What is the difference between MonaVie and Sambazon? This question was a big one for me when my friends became distributors for MonaVie and wanted me to become one too. I have literally spent two weeks day and night... way too many hours... researching the product and it's competitors and trying to really figure out what MonaVie is all about. I intend to write more blogs about MonaVie but for now this blog is about the number one question I had that no one could really answer for me, not even the internet! So after trying to find the answer the easy way with no luck, I decided I would have to dig in a lot deeper and figure out the answer myself.
There are many other products on the market containing the acai berry besides Sambazon and MonaVie but so many of them do not follow as stringent practices for harvesting and processing the berry as MonaVie and Sambazon do, so in my opinion they are not comparable. It is important that the acai berry be processed within 48 hours of being harvested as the nutritional integrity of the fruit begins to diminish. It is also important the acai berry is freeze dried, a process that can be a lot more expensive than other methods of preservation, but the only proven effective method for maintaining a high ORAC score.
When I looked at the information I could easily access on Sambazon and MonaVie from their actual websites they both seemed to be very similar. They both freeze dry their acai berries within 48 hours of harvesting them, they both flash pasteurize the berries, they both have the acai berry as the first and therefore main ingredient (ingredients are required by FDA to be listed in order of most to least), they both support local programs that give back to the community in which they harvest, Brazil. MonaVie is the number one harvester in Brazil and Sambazon is number two.
However, the main difference that kept my attention towards Sambazon was the price. Sambazon is $2.99/bottle and MonaVie retails for $39.00/bottle for Original, $45.00/bottle for Active and $45.25/bottle for Pulse! However, once I broke the cost down per serving, Sambazon worked out to be $2.30/serving, MonaVie Original retails for $1.56/serving, MonaVie Active retails for $1.80/serving and MonaVie Pulse retails for $3.77/serving. So two out of the three MonaVie drinks were cheaper than Sambazon! Not to mention, this was based on the retail pricing for MonaVie, not the wholesale or bulk pricing. Which brings me to my next point…
No matter how much Sambazon I drink and no matter how many people I tell about Sambazon, I will never get paid to drink it. MonaVie works differently from a typical retail company because it does not sell at retail locations. You have to buy it through an independent distributor or become an independent distributor yourself (which is free for 2009, but usually is a one time fee of $39.00). If you chose to become an independent distributor, you can then buy the product at wholesale and bulk pricing, as well as sell it to others. You don’t have to do anything more than buy the juice if you don’t want to and you don’t even have to commit to buying the juice! Although most people find it easier to just have it automatically sent to them every 28 days. This makes it different than a pyramid scheme because with a pyramid scheme you get paid bonuses based on recruitment of other people to sell it, not just on selling the product itself. There are a total of 8 ways you can get paid as a distributor of MonaVie. There are a total of zero ways to get paid drinking Sambazon.
The other factor that I liked about MonaVie is the fact that you can have it automatically delivered to your doorstep every month. In this sense it helps you to make a stronger commitment to better health. How many times have you tried to eat or drink something in order to be healthier, but then you forget to buy it when you’re at the grocery store and before you know it you’re back to your old ways? If you truly want to make a commitment to better health and to turn it into a habit, what better way is there than to have it show up at your door step?
MonaVie is 100% juice, there is no water and the juice in MonaVie Active and Pulse is not from concentrate. Only 1 of Sambazon's drinks is 100% juice and they all contain water and juice from concentrate.
Both MonaVie and Sambazon have a variety of fruits in their juices in addition to the acai berry, however there is a far more diverse ingredient list in MonaVie (18 other fruits from all around the world), including wolfberry, lychee, acerola, camu camu and cupuacu. Can you say that three times? Sambazon contains acerola as well but the other ingredients are all things we can easily get in our grocery store here like bananas and blueberries and apple juice. However, they do have a supergreens drink that contains wheatgrass, chlorella and spirulina, some of my favorite Superfoods. See below for all nutrition facts and ingredients for both products.
Finally, I did a taste test! I bought all three Sambazon drinks and did a side by side taste test comparison with MonaVie Active, which was the bottle my friend had given me to try (although I hear Pulse tastes the best). I invited a number of my friends to try the two brands side by side and MonaVie won across the board! The main reasons were that drinking MonaVie tasted like you had just juiced the fruits yourself; Sambazon tasted more like an overly sweet shake you would get at a smoothie shop. It was good, but very sweet.
The sugar per serving for Sambazon is: 20g for Supergreens Revolution, 21g for Antioxidant Trinity and 30g for Strawberry Samba. The sugar per serving for MonaVie is: 3g for MonaVie Original, 3g for MonaVie Active and 7g for MonaVie Pulse.
The calories per serving for Sambazon are: 140 for Supergreens Revolution, 110 for Antioxidant Trinity and 160 for Strawberry Samba. The calories per serving for MonaVie is: 30 for MonaVie Original, 30 for MonaVie Active and 45 for MonaVie Pulse.
The fat per serving for Sambazon is: 3.5g for Supergreens Revolution, 2g for Antioxidant Trinity and 3g for Strawberry Samba. The fat per serving for MonaVie is: .5g for MonaVie Original, .5g for MonaVie Active and 1g for MonaVie Pulse.
Below is a list of questions I had and answers I gathered comparing Sambazon and MonaVie. The information obtained in the answers to these questions did not come from random MonaVie distributors or other bad internet sources; they came directly from either Sambazon or MonaVie’s websites or directly from e-mail communication with the actual company itself, in the case of MonaVie. MonaVie responded to all of my questions with a 24 – 48 hour turnaround time. It has been two weeks since I e-mailed Sambazon and I have yet to hear back from them so all I can go on is what their website states.
Beyond the question and answer section are the serving sizes, nutritional facts and ingredients in both Sambazon and MonaVie. Beyond that, is a breakdown of the cost of MonaVie and Sambazon per serving and recommended daily intake for retail pricing, wholesale pricing and bulk pricing (up to two cases, although you can order up to 12 cases at a time for an optimum amount).
Q: How does your product compare to Sambazon in terms of nutrients, ORAC values and ingredients including sugar content?
A: MonaVie Product Support: We empathize with the desire to do direct product comparisons with MonaVie; however, MonaVie does not want to get into the business of comparing or criticizing products. Doing direct product comparisons also comes with significant legal liability. It is best altogether to not do them. All of MonaVie’s energies and time are concentrated on formulating the best product possible. Açai is a super food; in fact, we believe it to be the world’s number one super food.
Due to current company policy I cannot provide a side by side comparison; however, I can provide you with some information to describe the benefits of MonaVie’s fruit blend and the reasons that make MonaVie the amazing product it is.
Coming from a mixture of 19 fruits, the MonaVie blend provides a wide spectrum of antioxidants and phytonutrients that will assist you in maintaining good health by inhibiting harmful free radicals.
The açai berry plays a significant role in this process as being the fruit with the highest recorded ORAC score per gram amongst all other fruits and vegetables tested to date. There is no question as to why so much focus has been on the açai berry in the MonaVie blends. Because of this unique fruit and the amazing nutritional properties that it holds, research has shown that by freeze-drying the berry, most if not all of the potent phytochemicals can be retained as opposed to other forms of drying processes. MonaVie uses this freeze-dried açai as its star ingredient in the MonaVie blends.
By looking an ingredient list of a product, you can see what ingredient the most abundant is as is the case with MonaVie. If you read the nutritional facts panel you will see: “proprietary blend of açai freeze dried powder and puree” as the first ingredient. MonaVie uses a freeze dried Açai that is patent-pending protected in the U.S and 10 international countries.
