Do you need a product whose label shows high levels of nutrients like Vitamin C? Well, not if you believe "phytonutrients" are more important.
"Phytonutrients are nutrients concentrated in the skins of many vegetables and fruits, and are responsible for their color, hue, scent, and flavor. To a lesser extent, they are also found in grains and seeds."
In the last few years, phytonutrients have been getting greater attention, as more and more research uncovers just how powerful these nutrients are for our health. Phytonutrients are pigments, or more precisely, the biologically active constituents of pigments. They are potent antioxidants that can neutralize free radical damage. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that, if left unchecked, can lead to premature aging and poor health.
Clinical trials are now revealing that phytonutrients can enhance the strength of the immune system, and may play a role in promoting good health and longevity. Other studies have shown that the phytonutrients in blueberries and bilberries slow brain aging and maintain healthy vision in rats.
It has long been known that plant-based nutrients are among the most beneficial of foods to consume a great deal of and phytonutrients may hold the key to explaining why this is so.
Açai, for example, is one of the world's most powerful antioxidants. The benefits of antioxidants have been documented thousands of times over, but these benefits cannot be added to a nutritional facts or supplemental facts panel. Therefore, if you feel a particular macronutrient is important to your diet, you should continue to take the supplements you feel necessary.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query phytonutrients. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query phytonutrients. Sort by date Show all posts
Friday
MLM juices - Premium products made with premium ingredients
One form of Acai has been studied and shown to be vastly superior to other commercially available Acai.... this article refers to the study:
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=71899-acai-antioxidant-orac
Finding out how and where the Acai is sources... and then how and when it is processed is critical if you want a premium-grade juice. And not just the Acai in the just (again there is a lot of scientific evidence that high consumption of a wide spectrum of fruits helps to prevent most major chronic diseases from heart disease, to cancer, to alzheimers, obesity, diabetes, etc) so consider if the fruits are picked from the Wild (the best), or Organically grown (second best) or regular farm fruits grown using pesticides (the typical nutrient-depleted fruits on our store shelves).
With the typical American diet containing less than 1 fruit serving, and with commercially grown fruits declining in nutritional value in favor of high-yield production, the above diseases have been on the rise for years with no end in sight.
When the juice is made from "whole fruit" ESPECIALLY the skin (but seeds and pulp too) you get the maximum nutrient density, fiber, orac value, phytonutrients, etc. Wild assures the highest quality, nutrient-density, and least environmental contamination. Especially if the wild area is the untouched Amazon.
Exotic fruits picked from the wild ARE expensive. This makes for a premium brand of the highest quality... and just like fine wine... you have to pay a premium for it.
Many people are claiming they're seeing "miracle" health improvements from the MLM fruit juice they are drinking.... but any rocket boost to their diets might have similar results... it's just that most of us are not getting a variety of high-quality fruits in our diets.... and who is eating pomegranate regularly, let alone aronia, acai, even cranberry and kiwi????
There is a lot of science behind FRUIT consumption... and that is what these MLM juices are all about. Deliver the fruit in an easy to consume format.
There is also growing research that shows that it is phytonutrients and polyphenols found in fruits that are far more important than individual or processed supplements. To get the phytonutrients you need the whole fruit (skin especially), and it's most dense when picked from the wild.
One quick example - red wine grapes dense in anthocyanins are credited with the "French Paradox" of lower heart disease... yet wine is relatively low in anthocyanins compared to products that are dedicated to health. Premium products are expensive... but when sold via MLM it's pretty easy to get yours for free.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=71899-acai-antioxidant-orac
Finding out how and where the Acai is sources... and then how and when it is processed is critical if you want a premium-grade juice. And not just the Acai in the just (again there is a lot of scientific evidence that high consumption of a wide spectrum of fruits helps to prevent most major chronic diseases from heart disease, to cancer, to alzheimers, obesity, diabetes, etc) so consider if the fruits are picked from the Wild (the best), or Organically grown (second best) or regular farm fruits grown using pesticides (the typical nutrient-depleted fruits on our store shelves).
