Not a Sure Shot for Health
It seems to be everywhere you look. Giant SUVs plastered with the purple logo. Postcards on the counter at the gym. Widespread hype for a $39 bottle of juice that proponents claim to be a "health miracle in a bottle."
MonaVie is one of the hottest nutritional products right now, and it comes with health claims that are as numerous as its many neighborhood distributors. But this product could not only drain your wallet, it could harm your health.
The alleged benefits of MonaVie come from its "high level of antioxidants," which, according to the company, are primarily derived from acai (the fruit of a palm tree). But go to MonaVie’s website and see if you can find the ORAC score (Oxygen Radical Absorbancy Capacity) of their product. Nope. How about just finding out how much acai is in the blend? No again. The company states: "Because MonaVie product formulas are proprietary, the extract amount of acai or other fruits in our blend is not disclosed."
The Dangers of Drinking Monvie
While MonaVie does not disclose specific amounts, they are required by law to disclose their ingredients. And on this list, you will find the preservative sodium benzoate. You may remember the ETR article by my husband Jon that described how benzene forms when sodium benzoate interacts with vitamin C in the presence of light or heat (i.e., pasteurization). And MonaVie is heat-pasteurized.
Benzene is an aggressive carcinogen, even in minute amounts. And science shows that it can cause severe damage to mitochondria, the power station of your cells. Not exactly a "health miracle in a bottle," if you ask me.
Another not-so-sweet tidbit you may want to consider before you jump on the MonaVie bandwagon is the amount of sugar in the blend - six grams per ounce. Drink the "recommended" four ounces a day, and you’re downing 24 grams of sugar (mainly fructose). That’s a recipe for a blood sugar spike.
Antioxidants are an essential part of a healthy diet, and one of the keys to aging gracefully and preventing disease. That’s why Jon and I stay well-stocked with the best organic sources. Here are a few that we always have on hand. They are ORAC chart-toppers according to the government’s 2007 Agricultural Research Service report:
- blueberries (6,552 ORAC)
- blackberries (5,347 ORAC)
- red beans (8,459 ORAC)
- black beans (8,040 ORAC)
- artichokes (9,221 ORAC)
- cocoa powder (an astounding 82,000 ORAC)
We even like to add some unsweetened acai (3,800 ORAC) to our Organic Cocoa Berry smoothies every once in a while.
To enjoy the benefits of acai, try Sambazon Organic Acai Smoothie Packs. You can find them in the freezer case at your local health food store for about $2 each. With zero grams of sugar and no preservatives, this is a smarter and safer way to include a superfood in your diet… hype, spike, and benzene free.
[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the founder and CEO of Healing Gourmet (www.healinggourmet.com), and is editor-in-chief of the Healing Gourmet book series. Learn more about how simple lifestyle choices can improve your health by reading ETR’s free natural health e-letter.]
I enjoyed the article and personally feel that MonaVie is a scam (my wording, not the articles). One point I question is the comparison made between sodium benzoate and benzene. I would venture a guess that these substances are not metabolized by the liver the same way and so cannot really be compared. I doubt that the liver would treat them the same way. Admittidly, I don’t know the metabolic pathway’s of these substances myself, but wonder if the author’s claim is correct and has been properly researched.
I read the statement of the article which is…
Scientists believe that benzene is produced when the chemical preservative sodium benzoate is mixed with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the drinks. Whatever the cause, this is just more evidence of the potential consequences of ingesting the artificial ingredients and preservatives found in processed foods and drinks.
“Scientists believe” is confusing. Just put vitamin C, water, and sodium benzoate in a test tube and see if benzene is formed.
I just wanted to comment that MonaVie is only 3 grams per ounce not six, and it is all naturally occurring sugars, furthermore, my sister in law who had gestational diabetes, was drinking the juice and is still drinking the juice and stated she never had a blood sugar spike even in the smallest amount when drinking the juice. a scam it isn’t we have been drinking for about 2 months now and actively promoting health for about 3 weeks. We have made back 50% of our investment so far in the first 2 weeks. A scam it isn’t, but I was very skeptical before I started drinking the juice and had it help me get off my ambien and supplements that I needed for well being and energy. I love drinking it and my whole family, immediate and extended are drinking the juice. there are to many close family and friends that are experiencing different benefits to ignore the possibility that it is good for you.
hope that helps out a little.
SSG Josh Blodgett
US ARMY
MonaVie distributor