Degradation or loss of nutritional value is the main reason that the Açai berry must be picked and processed within the first 48 hours. MonaVie processes the Açai fruit into a pulp containing 14 percent solids (pulp). This pulp is immediately frozen, put into a drum, and shipped for later use. The pulp/puree is kept frozen until it is ready to be blended into the finished MonaVie product. To process the freeze dried powder used in MonaVie, frozen açai pulp is used and placed on trays which enter a freeze drying chamber. This freeze-drying has many benefits.
Sambazon did not respond to this question when I e-mailed them. Their website says the following:
Q: How do Sambazon Products compare to other Acai products on the market?A: Because Acai is very new to the US, no standards have been put in place to regulate how much Acai fruit must be in a product in order for it to claim it is Acai. We are working with the USDA to establish guidelines to keep companies from creating products that make Acai claims without delivering Acai nutrition. Acai is also very perishable so when you see products that have an off flavor or smell they may be using spoiled acai.
Q: Does Sambazon use the whole acai berry?
A: Sambazon.com: Acai berries are 98 percent seed and lose most of their nutritional value after 24 hours after being harvested. Because of this, we harvest the berries and immediately have the pulp scraped off the seeds into a puree. The puree is then flash pasteurized (required by law) and quick frozen into the smoothie packs or bulk drums to be used for the RTD Smoothies.
MonaVie Product Support: We use the skin and pulp of the acai berry. The seed is not used. MonaVie processes the Açai fruit into a pulp containing 14 percent solids (pulp). This pulp is immediately frozen, put into a drum, and shipped for later use. The pulp/puree is kept frozen until it is ready to be blended into the finished MonaVie product. To process the freeze dried powder used in MonaVie, frozen açai pulp is used and placed on trays which enter a freeze drying chamber.
Q: What is the difference between MonaVie’s OptiACAI patent pending freeze drying process and Sambazon’s?
A: MonaVie Product Support: Degradation or loss of nutritional value is the main reason that the Açai berry must be picked and processed within the first 48 hours. MonaVie processes the Açai fruit into a pulp containing 14 percent solids (pulp). This pulp is immediately frozen, put into a drum, and shipped for later use. The pulp/puree is kept frozen until it is ready to be blended into the finished MonaVie product. To process the freeze dried powder used in MonaVie, frozen açai pulp is used and placed on trays which enter a freeze drying chamber. This freeze-drying has many benefits.
MonaVie uses freeze-dried açai and is the first to use freeze-dried açai in a juice. Other companies may use their own freeze-dried açai.
The freeze-dried açai used by MonaVie is patent pending. An application for a patent has been filed in the U.S and 10 international countries. While MonaVie is not the patent owner, the company has been given full access and rights to the patent’s intellectual properties.
OptiAÇAI is a trademark name for this patent-pending freeze-dried açai. No other company has the right to use the trademark name OptiAÇAI. The patent is for specific claims associated with the nutritional content of freeze-dried açai; it is not a process patent on the freeze-drying. MonaVie is therefore waiting to hear from the patent office regarding this patent.
Direct from Wikipedia.org: “Most of the research to date on açaí has focused on a particular freeze-dried form referred to as Opti-açaí.[6][7] This powder preparation of freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin was reported to contain (per 100 g of extract) 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrates, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. The carbohydrate portion included 44.2 g of fiber.[6] The powder was also shown to contain (per 100 g): negligible vitamin C, 260 mg calcium, 4.4 mg iron, and 1002 U vitamin A, as well as aspartic acid and glutamic acid; the amino acid content was 7.59% of total dry weight.
The fat content of açaí consists of oleic acid (56.2% of total fats), palmitic acid (24.1%), and linoleic acid (12.5%).[6] Açaí also contains beta-sitosterol (78–91% of total sterols).[6][8] The oil compartments in açaí fruit contain polyphenols such as procyanidin oligmers and vanillic acid, syringic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, and ferulic acid, which were shown to degrade substantially during storage or exposure to heat.[9]”
Q: Can you clearly explain the process you use to harvest and process the acai berry and explain how it differs from any other company’s process?
A: MonaVie Product Support: has become the foremost expert on harvesting the açai berry. MonaVie travels to Brazil frequently during the açai harvest season to help identify the best sources of açai berries and to ensure they are processed using the highest quality standards. It has been determined that the açai berry must be processed within 24-48 hours after it has been harvested to maintain the berry’s superior nutritional profile. Once the berry is processed, it is frozen to preserve its nutrient content. This makes certain that the açai berry added to the MonaVie products will deliver the greatest benefit once consumed.
The açai that MonaVie uses is not from a farm or plantation. It is from wild açai trees within the Amazon Rainforest. We do not buy from any type of farm. We choose to buy from the local Amazonians who literally climb the açai tree to the top and pick the berries.
Many of the locals that we buy from have used in the past the açai palm tree specifically for the hearts of palm. The hearts of palm is a section of the trunk popularly used in salads. When the hearts of palm is removed from the açai palm, the açai tree will inevitably die. We have chosen to use many of the same hearts of palm harvesters to now help harvest the açai berry. This helps decrease the production of hearts of palm and destruction of the rainforest.
We pay the harvesters substantially more to harvest the açai berry than they would otherwise to harvest the hearts of palm. Also, the education we have given to the harvesters of the hearts of palm has shown very beneficial results. Many of these harvesters have begun planting more açai trees when one has died. In this way we have contributed to the preservation of the rainforest and helped the economy in these regions.
In addition to this, when an açai tree dies naturally (they will live about 100 years), about five seedlings are replanted. The açai berry can be harvested within a few short years. In 2007 alone, we have already helped to preserve over 1,000 acres of the Amazon Rainforest.
Total consumption of the Açai fruit including what is consumed in Brazil is approximately 160,000 tons per year representing approximately 20 percent of the Açai that is actually available for harvesting. MonaVie is the largest consumer of açai in Brazil. The amount of açai in the rainforest is overwhelming, but we still feel it necessary to continue to preserve this abundant supply.
Q: Do you do anything to protect the rainforest/Do you have any cause you support?
A: Sambazon: Sustainable Amazon Partnership: (see website for more details) http://www.sambazon.com/mission.html
MonaVie: The MORE Project (see website for more details http://www.monavie.com/)
Q: How many acai berries are in a bottle?
A: Sambazon: See nutritional information below for information on how many berries there are per bottle.
MonaVie Product Support: MonaVie has chosen not to disclose the amount of ingredients in its formula. The product’s formula is a trade secret and is one of the company’s greatest intellectual assets protected under U.S. law. By sharing this information, it is easier for unscrupulous companies to knock-off or copy our formula. We are protecting our distributor’s ability to sell a truly unique and proprietary product.
We can tell you, however, that the ingredients appear on the label in order by amount from most to least. This means that because açai is the first ingredient listed on the label, there is more açai in the MonaVie products than any other single ingredient.
The 18 additional fruits have been added to MonaVie’s premier açai blend for the purpose of adding to the product’s nutritional spectrum to provide you with a variety of antioxidants.
Q: What is the ORAC score for your product?
A: Sambazon.com: One of our Acai smoothies or juices (10.4 fl oz.) have anywhere from 5,000- 15,000 ORAC units.
Monavie.com: Four ounces of MonaVie has an approximate ORAC value of 4,000 to 5,000 units. This is the approximate ORAC value of 5 to 13 commonly eaten fruits and vegetables. Health experts currently recommend consuming 5,000 ORAC units per day for optimal antioxidant protection.
***SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON*** If you break down the ORAC unit scores per oz. Sambazon smoothies or juices have between 481 to 1442 units per ounce and MonaVie has between 1000 to 1250 units per ounce.
Q: Why is Mona Vie so expensive compared to Sambazon? (I asked this question to MonaVie prior to realizing that 2 out of the 3 MonaVie drinks are actually cheaper per serving than the Sambazon drinks – see above)
A: MonaVie develops and markets scientifically formulated, premium quality nutritional products. The variety of the fruits in MonaVie have been chosen for their distinct nutritional assets. Açai, our star ingredient, is one of the world's most powerful antioxidants but is hard to come by outside the Amazon. In addition to acai, there are 18 additional body-beneficial fruits. Many of these exotic fruits cannot simply be picked up at your local supermarket.
Q: Why is MonaVie not organic?
A: MonaVie Product Support: The acai used in MonaVie is wild crafted and comes directly from the forest, therefore organic certification would be unnecessary. MonaVie is not certified organic. However, to ensure safety the finished MonaVie products are regularly tested for dozens of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides by an independent, third-party analytical laboratory. Each test performed has repeatedly found the products to be free of any of these potentially harmful substances. This added step in MonaVie’s quality control process ensures our consumers are getting a safe, pure, and high-quality product.
Q: Is MonaVie FDA approved?
A: 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.
Q: Why is the ratio of ingredients in your product not public information?
A: The amount of each ingredient in the MonaVie product is proprietary. The product formula is one of the company’s greatest intellectual properties. However I will remind you that the ingredients appear on the label in order by amount as required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). MonaVie’s ingredient list contains Açai puree, Açai freeze dried powder, eighteen other fruits, glucosamine hydrochloride, Esterified fatty acids, etc, etc. Freeze dried Açai powder and açai puree are the most abundant ingredients in MonaVie products.
Q: Why is there not a Nutrition Facts label printed on your bottle with fat, calorie, etc content amounts?
A: The information printed on the MonaVie bottles is compliant with FDA labeling laws. If additional information is requested, it can be provided by emailing product questions.
Q: How much sugar is in each serving?
A: MonaVie Product Support: MonaVie does not add any additional sugars to the blend. The total amount of sugar is very small in a one ounce serving. The sugar per serving for MonaVie is: 3g for MonaVie Original, 3g for MonaVie Active and 7g for MonaVie Pulse.
Sambazon Nutrtion Facts: The sugar per serving for Sambazon is: 20g for Supergreens Revolution, 21g for Antioxidant Trinity and 30g for Strawberry Samba.
Q: Is Sambazon/MonaVie fair trade?
A: Sambazon Bottle: “our certified organic and fair trade forest projects help protect the Amazon Rainforest and benefit thousands of local families”
MonaVie Product Support: The MORE Project is dedicated to changing lives and restoring families living in extreme poverty in Brazil. To the lives it touches, the MORE project means more hope, more health, more caring, and more love. http://media.monavie.com/pdf/israel/kosher_certificate.pdf MonaVie seeks to conduct its business ethically and responsibly and expects its independent distributors to do the same. MonaVie has implemented the practices and policies for ethical conduct required by the US Direct Selling Association (http://www.monavie.com/Web/US/en/scientific_advisory_board.dhtml) and the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (http://media.monavie.com/pdf/israel/kosher_certificate.pdf). These ethical codes and MonaVie's policies and practices are consistent with fair trade laws and regulations in all jurisdictions in which it operates.
Q: What is the shelf life of MonaVie/Sambazon?
A: MonaVie is good for one year and then approximately 30 – 60 days once the bottle has been opened as long as the bottle has been refrigerated.
Sambazon does not state what the shelf life is for their juices or smoothies, however I purchased my juices on 6.6.09 from Whole Foods and they expire on July 25th, 2009.
Q: How does the cost compare per serving for Sambazon vs. MonaVie?
A:
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Smoothie “Strawberry Samba”
Retail: $2.99/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 1.3
Serving Size: 8 fl. Oz.
Cost/Serving: $2.30/serving
Wholesale: There is no wholesale price
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Juice “Antioxidant Trinity”
Retail: $2.99/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 1.3 servings; Serving Size: 8 fl. Oz.
Cost/Serving: $2.30/serving
Wholesale: There is no wholesale price
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Smoothie “Supergreens Revolution”
Retail: $2.99/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 1.3; Serving Size: 8 fl. Oz.
Cost/Serving: $2.30/serving
Wholesale: There is no wholesale price
MonaVie Original
Retail: $39.00/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 25 servings
Serving Size: 1 oz. servings (recommended Drink 1 to 2 ounces twice daily)
Cost/Serving: $1.56/serving; Recommended 2 – 4 oz daily: $3.12 - $6.24
Wholesale: $32.00/bottle
Cost/Serving: $1.28/serving ($2.56 - $5.12)
Wholesale Bulk (1 case = 4 bottles = 28 day supply): $120.00
Cost/Serving: $1.20/serving ($2.40 - $4.80)
Wholesale Bulk (2 case = 8 bottles = 28 day supply for two): $220.00
Cost/Serving: $1.10/serving ($2.20 - $4.40)
MonaVie Active
Retail: $45.00/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 25 servings
Serving Size: 1 oz. servings (recommended Drink 1 to 2 ounces twice daily)
Cost/Serving: $1.80/serving
Recommended 1 – 2 servings twice daily: $3.60 - $7.20
Wholesale: $37.00/bottle
Cost/Serving: $1.48/serving ($2.96 - $5.92)
Wholesale Bulk (1 case = 4 bottles = 28 day supply): $130.00
Cost/Serving: $1.30/serving ($2.60 - $5.20)
Wholesale Bulk (2 case = 8 bottles = 28 day supply for two): $230.00
Cost/Serving: $1.15/serving ($2.30 - $4.60)
Monavie Pulse
Retail: $45.25/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 12 servings
Serving Size: 2 oz. servings (recommended Drink 2 ounces twice daily)
Cost/Serving: $3.77/serving; Recommended two servings = $7.54/day
Wholesale: $37.25/bottle
Cost/Serving: $3.10/serving ($6.20/Day)
Wholesale Bulk (1 case = 4 bottles = 28 day supply): $131.00
Cost/Serving: $2.73/serving ($5.46/Day)
Wholesale Bulk (2 case = 8 bottles = 28 day supply for two): $232.00
Cost/Serving: $2.42/serving ($4.84/Day)
Q: Am I paying for overpriced apple juice? Below are the ingredient lists and nutrition facts for both Sambazon and MonaVie:
A:
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Juice “Antioxidant Trinity”
Contains 80% Juice
Serving Size: 8 fl oz.
Servings per container: 1.3
Calories 110
Calories from fat 15
Total Fat 2g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Omega 3: 20mg
Omega 6: 245mg
Omega 9: 1020mg
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 10mg
Total Carbohydrate: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 21g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 4%
Vitamin C: 230%
Calcium: 4%
Iron: 2%
Ingredients: Organic Acai Puree, Organic Blue Agave Syrup, Organic Apple Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate), Organic Grape Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Grape Juice Concentrate), Organic Blueberry Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Blueberry Juice Concentrate), Organic Acerola Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Acerola Concentrate), Organic Pomegranate Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Pomegranate Concentrate), Organic Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid, Fruit and Vegetable Juice (for Color).
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Smoothie “Strawberry Samba”
Contains 95% Juice
Serving Size: 8 fl oz.