With the typical American diet containing less than 1 fruit serving, and with commercially grown fruits declining in nutritional value in favor of high-yield production, the above diseases have been on the rise for years with no end in sight.
When the juice is made from "whole fruit" ESPECIALLY the skin (but seeds and pulp too) you get the maximum nutrient density, fiber, orac value, phytonutrients, etc. Wild assures the highest quality, nutrient-density, and least environmental contamination. Especially if the wild area is the untouched Amazon.
Exotic fruits picked from the wild ARE expensive. This makes for a premium brand of the highest quality... and just like fine wine... you have to pay a premium for it.
Many people are claiming they're seeing "miracle" health improvements from the MLM fruit juice they are drinking.... but any rocket boost to their diets might have similar results... it's just that most of us are not getting a variety of high-quality fruits in our diets.... and who is eating pomegranate regularly, let alone aronia, acai, even cranberry and kiwi????
There is a lot of science behind FRUIT consumption... and that is what these MLM juices are all about. Deliver the fruit in an easy to consume format.
There is also growing research that shows that it is phytonutrients and polyphenols found in fruits that are far more important than individual or processed supplements. To get the phytonutrients you need the whole fruit (skin especially), and it's most dense when picked from the wild.
One quick example - red wine grapes dense in anthocyanins are credited with the "French Paradox" of lower heart disease... yet wine is relatively low in anthocyanins compared to products that are dedicated to health. Premium products are expensive... but when sold via MLM it's pretty easy to get yours for free.
Tuesday
Wondering what all the Acai-based fruit juice fuss is about?
Why are there so many anecdotal health testimonials from nutrient-dense Fruit juice drinkers?
The simple explanation is that Fruit consumption is scientifically linked to prevention of chronic diseases, as well as many "lesser" ailments. Hundreds of research studies back this up, while there is no such evidence for Supplements. Yet most Americans eat little to no fruit.... and not surprisingly, we're getting sicker and fatter as a nation.
Research says you need a wide array of fruits from a wide color spectrum because antioxidants are densest in the skins of fruit, and a red skin fruit will deliver a different set of phytonutrients than a blue, black, green or yellow skin fruit. Therefore, the best juice blends contain many "super fruits", not just Acai or just Goji (real name is Wolfberry), or Pomegranate, Cranberry, Blueberry, Kiwi (real name is China or Indian Gooseberry now also being marketed at Amalaki) etc. Super-fruits are considered "super" based on their nutrient-density and array of antioxidants and disease fighting compounds.
Studies show only 5% of Americans eat 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Most of us do get some vegetables in our diets... after all, restaurants include vegetables in every meal, but rarely do they offer fruit. At home it's the same thing... add broccoli, eat a salad, etc, but few American's add fruit to dinner. So if you drink an antioxidant-rich super juice with multiple super fruits, that is a powerful change to most American's diets.
Many Doctors or skeptics will say "just eat more fruit". Yet we don't. Why? Mess, expense, spoiling, and inconvenience are the excuses Americans use for not eating fruit. Peeling an orange gets under your fingernails, citric acid stinging your eyes, and creates a mess of peels. Bananas rot too quickly. Grapefruit is a pain to scoop out.... and for some, fruits are too acidic or sugary and can upset stomachs. Nutrient density is a problem too. Fruits today are grown in nutrient-depleted soils, they are picked way too early and shipped way too far... so Diabetics who need fruit in their diets can't eat much of what is found on store shelves because they are too high in sugar and too low in nutrients.
But what consequences do we pay for our fruit avoidance? We get ever increasing incidences of nearly every disease from cancer, to heart disease, to diabetes, obesity, blindness, gout, fatigue... you name it... and if you have an ailment... it is likely that a higher consumption of fruits would help. And it's worse then you think... due to today's farming techniques, nutrient-density has declined in fruits commonly available in stores. So most fruit eaters still don't get what they need in their diets.
