Health and wellness are on the minds of Baby Boomers who experience the daily effects of aging, joint pain, back pain, weight gain, and mental focus, among others. Younger generations are constantly looking for ways to increase their energy to perform faster and faster in the world of communication than they were created. This explains why “better-for-you” or functional drinks are a $40 billion industry and are expected to grow to nearly $54 billion by 2010.
What do consumers choose to drink from the $40 billion functional beverage market? I always look for a healthy drink because my family has a history of diabetes. In the pre-diabetes stage, there are drinks that help prevent the development of diabetes. When “energy drinks” exploded onto the market, I enjoyed the sugar free 180 Orange Orange Blast energy drink. Anheuser-Busch. Now soft calorie energy drink, 180 Blue with Acai. I also learned about MonaVie, an organic fruit drink with Acai. That is the comparison of the two drinks.
First of all, what is Acai (pronounced ah-SIGH-ee)?
Acai is a blueberry-sized berry found at the top of a palm tree in the Brazilian Amazon. Dr. Nicholas Perricone, an anti-aging expert, declared the berry “the world’s number one superfood” on The Oprah Winfrey Show. In a 2006 University of Florida study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, the acai berry destroyed human cancer cells cultivated; specifically, the berries triggered a self-destructive response in up to 86% of the leukemia cells tested.
Brazilians have historically used the acai berry for digestive disorders and skin conditions, but the University of Florida’s science team is continuing to study the effects. positive health benefits from the acai berry. While preliminary results in cancer-fighting trials are exciting, they want to scientifically prove the many health claims made about the acai berry. Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, says, “Acai berries are already considered one of the richest sources of protein.”
Acai berries are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber and phytosterols, which help promote cardiovascular and digestive health. Dr. Perricone describes the acai berry as “anessential-amino-acids “acai” complex in combination with precious trace elements. minerals, vital for proper muscle function. The small black-purple berry is full of natural B vitamins, vitamins A, C, E, omega-3 fatty acids, anthocyanin (a healthy antioxidant), potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, and more importantly, the phytonutrient compounds that are necessary for an active, healthy life. The Acai berry contains the highest ORAC value of any fresh fruit or vegetable tested cause joint pain as we age.
180 Energy Drink Review
180 Blue costs about $2.00 for 8 ounces at most convenience stores. It’s also available in 16-ounce bottles, and I’ve heard it’s sold in bars and restaurants, although I haven’t bought the drink at those venues. I had high expectations for 180 Blue because I really liked the sugar free version of 180 Orange. I was hoping it wouldn’t taste like a bitter sweet liquor (like I find the taste of Red Bull.) The drink, with only 15 calories, has a great blueberry/grape, fruity flavor that tastes more boldly sweet, like Red Bull. The drink contains acai juice berry, guarana berry, blueberry juice, grape juice, caffeine and vitamins B6 and B12. Guarana, another Brazilian berry, has similar effects to caffeine. Much to my dismay, 180 Blue is loaded with added sugar and has mild carbonation, two things I try to avoid when choosing a healthy drink. It gives you a boost from caffeine and guarana, but for me, that boost lasted about 5 hours. I am afraid that unless Anheuser-Busch comes out with a sugar free version, I will not continue drinking this drink. This year they introduced 180 Red with Goji, but not in a sugar free version. Goji is a Tibetan berry with cherry flavor.
MonaVie Functional Drink Review
MonaVie costs about $37 for a 750 ml bottle on the Internet or through local distributor networks, but you only need to drink about 2 – 4 ounces per day to make the bottle last for a week. I was very surprised at how good it tasted, like a smooth, fruity light wine, no carbonation. MonaVie is not really an energy drink in the sense that within a few hours after you drink it, you get that adrenaline boost like with 180 Blue . The drink does not contain caffeine or guarana. But somehow, after a few days or maybe a week, I got a different kind of energy, I like a lot after two weeks of being on the Atkins Diet. I didn’t have a drowsy afternoon where I wanted to take a nap; They don’t sleep by 10:00 p.m. announcements; and I woke up in the morning. I also noticed less pain and elbow pain and leg pain while sitting at the computer all day. MonaVie is made with a juice blend of 19 fruits, including the acai berry. However, I have seen other drinks with acai water listed as the first ingredient. MonaVie has the acai berry listed as the first ingredient. I’ve never heard of the fruit, but when mixed, it’s a really good tasting, nourishing drink.
When I first heard about MonaVie at Sundance Film Festival, I did some research to learn about some of its real health benefits. We want to share this product review, as I was impressed with the ethics of this young company MonaVie, founded in 2005. There are few things that have really sold my heart in a passionate way, not just in a healthy way;
1. Each week, criminals illegally cut down between 5,000 and 10,000 acai palms simply to harvest a 12-inch section of the tree called the heart of the palm (or “palmito”). Once these trees are destroyed, they never come back. By creating demand for the acai berry, MonaVie gave locals a financial incentive to pick only the berries and not the heart of the palm. This not only saves the trees and the Amazon rain, but also provides a continuous income for the locals.
2. MonaVie founded M.O.R.E. Project, a non-profit operation that provides resources for children. Last year, a dozen people from the operation went to Brazil to provide food, clothing, shelter, education and much-needed hope to the 300,000 people who live in the mountain village of Pergola.
3. MonaVie has the following in its medical doctors advisory team:
Dr. Lyle Mason, orthopedic surgeon for the NBA’s Utah Jazz and president of the NBA Medical Association.
Dr. Ralph Carson, an expert in eating disorders and child pain is widely recognized.
Mike Kennedy is a medical board member of the American Bariatric Board and founder of MonaVie
Jose Allongo, a member of the American College of Physicians
4. Jonathan Papelbon, the 2006 Boston Red Sox Pitcher and named to the American All-Star team in his rookie year, became a MonaVie distributor in April 2007. There couldn’t be a stronger testament to the drink’s value than Papelbon saying that MonaVie provides the essential nutrients needed to stay at the top of the game. must He adds, “As a professional athlete, I make calls and offers for lots. I only do what I believe in, and I believe in MonaVie.”
Sources:
www.bevindustry.com
www.monavie.com
www.news.ufl.edu