Servings per container: 1.3
Calories 160
Calories from fat 25
Total Fat 3g
Saturated Fat 0.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Omega 3: 30mg
Omega 6: 290mg
Omega 9: 1350mg
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 10mg
Total Carbohydrate: 33g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 30g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 8%
Vitamin C: 35%
Calcium: 4%
Iron: 10%
Ingredients: organic acai puree organic apple juice (Filtered Water, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate), organic evaporated green cane juice, Organic Banana Puree, Organic Strawberry Puree, Contains less than 0.5% of: Organic Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Smoothie “Supergreens Revolution”
Contains 100% Juice
Serving Size: 8 fl oz.
Servings per container: 1.3
Calories 140
Calories from fat 30
Total Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Omega 3: 35mg
Omega 6: 340mg
Omega 9: 1530mg
Cholesterol: 0mg
Potassium: 220mg
Sodium: 10mg
Total Carbohydrate: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 20g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 15%
Vitamin C: 40%
Calcium: 6%
Iron: 8%
Ingredients: Organic Acai Puree, Organic Apple Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate), Organic Grape Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Grape Juice Concentrate), Organic Banana Puree, Organic Mango Puree, Amazing Grass Organic Supergreens (Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Barley Grass, Organic Oat Grass, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Spirulina, Chlorella), Contains less than 0.5% of Organic Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid.
MonaVie Original
Serving Size: 1 fl. Oz.
Serving Per Container: 25
Calories: 30
Calories from Fat: 5
Total Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 5mg
Potassium: 55mg
Total Carbohydrate: 5g
Dietary Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Exclusive blend of acai (freeze-dried powder and whole fruit juice); fruit juice from concentrate (white grape, apple, acerola, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, apricot, prune, kiwi, blueberry, wolfberry, pomegranate, lychee, camu camu); fruit purees (pear, banana, bilberry); citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate.
MonaVie Active
Serving Size: 1 oz.
Servings per Container: 25
Calories: 30
Calories from fat: 5
Total Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 5mg
Potassium: 55mg
Total Carbohydrate: 5g
Dietary Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Proprietary blend of acai (freeze-dried powder and puree); reconstituted fruit juice blend (white grape, apple, acerola, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, prune, kiwi, blueberry, bilberry, wolfberry, pomegranate, lychee, camu camu); fruit purees (pear, banana, cupuacu); d-glucosamine hydrochloride, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preservative), potassium sorbate (preservative).
MonaVie Pulse
Serving Size: 2 fl. Oz.
Servings Per Container: 12
Calories: 45
Calories from fat: 10
Total Fat: 1g
Sodium: 30mg
Total Carbohydrate: 8g
Dietary Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: <1g
Ingredients: Exclusive blend of acai (freeze-dried powder, puree); reconstituted fruit juice blend (concord grape blend, pineapple, apple, prickly pear, pomegranate, elderberry, yumberry, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, raspberry, aronia), puree fruit blend (acerola, strawberry, cupuacu, camu camu), plant sterols (emulsified with corn syrup solids, polyglycerol esers of fatty acids, gum acacia), Apple Phyto-Phenolics (polyphenol blend), omega-3 (cranberry seed oil), resveratrol, natural flavors, potassium sorbate (preservative), sodium benzoate (preservative), citric acid.
There are many other products on the market containing the acai berry besides Sambazon and MonaVie but so many of them do not follow as stringent practices for harvesting and processing the berry as MonaVie and Sambazon do, so in my opinion they are not comparable. It is important that the acai berry be processed within 48 hours of being harvested as the nutritional integrity of the fruit begins to diminish. It is also important the acai berry is freeze dried, a process that can be a lot more expensive than other methods of preservation, but the only proven effective method for maintaining a high ORAC score.
When I looked at the information I could easily access on Sambazon and MonaVie from their actual websites they both seemed to be very similar. They both freeze dry their acai berries within 48 hours of harvesting them, they both flash pasteurize the berries, they both have the acai berry as the first and therefore main ingredient (ingredients are required by FDA to be listed in order of most to least), they both support local programs that give back to the community in which they harvest, Brazil. MonaVie is the number one harvester in Brazil and Sambazon is number two.
However, the main difference that kept my attention towards Sambazon was the price. Sambazon is $2.99/bottle and MonaVie retails for $39.00/bottle for Original, $45.00/bottle for Active and $45.25/bottle for Pulse! However, once I broke the cost down per serving, Sambazon worked out to be $2.30/serving, MonaVie Original retails for $1.56/serving, MonaVie Active retails for $1.80/serving and MonaVie Pulse retails for $3.77/serving. So two out of the three MonaVie drinks were cheaper than Sambazon! Not to mention, this was based on the retail pricing for MonaVie, not the wholesale or bulk pricing. Which brings me to my next point…
No matter how much Sambazon I drink and no matter how many people I tell about Sambazon, I will never get paid to drink it. MonaVie works differently from a typical retail company because it does not sell at retail locations. You have to buy it through an independent distributor or become an independent distributor yourself (which is free for 2009, but usually is a one time fee of $39.00). If you chose to become an independent distributor, you can then buy the product at wholesale and bulk pricing, as well as sell it to others. You don’t have to do anything more than buy the juice if you don’t want to and you don’t even have to commit to buying the juice! Although most people find it easier to just have it automatically sent to them every 28 days. This makes it different than a pyramid scheme because with a pyramid scheme you get paid bonuses based on recruitment of other people to sell it, not just on selling the product itself. There are a total of 8 ways you can get paid as a distributor of MonaVie. There are a total of zero ways to get paid drinking Sambazon.
The other factor that I liked about MonaVie is the fact that you can have it automatically delivered to your doorstep every month. In this sense it helps you to make a stronger commitment to better health. How many times have you tried to eat or drink something in order to be healthier, but then you forget to buy it when you’re at the grocery store and before you know it you’re back to your old ways? If you truly want to make a commitment to better health and to turn it into a habit, what better way is there than to have it show up at your door step?
MonaVie is 100% juice, there is no water and the juice in MonaVie Active and Pulse is not from concentrate. Only 1 of Sambazon's drinks is 100% juice and they all contain water and juice from concentrate.
Both MonaVie and Sambazon have a variety of fruits in their juices in addition to the acai berry, however there is a far more diverse ingredient list in MonaVie (18 other fruits from all around the world), including wolfberry, lychee, acerola, camu camu and cupuacu. Can you say that three times? Sambazon contains acerola as well but the other ingredients are all things we can easily get in our grocery store here like bananas and blueberries and apple juice. However, they do have a supergreens drink that contains wheatgrass, chlorella and spirulina, some of my favorite Superfoods. See below for all nutrition facts and ingredients for both products.
Finally, I did a taste test! I bought all three Sambazon drinks and did a side by side taste test comparison with MonaVie Active, which was the bottle my friend had given me to try (although I hear Pulse tastes the best). I invited a number of my friends to try the two brands side by side and MonaVie won across the board! The main reasons were that drinking MonaVie tasted like you had just juiced the fruits yourself; Sambazon tasted more like an overly sweet shake you would get at a smoothie shop. It was good, but very sweet.
The sugar per serving for Sambazon is: 20g for Supergreens Revolution, 21g for Antioxidant Trinity and 30g for Strawberry Samba. The sugar per serving for MonaVie is: 3g for MonaVie Original, 3g for MonaVie Active and 7g for MonaVie Pulse.
The calories per serving for Sambazon are: 140 for Supergreens Revolution, 110 for Antioxidant Trinity and 160 for Strawberry Samba. The calories per serving for MonaVie is: 30 for MonaVie Original, 30 for MonaVie Active and 45 for MonaVie Pulse.