The good news is that scientists and entrepreneurs are bringing exotic nutrient-dense fruits to the States from around the world. The "Functional Beverage" industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the "Wellness Industry" as American's turn to convenient and natural alternatives to youthful skin, more energy, and help with every day aches and pains.
"Super fruits" with off the charts nutrient-density like Acai boast antioxidant rating 10 times higher then anything you can find on your store shelves. Drink just a few ounces of a nutrient-dense fruit juice and you get about 100% of what many nutritionists recommend for daily Antioxidant intake. No mess, no clean up, and as convenient and tasty as it gets.
Supplement pills have ZERO scientific backing for disease prevention. Fruit does. (read more on this below). When studies are reviewed, pills do not fare well. Interestingly, when studies are reviewed, fruit juices do fare very well in disease prevention. For example, regular juice drinkers were 76% less likely to get Alzheimers in one study compared to people who did not drink much fruit juice. In addition, supplements are hard to swallow and easy to forget and often contain contaminants. Most juices taste great, and if your juice is nutrient-dense enough, you can drink just 2 ounces when making coffee in the morning, and drink 2 ounces just before brushing your teeth at night, get all the antioxidants you need, AND it's EASY to remember.
For the best information on any particular fruit juice, visit that company's web site. But watch out for hype filled sites that make "the only" type of claims. There are so many nutrient-dense super fruit juice drinks now, that anyone saying "we are the only one to...." should not be trusted until or unless you do your own research to verify the claims. And please don't rely on questionable over-reactive blogs and internet sources. Look for a thorough "FAQ" section with little or not hype and you've probably found a good product. This Blog's intention is to avoid hype, and look closely at labels. Plus, for skeptics of antioxidant rich fruit juices, this blog looks closely at why these drinks "work".
Finally, this Blog points out to the best articles and research we could find so if a Diabetic, for example, wants to know if they can drink a super-fruit juice, we'll look at diabetic testimonials and informational sites to see what they say.
Before getting to the article list... the other HUGE thing that people love about some juice blends are the anti-inflammatory properties. For those with pain and inflammation... you've got to try these juices to see if an all-natural remedy exists for you. While you want to watch out for sugar and caffeine additives like "agave" and "guarana", natural substances like essentially fatty acids and glucosamine may be added for pain and inflammation relief.
For research about fruit's role in disease prevention read the following posts and/or listen in on the recorded call above:
* The risks of chronic inflammation
* Stress causes all disease
* USDA's fruit recommendations
For why supplements are NOT a fruit or fruit juice replacement read:
* Antioxidants from Supplements not beneficial?
* It's not about the macronutirents
* Difficulty of Supplements
For specific diseases like Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer, Alzheimers, read:
* Cancer & Inflammation
* Fruit & breast cancer prevention
* Alzheimers prevention
* A Diabetics Story
* More on Diabetes & fruit
For Acai specific information read:
* Acai market & berry basics
* PubMed.gov research paper on Acai
* Not all Acai created equal
* University of Florida Study: Acai kills Leukemia Cells
For the benefits of multi-fruit blends read:
* Need for a wide variety of fruits
* A Premium Product with Premium Ingredients
* A 19 Fruits blend
For products that are not pure juice or nutrient dense read:
* Acai-based "Energy Drinks"
* Acai vs. "Goji"
* Yikes - Jamba Juice adds Acai - not necessarily a good thing
The simple explanation is that Fruit consumption is scientifically linked to prevention of chronic diseases, as well as many "lesser" ailments. Hundreds of research studies back this up, while there is no such evidence for Supplements. Yet most Americans eat little to no fruit.... and not surprisingly, we're getting sicker and fatter as a nation.
Research says you need a wide array of fruits from a wide color spectrum because antioxidants are densest in the skins of fruit, and a red skin fruit will deliver a different set of phytonutrients than a blue, black, green or yellow skin fruit. Therefore, the best juice blends contain many "super fruits", not just Acai or just Goji (real name is Wolfberry), or Pomegranate, Cranberry, Blueberry, Kiwi (real name is China or Indian Gooseberry now also being marketed at Amalaki) etc. Super-fruits are considered "super" based on their nutrient-density and array of antioxidants and disease fighting compounds.
