Q&A below are from
company
corporate HQ
| What is Mona Vie? |
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Mona Vie 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, Mona Vie
delivers the phytonutrients and antioxidants you need to maintain a
healthy and active lifestyle. Mona Vie’s Active formula also
contains
the added benefits of esterified fatty acids and glucosamine to help
maintain healthy joints.
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| What fruits are
contained in Mona Vie products? |
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In
addition to the açai berry, Mona Vie 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.
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| What is acai? |
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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.
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| Why does the acai berry
seem to get more attention than the other healthful fruits in Mona Vie? |
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While
all the fruits contained in Mona Vie 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 Mona Vie is able to capture from the acai berry
through its proprietary processing.
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| Does acai have a high
ORAC score? |
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Yes,
with an ORAC score of 1,027 per gram, the acai used in Mona Vie
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.
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| Where does acai grow? |
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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.”
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| Does harvesting the acai
berry destroy the Amazon rainforest? |
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No.
In fact, Mona Vie 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.
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| Is Mona Vie’s acai
certified organic? |
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Yes.
The acai used by Mona Vie 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.
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| Are all the fruits in
Mona Vie products certified organic? |
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Açai,
acerola, camu camu, and bilberry are certified organic. However, it is
not possible to have all the fruits in Mona Vie products be
certified
organic; for example, Mona Vie’s wolfberry is harvested in China,
and the Chinese government does not have an organic certification
process.
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| How much acai is
contained in Mona Vie products? |
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Because Mona Vie product formulas are
proprietary, the exact amount of acai or
the other fruits contained in our blend is not disclosed.
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| Does Mona Vie use
flash
pasteurization? |
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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.
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| Where are Mona Vie
products
manufactured? |
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To ensure the highest level of quality, Mona
Vie blends and produces Mona Vie products at its
manufacturing
facility in Salt Lake City,
Utah (not
far from the corporate office).
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| What is the shelf life
of the Mona Vie Original and Active Juices and Mona Vie Gel? |
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If
unopened, both the Mona Vie Juices and Mona Vie Gel have a
shelf
life of
one year. If the Mona Vie Juice has been opened, then the shelf
life is
approximately 30-60 days, as long as the opened bottle is refrigerated.
The Mona Vie Gel should be consumed in its entirety as soon as it
is
opened.
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| Are Mona Vie
products
safe? |
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Yes, Mona Vie products are safe and
contain only well-tolerated foods. Mona Vie 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.
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| Are Mona Vie
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. Mona Vie is manufactured
in a GMP-compliant facility. The ingredients
contained in Mona Vie products are generally recognized as safe
(GRAS),
and obtaining prior approval from the FDA is not required. |
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| Do Mona Vie 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 Mona Vie to
treat,
cure, or prevent disease; the FDA only approves drugs
to offer these benefits. Mona Vie 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
Mona Vie have been shown in some studies to help support the body’s
ability to protect itself from various ailments. |
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| What does ORAC mean? |
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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.
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| How many servings of
fruits and vegetables does the U.S. National Research Council recommend
we eat daily? |
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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.
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| What are phytonutrients?
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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 Mona Vie
products.
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| What are antioxidants? |
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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.
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| What are polyphenols? |
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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. Mona Vie
products contain a powerful variety of polyphenols, including
anthocyanins. It is estimated that Mona Vie products have 20–30
times
the amount of anthocyanins found in red wine.
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| What are free radicals? |
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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.
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| 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. |
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| What causes excess free
radicals? |
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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.
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| How
well does freeze-dried acai scavenge other free radicals such as
peroxynitrite (NORAC), hydroxyl (HORAC), and superoxide anion (SORAC)? |
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The Mona Vie 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.
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| What is glucosamine
hydrochloride? |
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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.
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| Is one form of
glucosamine more effective than another? |
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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 Mona Vie Active Juice with
glucosamine HCl because this form of glucosamine contains the highest
level of free glucosamine.
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| What are esterified
fatty acids? |
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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.
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| How much potassium is in
Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active? |
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For customers concerned about potassium levels
for reasons relating to dialysis,
please consult a physician before taking Mona Vie products. The
potassium level in Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active is
approximately
56 mg/oz. Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active
contain no potassium additives, grapefruit, or cantaloupe.
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| Is there any vitamin K
in Mona Vie Original or Mona Vie Active? |
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For
customers concerned about vitamin K levels because of blood thinning
medication, please consult a physician before taking any Mona Vie
products. The vitamin K level in Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie
Active is
approximately 12.4 µg/oz.
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| Why do Mona Vie products
contain preservatives? |
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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.
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| Mona Vie 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? |
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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. Mona
Vie tests its Mona Vie Juices for benzene, and we are
always well
below the FDA’s and World Health Organization’s acceptable levels for
benzene.
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| Do any of Mona Vie's
products contain MSG? |
| No. |
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| Is Mona Vie Active
Juice
safe for children and pregnant or nursing women? |
| The
Mona Vie Active formula is extremely safe; however, Mona Vie
Active Juice
contains glucosamine hydrochloride and esterified fatty acids, which
have not been tested in these types of individuals. It is Mona Vie’s
recommendation that children under the age of 12, pregnant women, and
women who are nursing should not consume Mona Vie Active Juice. If
further information is required, please consult with your physician. |
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| Are Mona Vie products
gluten-free? |
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Yes.
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| 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 Mona Vie Active Juice. Glucosamine hydrochloride (GHCl), the
form of
glucosamine used in Mona Vie Active Juice, is more than 99 percent
pure.
Because shellfish is a known allergen, please consult with a physician
before taking Mona Vie Active Juice.
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| Why are there natural
flavors in Mona Vie products? |
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Mona Vie 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. Mona Vie’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 Mona Vie Original and
Active
Juices and in Mona Vie Gel is a mixed berry natural flavor.
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