The fat per serving for Sambazon is: 3.5g for Supergreens Revolution, 2g for Antioxidant Trinity and 3g for Strawberry Samba. The fat per serving for MonaVie is: .5g for MonaVie Original, .5g for MonaVie Active and 1g for MonaVie Pulse.
Below is a list of questions I had and answers I gathered comparing Sambazon and MonaVie. The information obtained in the answers to these questions did not come from random MonaVie distributors or other bad internet sources; they came directly from either Sambazon or MonaVie’s websites or directly from e-mail communication with the actual company itself, in the case of MonaVie. MonaVie responded to all of my questions with a 24 – 48 hour turnaround time. It has been two weeks since I e-mailed Sambazon and I have yet to hear back from them so all I can go on is what their website states.
Beyond the question and answer section are the serving sizes, nutritional facts and ingredients in both Sambazon and MonaVie. Beyond that, is a breakdown of the cost of MonaVie and Sambazon per serving and recommended daily intake for retail pricing, wholesale pricing and bulk pricing (up to two cases, although you can order up to 12 cases at a time for an optimum amount).
Q: How does your product compare to Sambazon in terms of nutrients, ORAC values and ingredients including sugar content?
A: MonaVie Product Support: We empathize with the desire to do direct product comparisons with MonaVie; however, MonaVie does not want to get into the business of comparing or criticizing products. Doing direct product comparisons also comes with significant legal liability. It is best altogether to not do them. All of MonaVie’s energies and time are concentrated on formulating the best product possible. Açai is a super food; in fact, we believe it to be the world’s number one super food.
Due to current company policy I cannot provide a side by side comparison; however, I can provide you with some information to describe the benefits of MonaVie’s fruit blend and the reasons that make MonaVie the amazing product it is.
Coming from a mixture of 19 fruits, the MonaVie blend provides a wide spectrum of antioxidants and phytonutrients that will assist you in maintaining good health by inhibiting harmful free radicals.
The açai berry plays a significant role in this process as being the fruit with the highest recorded ORAC score per gram amongst all other fruits and vegetables tested to date. There is no question as to why so much focus has been on the açai berry in the MonaVie blends. Because of this unique fruit and the amazing nutritional properties that it holds, research has shown that by freeze-drying the berry, most if not all of the potent phytochemicals can be retained as opposed to other forms of drying processes. MonaVie uses this freeze-dried açai as its star ingredient in the MonaVie blends.
By looking an ingredient list of a product, you can see what ingredient the most abundant is as is the case with MonaVie. If you read the nutritional facts panel you will see: “proprietary blend of açai freeze dried powder and puree” as the first ingredient. MonaVie uses a freeze dried Açai that is patent-pending protected in the U.S and 10 international countries.
Degradation or loss of nutritional value is the main reason that the Açai berry must be picked and processed within the first 48 hours. MonaVie processes the Açai fruit into a pulp containing 14 percent solids (pulp). This pulp is immediately frozen, put into a drum, and shipped for later use. The pulp/puree is kept frozen until it is ready to be blended into the finished MonaVie product. To process the freeze dried powder used in MonaVie, frozen açai pulp is used and placed on trays which enter a freeze drying chamber. This freeze-drying has many benefits.
Sambazon did not respond to this question when I e-mailed them. Their website says the following:
Q: How do Sambazon Products compare to other Acai products on the market?A: Because Acai is very new to the US, no standards have been put in place to regulate how much Acai fruit must be in a product in order for it to claim it is Acai. We are working with the USDA to establish guidelines to keep companies from creating products that make Acai claims without delivering Acai nutrition. Acai is also very perishable so when you see products that have an off flavor or smell they may be using spoiled acai.
Q: Does Sambazon use the whole acai berry?
A: Sambazon.com: Acai berries are 98 percent seed and lose most of their nutritional value after 24 hours after being harvested. Because of this, we harvest the berries and immediately have the pulp scraped off the seeds into a puree. The puree is then flash pasteurized (required by law) and quick frozen into the smoothie packs or bulk drums to be used for the RTD Smoothies.
MonaVie Product Support: We use the skin and pulp of the acai berry. The seed is not used. MonaVie processes the Açai fruit into a pulp containing 14 percent solids (pulp). This pulp is immediately frozen, put into a drum, and shipped for later use. The pulp/puree is kept frozen until it is ready to be blended into the finished MonaVie product. To process the freeze dried powder used in MonaVie, frozen açai pulp is used and placed on trays which enter a freeze drying chamber.
Q: What is the difference between MonaVie’s OptiACAI patent pending freeze drying process and Sambazon’s?
A: MonaVie Product Support: Degradation or loss of nutritional value is the main reason that the Açai berry must be picked and processed within the first 48 hours. MonaVie processes the Açai fruit into a pulp containing 14 percent solids (pulp). This pulp is immediately frozen, put into a drum, and shipped for later use. The pulp/puree is kept frozen until it is ready to be blended into the finished MonaVie product. To process the freeze dried powder used in MonaVie, frozen açai pulp is used and placed on trays which enter a freeze drying chamber. This freeze-drying has many benefits.
MonaVie uses freeze-dried açai and is the first to use freeze-dried açai in a juice. Other companies may use their own freeze-dried açai.
The freeze-dried açai used by MonaVie is patent pending. An application for a patent has been filed in the U.S and 10 international countries. While MonaVie is not the patent owner, the company has been given full access and rights to the patent’s intellectual properties.
OptiAÇAI is a trademark name for this patent-pending freeze-dried açai. No other company has the right to use the trademark name OptiAÇAI. The patent is for specific claims associated with the nutritional content of freeze-dried açai; it is not a process patent on the freeze-drying. MonaVie is therefore waiting to hear from the patent office regarding this patent.
Direct from Wikipedia.org: “Most of the research to date on açaí has focused on a particular freeze-dried form referred to as Opti-açaí.[6][7] This powder preparation of freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin was reported to contain (per 100 g of extract) 533.9 calories, 52.2 g carbohydrates, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. The carbohydrate portion included 44.2 g of fiber.[6] The powder was also shown to contain (per 100 g): negligible vitamin C, 260 mg calcium, 4.4 mg iron, and 1002 U vitamin A, as well as aspartic acid and glutamic acid; the amino acid content was 7.59% of total dry weight.
The fat content of açaí consists of oleic acid (56.2% of total fats), palmitic acid (24.1%), and linoleic acid (12.5%).[6] Açaí also contains beta-sitosterol (78–91% of total sterols).[6][8] The oil compartments in açaí fruit contain polyphenols such as procyanidin oligmers and vanillic acid, syringic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, and ferulic acid, which were shown to degrade substantially during storage or exposure to heat.[9]”
Q: Can you clearly explain the process you use to harvest and process the acai berry and explain how it differs from any other company’s process?
A: MonaVie Product Support: has become the foremost expert on harvesting the açai berry. MonaVie travels to Brazil frequently during the açai harvest season to help identify the best sources of açai berries and to ensure they are processed using the highest quality standards. It has been determined that the açai berry must be processed within 24-48 hours after it has been harvested to maintain the berry’s superior nutritional profile. Once the berry is processed, it is frozen to preserve its nutrient content. This makes certain that the açai berry added to the MonaVie products will deliver the greatest benefit once consumed.
The açai that MonaVie uses is not from a farm or plantation. It is from wild açai trees within the Amazon Rainforest. We do not buy from any type of farm. We choose to buy from the local Amazonians who literally climb the açai tree to the top and pick the berries.