Studies show only 5% of Americans eat 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Most of us do get some vegetables in our diets... after all, restaurants include vegetables in every meal, but rarely do they offer fruit. At home it's the same thing... add broccoli, eat a salad, etc, but few American's add fruit to dinner. So if you drink an antioxidant-rich super juice with multiple super fruits, that is a powerful change to most American's diets.
Many Doctors or skeptics will say "just eat more fruit". Yet we don't. Why? Mess, expense, spoiling, and inconvenience are the excuses Americans use for not eating fruit. Peeling an orange gets under your fingernails, citric acid stinging your eyes, and creates a mess of peels. Bananas rot too quickly. Grapefruit is a pain to scoop out.... and for some, fruits are too acidic or sugary and can upset stomachs. Nutrient density is a problem too. Fruits today are grown in nutrient-depleted soils, they are picked way too early and shipped way too far... so Diabetics who need fruit in their diets can't eat much of what is found on store shelves because they are too high in sugar and too low in nutrients.
But what consequences do we pay for our fruit avoidance? We get ever increasing incidences of nearly every disease from cancer, to heart disease, to diabetes, obesity, blindness, gout, fatigue... you name it... and if you have an ailment... it is likely that a higher consumption of fruits would help. And it's worse then you think... due to today's farming techniques, nutrient-density has declined in fruits commonly available in stores. So most fruit eaters still don't get what they need in their diets.
The good news is that scientists and entrepreneurs are bringing exotic nutrient-dense fruits to the States from around the world. The "Functional Beverage" industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the "Wellness Industry" as American's turn to convenient and natural alternatives to youthful skin, more energy, and help with every day aches and pains.
"Super fruits" with off the charts nutrient-density like Acai boast antioxidant rating 10 times higher then anything you can find on your store shelves. Drink just a few ounces of a nutrient-dense fruit juice and you get about 100% of what many nutritionists recommend for daily Antioxidant intake. No mess, no clean up, and as convenient and tasty as it gets.
Supplement pills have ZERO scientific backing for disease prevention. Fruit does. (read more on this below). When studies are reviewed, pills do not fare well. Interestingly, when studies are reviewed, fruit juices do fare very well in disease prevention. For example, regular juice drinkers were 76% less likely to get Alzheimers in one study compared to people who did not drink much fruit juice. In addition, supplements are hard to swallow and easy to forget and often contain contaminants. Most juices taste great, and if your juice is nutrient-dense enough, you can drink just 2 ounces when making coffee in the morning, and drink 2 ounces just before brushing your teeth at night, get all the antioxidants you need, AND it's EASY to remember.
For the best information on any particular fruit juice, visit that company's web site. But watch out for hype filled sites that make "the only" type of claims. There are so many nutrient-dense super fruit juice drinks now, that anyone saying "we are the only one to...." should not be trusted until or unless you do your own research to verify the claims. And please don't rely on questionable over-reactive blogs and internet sources. Look for a thorough "FAQ" section with little or not hype and you've probably found a good product. This Blog's intention is to avoid hype, and look closely at labels. Plus, for skeptics of antioxidant rich fruit juices, this blog looks closely at why these drinks "work".
Finally, this Blog points out to the best articles and research we could find so if a Diabetic, for example, wants to know if they can drink a super-fruit juice, we'll look at diabetic testimonials and informational sites to see what they say.
Before getting to the article list... the other HUGE thing that people love about some juice blends are the anti-inflammatory properties. For those with pain and inflammation... you've got to try these juices to see if an all-natural remedy exists for you. While you want to watch out for sugar and caffeine additives like "agave" and "guarana", natural substances like essentially fatty acids and glucosamine may be added for pain and inflammation relief.
