behind the MonaVie juice.


Chantal Lennon
819-837-2761
myjuicemylife@yahoo.com
http://www.mymonavie.com/amazone

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