Many of the locals that we buy from have used in the past the açai palm tree specifically for the hearts of palm. The hearts of palm is a section of the trunk popularly used in salads. When the hearts of palm is removed from the açai palm, the açai tree will inevitably die. We have chosen to use many of the same hearts of palm harvesters to now help harvest the açai berry. This helps decrease the production of hearts of palm and destruction of the rainforest.
We pay the harvesters substantially more to harvest the açai berry than they would otherwise to harvest the hearts of palm. Also, the education we have given to the harvesters of the hearts of palm has shown very beneficial results. Many of these harvesters have begun planting more açai trees when one has died. In this way we have contributed to the preservation of the rainforest and helped the economy in these regions.
In addition to this, when an açai tree dies naturally (they will live about 100 years), about five seedlings are replanted. The açai berry can be harvested within a few short years. In 2007 alone, we have already helped to preserve over 1,000 acres of the Amazon Rainforest.
Total consumption of the Açai fruit including what is consumed in Brazil is approximately 160,000 tons per year representing approximately 20 percent of the Açai that is actually available for harvesting. MonaVie is the largest consumer of açai in Brazil. The amount of açai in the rainforest is overwhelming, but we still feel it necessary to continue to preserve this abundant supply.
Q: Do you do anything to protect the rainforest/Do you have any cause you support?
A: Sambazon: Sustainable Amazon Partnership: (see website for more details) http://www.sambazon.com/mission.html
MonaVie: The MORE Project (see website for more details http://www.monavie.com/)
Q: How many acai berries are in a bottle?
A: Sambazon: See nutritional information below for information on how many berries there are per bottle.
MonaVie Product Support: MonaVie has chosen not to disclose the amount of ingredients in its formula. The product’s formula is a trade secret and is one of the company’s greatest intellectual assets protected under U.S. law. By sharing this information, it is easier for unscrupulous companies to knock-off or copy our formula. We are protecting our distributor’s ability to sell a truly unique and proprietary product.
We can tell you, however, that the ingredients appear on the label in order by amount from most to least. This means that because açai is the first ingredient listed on the label, there is more açai in the MonaVie products than any other single ingredient.
The 18 additional fruits have been added to MonaVie’s premier açai blend for the purpose of adding to the product’s nutritional spectrum to provide you with a variety of antioxidants.
Q: What is the ORAC score for your product?
A: Sambazon.com: One of our Acai smoothies or juices (10.4 fl oz.) have anywhere from 5,000- 15,000 ORAC units.
Monavie.com: Four ounces of MonaVie has an approximate ORAC value of 4,000 to 5,000 units. This is the approximate ORAC value of 5 to 13 commonly eaten fruits and vegetables. Health experts currently recommend consuming 5,000 ORAC units per day for optimal antioxidant protection.
***SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON*** If you break down the ORAC unit scores per oz. Sambazon smoothies or juices have between 481 to 1442 units per ounce and MonaVie has between 1000 to 1250 units per ounce.
Q: Why is Mona Vie so expensive compared to Sambazon? (I asked this question to MonaVie prior to realizing that 2 out of the 3 MonaVie drinks are actually cheaper per serving than the Sambazon drinks – see above)
A: MonaVie develops and markets scientifically formulated, premium quality nutritional products. The variety of the fruits in MonaVie have been chosen for their distinct nutritional assets. Açai, our star ingredient, is one of the world's most powerful antioxidants but is hard to come by outside the Amazon. In addition to acai, there are 18 additional body-beneficial fruits. Many of these exotic fruits cannot simply be picked up at your local supermarket.
Q: Why is MonaVie not organic?
A: MonaVie Product Support: The acai used in MonaVie is wild crafted and comes directly from the forest, therefore organic certification would be unnecessary. MonaVie is not certified organic. However, to ensure safety the finished MonaVie products are regularly tested for dozens of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides by an independent, third-party analytical laboratory. Each test performed has repeatedly found the products to be free of any of these potentially harmful substances. This added step in MonaVie’s quality control process ensures our consumers are getting a safe, pure, and high-quality product.
Q: Is MonaVie FDA approved?
A: 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.
Q: Why is the ratio of ingredients in your product not public information?
A: The amount of each ingredient in the MonaVie product is proprietary. The product formula is one of the company’s greatest intellectual properties. However I will remind you that the ingredients appear on the label in order by amount as required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). MonaVie’s ingredient list contains Açai puree, Açai freeze dried powder, eighteen other fruits, glucosamine hydrochloride, Esterified fatty acids, etc, etc. Freeze dried Açai powder and açai puree are the most abundant ingredients in MonaVie products.
Q: Why is there not a Nutrition Facts label printed on your bottle with fat, calorie, etc content amounts?
A: The information printed on the MonaVie bottles is compliant with FDA labeling laws. If additional information is requested, it can be provided by emailing product questions.
Q: How much sugar is in each serving?
A: MonaVie Product Support: MonaVie does not add any additional sugars to the blend. The total amount of sugar is very small in a one ounce serving. The sugar per serving for MonaVie is: 3g for MonaVie Original, 3g for MonaVie Active and 7g for MonaVie Pulse.
Sambazon Nutrtion Facts: The sugar per serving for Sambazon is: 20g for Supergreens Revolution, 21g for Antioxidant Trinity and 30g for Strawberry Samba.
Q: Is Sambazon/MonaVie fair trade?
A: Sambazon Bottle: “our certified organic and fair trade forest projects help protect the Amazon Rainforest and benefit thousands of local families”
MonaVie Product Support: The MORE Project is dedicated to changing lives and restoring families living in extreme poverty in Brazil. To the lives it touches, the MORE project means more hope, more health, more caring, and more love. http://media.monavie.com/pdf/israel/kosher_certificate.pdf MonaVie seeks to conduct its business ethically and responsibly and expects its independent distributors to do the same. MonaVie has implemented the practices and policies for ethical conduct required by the US Direct Selling Association (http://www.monavie.com/Web/US/en/scientific_advisory_board.dhtml) and the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (http://media.monavie.com/pdf/israel/kosher_certificate.pdf). These ethical codes and MonaVie's policies and practices are consistent with fair trade laws and regulations in all jurisdictions in which it operates.
Q: What is the shelf life of MonaVie/Sambazon?
A: MonaVie is good for one year and then approximately 30 – 60 days once the bottle has been opened as long as the bottle has been refrigerated.
Sambazon does not state what the shelf life is for their juices or smoothies, however I purchased my juices on 6.6.09 from Whole Foods and they expire on July 25th, 2009.
Q: How does the cost compare per serving for Sambazon vs. MonaVie?
A:
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Smoothie “Strawberry Samba”
Retail: $2.99/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 1.3
Serving Size: 8 fl. Oz.
Cost/Serving: $2.30/serving
Wholesale: There is no wholesale price
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Juice “Antioxidant Trinity”
Retail: $2.99/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 1.3 servings; Serving Size: 8 fl. Oz.
Cost/Serving: $2.30/serving
Wholesale: There is no wholesale price
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Smoothie “Supergreens Revolution”
Retail: $2.99/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 1.3; Serving Size: 8 fl. Oz.