For research about fruit's role in disease prevention read the following posts and/or listen in on the recorded call above:
* The risks of chronic inflammation
* Stress causes all disease
* USDA's fruit recommendations
For why supplements are NOT a fruit or fruit juice replacement read:
* Antioxidants from Supplements not beneficial?
* It's not about the macronutirents
* Difficulty of Supplements
For specific diseases like Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer, Alzheimers, read:
* Cancer & Inflammation
* Fruit & breast cancer prevention
* Alzheimers prevention
* A Diabetics Story
* More on Diabetes & fruit
For Acai specific information read:
* Acai market & berry basics
* PubMed.gov research paper on Acai
* Not all Acai created equal
* University of Florida Study: Acai kills Leukemia Cells
For the benefits of multi-fruit blends read:
* Need for a wide variety of fruits
* A Premium Product with Premium Ingredients
* A 19 Fruits blend
For products that are not pure juice or nutrient dense read:
* Acai-based "Energy Drinks"
* Acai vs. "Goji"
* Yikes - Jamba Juice adds Acai - not necessarily a good thing
My personal testimonial drinking an Acai-based Fruit juice
I started this Blog to promote because I was curious why drinking a nutrient-dense fruit juice gave me such amazing health improvements.
This is the first Network Marketing company I've ever been a part of, and it's all because of this wonderful juice. Check out the top 6 for me and read other testimonials here.
My physical improvements are:
1. 2+ year old "shoulder impingement" problem now gone.
I stopped going to the gym because of how much pain I was in when lifting weights - it literally felt like I was tearing into my rotator cuff and my tendons were going to snap. Within a week or two of drinking my new juice my shoulder pain is gone.
2. I've ALWAYS had trouble sleeping. Now I'm sleeping so heavily and soundly that it almost feels like I'm on a sedative. I'm sleeping 8 hours, whereas before 6 hours was a lot for me, and I was having far too many 1 to 4 hours nights. Not surprisingly my daytime energy now is significantly better.
3. I'll mention energy again because my biggest struggles were in the afternoon. I've noticed that I'm fully energized all day now. I drink 2 ounces in the morning, and 2 ounces at night. Yet I sleep like I'm on drugs, and I wake up much easier instead of clinging to my pillow. What's more is my energy is consistent throughout the day including the afternoon - my former problem time.
4. I'm now drinking less coffee and I "think" it's because my desire is down. I'm only drinking 1 cup now out of habit and because I like it, but now I have no trouble filling a smaller cup, and stopping at one. Before I'd fill up the largest cup, or buy a Starbucks Venti, and go for 2nds, 3rds and even 4th cups.
5. I feel like I have less interest in drinking alcohol, so I'm drinking less. My favorite health book of all time is from the 1990's, Dr Braly's "Food Allergy & Nutrition Revolution" in which he says alcohol "probably" raises a certain brain chemical provided by the Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's). So EFA supplements help. The Acai Berry is high in EFA's, so I'm guessing this explains my decreased interest in alcohol.
6. My overall mood is up too. Any one of the above could explain that - more energy, drinking less coffee and alcohol - but many phytonutrients are linked to lowered depression, and so obviously better moods.
Well, I suppose the more problems you have, the more benefit you'll receive from a nutrient-dense fruit juice and the more personal testimonials you'll have. I guess that makes me "lucky" :) I haven't gotten blood work done, but given all of the benefits I've seen, I'm inclined to believe in the claims of those who say their cholesterol has dropped to healthy levels, and those of arthritis suffers who no longer need medication for it. By the way, this is not advice, I'm not a doctor, this is just my personal experience and layman's research.
This is the first Network Marketing company I've ever been a part of, and it's all because of this wonderful juice. Check out the top 6 for me and read other testimonials here.
My physical improvements are:
1. 2+ year old "shoulder impingement" problem now gone.
I stopped going to the gym because of how much pain I was in when lifting weights - it literally felt like I was tearing into my rotator cuff and my tendons were going to snap. Within a week or two of drinking my new juice my shoulder pain is gone.
2. I've ALWAYS had trouble sleeping. Now I'm sleeping so heavily and soundly that it almost feels like I'm on a sedative. I'm sleeping 8 hours, whereas before 6 hours was a lot for me, and I was having far too many 1 to 4 hours nights. Not surprisingly my daytime energy now is significantly better.
3. I'll mention energy again because my biggest struggles were in the afternoon. I've noticed that I'm fully energized all day now. I drink 2 ounces in the morning, and 2 ounces at night. Yet I sleep like I'm on drugs, and I wake up much easier instead of clinging to my pillow. What's more is my energy is consistent throughout the day including the afternoon - my former problem time.
4. I'm now drinking less coffee and I "think" it's because my desire is down. I'm only drinking 1 cup now out of habit and because I like it, but now I have no trouble filling a smaller cup, and stopping at one. Before I'd fill up the largest cup, or buy a Starbucks Venti, and go for 2nds, 3rds and even 4th cups.
5. I feel like I have less interest in drinking alcohol, so I'm drinking less. My favorite health book of all time is from the 1990's, Dr Braly's "Food Allergy & Nutrition Revolution" in which he says alcohol "probably" raises a certain brain chemical provided by the Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's). So EFA supplements help. The Acai Berry is high in EFA's, so I'm guessing this explains my decreased interest in alcohol.
6. My overall mood is up too. Any one of the above could explain that - more energy, drinking less coffee and alcohol - but many phytonutrients are linked to lowered depression, and so obviously better moods.
Well, I suppose the more problems you have, the more benefit you'll receive from a nutrient-dense fruit juice and the more personal testimonials you'll have. I guess that makes me "lucky" :) I haven't gotten blood work done, but given all of the benefits I've seen, I'm inclined to believe in the claims of those who say their cholesterol has dropped to healthy levels, and those of arthritis suffers who no longer need medication for it. By the way, this is not advice, I'm not a doctor, this is just my personal experience and layman's research.
Saturday
The risks of chronic inflammation
A must read article found on Newsweek.com - but first read this excerpt:
Part 1 of this article references Diabetes & Obesity - read Part 1 here
Part 2 speaks to inflammation's role in Heart Disease & Cancer - read Part 2 here
Part 3 says "And a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids tones down inflammation overall." "But the modern diet is generally deficient in them." (read Part 3 here)
Of course, the above 2 points encapsulate this entire site's message.... that we MUST eat fruit... but most of us don't eat enough... and for those of us who think we do... modern farming techniques have dramatically lowered fruit's nutrient-density. But this quote also in Part 3 makes a new point, at least for me, that only reinforces the point of my adding a nutrient-dense fruit juice to my diet...
"Inflammation is the evil twin of oxidation," says neuroscientist James Joseph of Tufts University. "Where you find one, you find the other." That would include not only such obvious inflammatory conditions as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, but also ailments never previously associated with inflammation—such as atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, colon cancer and diabetes. Suddenly medical puzzles seem to be fitting together, such as why hypertension puts patients at increased risk of Alzheimer's, or why rheumatoid-arthritis sufferers have higher rates of sudden cardiac death. They're all connected on some fundamental level..."
Part 1 of this article references Diabetes & Obesity - read Part 1 here
Part 2 speaks to inflammation's role in Heart Disease & Cancer - read Part 2 here
Part 3 says "And a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids tones down inflammation overall." "But the modern diet is generally deficient in them." (read Part 3 here)
Of course, the above 2 points encapsulate this entire site's message.... that we MUST eat fruit... but most of us don't eat enough... and for those of us who think we do... modern farming techniques have dramatically lowered fruit's nutrient-density. But this quote also in Part 3 makes a new point, at least for me, that only reinforces the point of my adding a nutrient-dense fruit juice to my diet...
"While drugs usually block a single target molecule and reduce its activity dramatically, he says, natural anti-inflammatories gently tweak a broader range of inflammatory compounds. "You'll get greater safety and efficacy reducing five inflammatory mediators by 30 percent than reducing one by 100 percent," he notes."