Cost/Serving: $2.30/serving
Wholesale: There is no wholesale price
MonaVie Original
Retail: $39.00/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 25 servings
Serving Size: 1 oz. servings (recommended Drink 1 to 2 ounces twice daily)
Cost/Serving: $1.56/serving; Recommended 2 – 4 oz daily: $3.12 - $6.24
Wholesale: $32.00/bottle
Cost/Serving: $1.28/serving ($2.56 - $5.12)
Wholesale Bulk (1 case = 4 bottles = 28 day supply): $120.00
Cost/Serving: $1.20/serving ($2.40 - $4.80)
Wholesale Bulk (2 case = 8 bottles = 28 day supply for two): $220.00
Cost/Serving: $1.10/serving ($2.20 - $4.40)
MonaVie Active
Retail: $45.00/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 25 servings
Serving Size: 1 oz. servings (recommended Drink 1 to 2 ounces twice daily)
Cost/Serving: $1.80/serving
Recommended 1 – 2 servings twice daily: $3.60 - $7.20
Wholesale: $37.00/bottle
Cost/Serving: $1.48/serving ($2.96 - $5.92)
Wholesale Bulk (1 case = 4 bottles = 28 day supply): $130.00
Cost/Serving: $1.30/serving ($2.60 - $5.20)
Wholesale Bulk (2 case = 8 bottles = 28 day supply for two): $230.00
Cost/Serving: $1.15/serving ($2.30 - $4.60)
Monavie Pulse
Retail: $45.25/bottle
Servings in a bottle: 12 servings
Serving Size: 2 oz. servings (recommended Drink 2 ounces twice daily)
Cost/Serving: $3.77/serving; Recommended two servings = $7.54/day
Wholesale: $37.25/bottle
Cost/Serving: $3.10/serving ($6.20/Day)
Wholesale Bulk (1 case = 4 bottles = 28 day supply): $131.00
Cost/Serving: $2.73/serving ($5.46/Day)
Wholesale Bulk (2 case = 8 bottles = 28 day supply for two): $232.00
Cost/Serving: $2.42/serving ($4.84/Day)
Q: Am I paying for overpriced apple juice? Below are the ingredient lists and nutrition facts for both Sambazon and MonaVie:
A:
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Juice “Antioxidant Trinity”
Contains 80% Juice
Serving Size: 8 fl oz.
Servings per container: 1.3
Calories 110
Calories from fat 15
Total Fat 2g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Omega 3: 20mg
Omega 6: 245mg
Omega 9: 1020mg
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 10mg
Total Carbohydrate: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 21g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 4%
Vitamin C: 230%
Calcium: 4%
Iron: 2%
Ingredients: Organic Acai Puree, Organic Blue Agave Syrup, Organic Apple Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate), Organic Grape Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Grape Juice Concentrate), Organic Blueberry Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Blueberry Juice Concentrate), Organic Acerola Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Acerola Concentrate), Organic Pomegranate Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Pomegranate Concentrate), Organic Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid, Fruit and Vegetable Juice (for Color).
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Smoothie “Strawberry Samba”
Contains 95% Juice
Serving Size: 8 fl oz.
Servings per container: 1.3
Calories 160
Calories from fat 25
Total Fat 3g
Saturated Fat 0.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Omega 3: 30mg
Omega 6: 290mg
Omega 9: 1350mg
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 10mg
Total Carbohydrate: 33g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 30g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 8%
Vitamin C: 35%
Calcium: 4%
Iron: 10%
Ingredients: organic acai puree organic apple juice (Filtered Water, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate), organic evaporated green cane juice, Organic Banana Puree, Organic Strawberry Puree, Contains less than 0.5% of: Organic Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid
Sambazon Acai Antioxidant Superfood Organic Smoothie “Supergreens Revolution”
Contains 100% Juice
Serving Size: 8 fl oz.
Servings per container: 1.3
Calories 140
Calories from fat 30
Total Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Omega 3: 35mg
Omega 6: 340mg
Omega 9: 1530mg
Cholesterol: 0mg
Potassium: 220mg
Sodium: 10mg
Total Carbohydrate: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 20g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 15%
Vitamin C: 40%
Calcium: 6%
Iron: 8%
Ingredients: Organic Acai Puree, Organic Apple Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate), Organic Grape Juice (Filtered Water, Organic Grape Juice Concentrate), Organic Banana Puree, Organic Mango Puree, Amazing Grass Organic Supergreens (Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Barley Grass, Organic Oat Grass, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Spirulina, Chlorella), Contains less than 0.5% of Organic Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid.
MonaVie Original
Serving Size: 1 fl. Oz.
Serving Per Container: 25
Calories: 30
Calories from Fat: 5
Total Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 5mg
Potassium: 55mg
Total Carbohydrate: 5g
Dietary Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Exclusive blend of acai (freeze-dried powder and whole fruit juice); fruit juice from concentrate (white grape, apple, acerola, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, apricot, prune, kiwi, blueberry, wolfberry, pomegranate, lychee, camu camu); fruit purees (pear, banana, bilberry); citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate.
MonaVie Active
Serving Size: 1 oz.
Servings per Container: 25
Calories: 30
Calories from fat: 5
Total Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 5mg
Potassium: 55mg
Total Carbohydrate: 5g
Dietary Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Proprietary blend of acai (freeze-dried powder and puree); reconstituted fruit juice blend (white grape, apple, acerola, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, prune, kiwi, blueberry, bilberry, wolfberry, pomegranate, lychee, camu camu); fruit purees (pear, banana, cupuacu); d-glucosamine hydrochloride, citric acid, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preservative), potassium sorbate (preservative).
MonaVie Pulse
Serving Size: 2 fl. Oz.
Servings Per Container: 12
Calories: 45
Calories from fat: 10
Total Fat: 1g
Sodium: 30mg
Total Carbohydrate: 8g
Dietary Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: <1g
Ingredients: Exclusive blend of acai (freeze-dried powder, puree); reconstituted fruit juice blend (concord grape blend, pineapple, apple, prickly pear, pomegranate, elderberry, yumberry, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, raspberry, aronia), puree fruit blend (acerola, strawberry, cupuacu, camu camu), plant sterols (emulsified with corn syrup solids, polyglycerol esers of fatty acids, gum acacia), Apple Phyto-Phenolics (polyphenol blend), omega-3 (cranberry seed oil), resveratrol, natural flavors, potassium sorbate (preservative), sodium benzoate (preservative), citric acid.
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13 comments:
The ORAC score test was developed by Dr. Guohua Cao, a chemist and physician. The ORAC score covers all the antioxidants in foods. Antioxidants cannot easily be measured separately, but the ORAC score test can identify which nutrients are the important antioxidants. Combinations of nutrients found in foods may have greater protective benefits than each nutrient on its own. Many people obtain a number of their daily nutrients from supplements in pill or powder form, but in order to receive the best form of nutrients, it is essential to receive them from plant chemicals rather than just from supplements. There are certain types of plants that have a better antioxidant level than others, and the ORAC score can measure these.
Different types of fruit and vegetables have different ORAC scores. The recommended “5-a-day” fruit and vegetable servings will give you an ORAC score of 1,750 units. You could pick seven fruits with a low ORAC level and achieve only 1,300 ORAC units, or you could pick seven with high values and receive around 6,000 ORAC units or more. A large handful of blueberries would give you an ORAC score of around 6,000.
Studies have shown that eating foods with a high ORAC score will raise the antioxidant levels in the blood by around 10 to 25%. The ORAC figure suggested by experts is around 5,000 units per day to have a significant effect on plasma and tissue antioxidant levels. Eating eight to ten servings of brightly colored fruits and vegetables or dark greens will help achieve this level. More and more foods and supplements are beginning to state the ORAC score on their labels, and this should make it easier to find foods you like which are also good for you.
nice that you've taken the time to try and compare the two drinks. they are actually vastly different.