Certainly, a diet high in fruit... or high in nutrient-dense fruit juice (a few ounces per day is all you need to meet nutritionist recommended levels of antioxidants)... are "natural anti-inflammatories". What's the Acai fruit juice fuss about??? It's about both short and long term health.... easy to remember and tastes great.... with a target market of virtually everyone in the country because we just don't get the phytonutrients in our diets we need. Wondering why you're sick, tired, or living with a disease??? It's probably a nutrient deficiency... and if you can't put down 5+ fruit servings a day (of nutrient-dense fruit), a multi-fruit (not just Acai) juice with the most nutrient-density possible, is a phenomenal alternative.
Tuesday
"Energy Drinks" a different category than multi-fruit juice-only drinks
I'm often asked to compare some Acai-based "Energy drink" to multi-fruit drinks that also have Acai. This is like comparing Apples to... well, caffeine. An "energy" drink is something like Red Bull or "RockStar". These are laced with caffeine and sugar and some synthetic supplements like B12. These are designed to give you a spike in energy. I've personally avoided these types of drinks because I enjoy coffee in the morning and don't want any more caffeine than that in my diet. I also avoid sugar at all costs.
Acai based beverages like Zola and Sambazon appear to be healthier alternatives to Red Bull, but they appear to be closer in style to the "energy drink" category than those drinks solely concerned with "health & wellness". For one, they always seem to include some additive or another... especially caffeine or sugar (Agave, a natural form of sugar, and Guarana a natural source of caffeine - but still sugar & caffeine - are very common in their blends). Acai is known as an "energy fruit" but these beverages apparently can't rely on their Acai content to insure a noticable energy spike, so they add caffeine and/or sugar which are what I call "stimulants". Stimulants spike energy unnaturally and personally have no place in my diet (other than my 1 cup of morning coffee :).
One designed as a health drink... NOT something to spike your energy so you can gamble late into the night in Las Vegas, or ski in Tahoe with a hangover is meant only to fight free radicals, to add plant-based phytonutrients, polyphenols, anthocyanins and antioxidants which aid long-term energy and health. Honestly, I'm glad to have products like Zola around if I want an energy spike since I'd rather get it from a healthier source than Red Bull or coffee.
But if you think you can replace a multi-fruit drink with an Acai-only product, or an Acai-based "energy drink", then you are completely missing the point described in all fruit research. Drink for your overall health, not for a few hours of forced energy that may result in a sugar-high like crash.
(update: see the "comments" exchange beneath this post for more on my thoughts on an even better Acai-only replacement if you want more Acai in your diet)
Acai based beverages like Zola and Sambazon appear to be healthier alternatives to Red Bull, but they appear to be closer in style to the "energy drink" category than those drinks solely concerned with "health & wellness". For one, they always seem to include some additive or another... especially caffeine or sugar (Agave, a natural form of sugar, and Guarana a natural source of caffeine - but still sugar & caffeine - are very common in their blends). Acai is known as an "energy fruit" but these beverages apparently can't rely on their Acai content to insure a noticable energy spike, so they add caffeine and/or sugar which are what I call "stimulants". Stimulants spike energy unnaturally and personally have no place in my diet (other than my 1 cup of morning coffee :).
One designed as a health drink... NOT something to spike your energy so you can gamble late into the night in Las Vegas, or ski in Tahoe with a hangover is meant only to fight free radicals, to add plant-based phytonutrients, polyphenols, anthocyanins and antioxidants which aid long-term energy and health. Honestly, I'm glad to have products like Zola around if I want an energy spike since I'd rather get it from a healthier source than Red Bull or coffee.
But if you think you can replace a multi-fruit drink with an Acai-only product, or an Acai-based "energy drink", then you are completely missing the point described in all fruit research. Drink for your overall health, not for a few hours of forced energy that may result in a sugar-high like crash.
(update: see the "comments" exchange beneath this post for more on my thoughts on an even better Acai-only replacement if you want more Acai in your diet)
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