#1:Sambazon is a vertically integrated company meaning that they have total control from start to finish. They buy their acai direct from a co-op of growers (Mona-Vie does not, they go through a middle man which Sambazon used to have to do). The importance with this is the quality of acai varies greatly depending on the season, when it was picked, ect.
#2: Sambazon is NOT freeze dried after it is bought. the skin and pulp is removed from the seed and it is immediately frozen in large drums to be sent to the US to make it's juices. The frozen packs of acai they sell at natural food stores is frozen @ the plant in Brazil. this process keeps it extremely fresh for us consumers.
#3: it's organic. mona vie is not.
#4: it's sustainable..aka they only buy from growers that keep a natural ratio of acai palms to other natives on their property. if they start planting all acai, Sambazon won't buy from them anymore.
#5: it's fair-trade. mona vie is not. they pay the growers a higher than average pay for their acai as well as support many side ventures for others in the community.
#6: as you said, THE PRICE!!! $2.99 for FRESH, ORGANIC acai juice in most major retailer across the country. i live in southern california so i buy it from Albertsons and Vons. Easily accessible.
#7: there is no water in sambazon. yes, some of the juices are blended with other fruit concentrates...just like mona vie, but once again, these are ORGANIC fruits that are healthy for you.
#8: they use agave nectar as a sweetener which is much for your body than cane sugar used elsewhere.
#8: as far as the sugar goes per serving in your comparison, look at the serving size. for sambazon it's the entire 10.5oz bottle. the mona vie active you tried has a serving size of 1 ounce.
#9: and last but not least...i could go on for days, acai is EXTREMELY perishable, hence all of sambazon's products, minus their suppliements need to be refrigerated or frozen and have about a 3mo. shelf life. think twice when you buy that bottle of 1-2yr old mona vie.
i too am a consumer that has done LOTS of research on the acai topic. i want the best, so i buy the best. and it happens to be the cheapest. mona vie is a multi-level marketing scheme. bottom line.
To UNI:
Thank you for taking the time to read what I wrote as well as to comment with so much good information.
There are a number of your comments in which I disagree and also a number of your comments in which I am not sure your information is accurate on MonaVie's practices.
I have e-mailed MonaVie directly with your comments (the ones I was unsure about) to get a response directly from the source.
I will be creating a new post based on your comments with my comments back to you on our other website www.monavietrainingguide.com under the title "MonaVie vs. Sambazon - The Debate Continues".
As soon as I hear back from MonaVie I will get the post up. No matter what their responses are, good or bad, I will post them. Stay tuned and thanks again for your comments!
Cheers to your health.
Superjuices don’t come close when comparing costs for antioxidants. Example: A day’s serving of MonaVie (4 oz.) is $7.20 ($45/bottle) or as low as $3.20 a day (at $20 – distributor’s cost) A single Delicious Red Apple costs about $0.75
For MonaVie,that gives you a ORAC of 2,698 umoles (29.57 ml per oz times 4 oz.times 22.81 according to AIBMR). That also gives you a total phenolics (all antioxidants) for the day, of 175 mg. for 4 oz.
The 22.81 ORAC and 1.48 mg phenolics are from the MonaVie-sponsored study by AIBMR Life Sciences.
Now compare it to a SINGLE Red Delicious Apple. Average weight 150 gms.
Total ORAC per apple: 6,413 umoles. (42.75 umoles times 150 gms)
Total phenolics (total antioxidants): 520 mg per apple. Apple data from USDA ORAC Table of Selected Foods – 2007
SUMMARY: ORAC: MonaVie: 2,698 Apple: 6,413
PHENOLICS: MonaVie: 175 mg Apple: 520 mg
COST: MonaVie: $3.20 to $7.20 per day Apple: $0.75/day
To UNI: I have posted a response to all of your statements on our blog www.monavietrainingguide.com under the post title "MonaVie vs. Sambazon - The Debate Continues" - all answers to the issues you bring up are answered directly by MonaVie's Product Support team, not by me.
To Anonymous who compares MonaVie to eating a Red Delicious Apple: There are thousands of different phytochemicals and antioxidants found in foods. MonaVie has 19 fruits within one drink, one of which is the acai berry. Comparing a drink with 19 fruits with an apple is a bit misleading. However, I have a more detailed response direct from MonaVie's Product Support which will post on August 8th on our blog www.monavietrainingguide.com.
I'm aware of phytonutrients. I've been a food technologist for thirty years. Five years with a fruit juice company. However, 19 fruits or 1900 fruits, you are still drinking only 4 oz. per day. That's where MonaVie falls way short. MonaVie has a lower ORAC and lower total phenolics (plant-based antioxidants) than store-shelf concord grape juice.
I'm looking forward to the response put out by MonaVie. I imagine they will have to contradict their own study.
FOOD TECH IN CA
To those of you who have read this far, the conversation continues on our other blog at www.monavietrainingguide.com under the post titled "MonaVie vs. Sambazon - The Debate Continues"...
... also under www.monavietrainingguide.com under "MonaVie vs. The Red Delicious Apple"
Just saw Sambazon at Costco - 2 32 oz. bottles for $10!!! We have been taking Mona Vie for almost a year, and whenever we stop, our joints start hurting again. NOt sure if it is the acai or the glucosamine. I am trying to do reserach to determine if switching would be okay. YOur report is great except for the fact that the serving size for SAmbazon is 8 oz. and Mona Vie is only 1 oz. So if you were to compare the sugar content to each other, you need to compare the same number of ounces. Why is Sambazon's serving size 8 oz. while MOna Vie's is only 1 oz? I am still doing research, but the price difference is HUGE. And to your point - Sambazon does not pay you to sell it - it is going to get harder and harder to sell Mona Vie with Sambazon costing 70% less, and available at Costco. I have been a Mona Vie distributor for almost a year and have not signed anyone up. Granted, I am not "pushing it" as I know a lot of Mona Vie people do. But I do believe in the benefits and have gotten some people to try it. Just not sign up as a distributor. But my friend who got me started had devoted hundreds of hours to "pushing it" and barely pays for her own Mona Vie through her sales.
To Sara Vance - the serving size is what the ORAC scores/other info is based on so that's why it does make more sense to drink MonaVie in my opinion because the nutritional value of 1 oz. vs. 8 oz. not to mention the sugar content!
One thing that concerns me about Mona Vie is the temperature storage factor. A top seller gave my friend a few bottles out of the trunk of his car. They were warm.
I've had the Samabazon packs since 2006 daily. I experimented with 'off' periods and 'on' periods to see if I notice a difference.
During the times I ate Acai, I had no canker sores (used to get them all the time). My allergies ceased. I had more energy throughout the day.
Who knows?
This article doesn't seem too swift. It compares Monavie to one bottled drink marketed by Sambazon.
Compare it dollar for dollar to Sambazon in freeze dried form. 3000 mg per serving. And about $14 for 30 servings.
The freeze dried Sambazon has NO sugar at all!!
And the deliver it to your door thing is dumb. You can order Sambazon through the mail if you like or pick it up at the store.
Amazon will even schedule automatic delivery of Sambazon to your door.
There is no comparison, so Monavie sellers have to twist the facts in articles like this one. Tons of verbiage, little fact.
great post. I used to be a Monavie rep hitting star 500. good company but didn't fit my needs.
Saw Sambazon at cost and wow, cheap and hence why I googled this post. Good stuff.
I saw Sambazon offers an affiliate referral. 7.5% of all sales sent to website.
I have yet to taste sambazon but competition in the market is good for us all ;)
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