We recommend consulting with your doctor to see if Mona Vie is right for you.

What is the recommended dosage of Mona Vie?
Just 1 oz. twice daily (2 tablespoons per oz.) will start to give you the nourishment your body is craving. We recommend taking Mona Vie for at least 6 – 8 weeks, everyday to get the full effect on how this nutritional drink can help you live a healthier life.

Do I need to eat other fruits if I drink the recommended Mona Vie?
Some fiber is removed from Mona Vie Juice in order to make it taste good and have a good texture, so we recommend eating some whole fruits that aren't in Mona Vie Acai juice. It is always important that you maintain a well balanced diet in addition to drinking Mona Vie Juice.

What exactly is Celadrin®?
Essential fatty acids have been shown to be useful in countering many ailments such as arthritis and heart disease, and for increased immune response. Celadrin is a unique proprietary blend of these fatty acids that is added to Mona Vie Acai Juice to create Mona Vie Active Acai Juice that significantly aids in joint function and pain reduction.

I have Diabetes; can I safely drink Mona Vie Juice?
You should always check with your doctor before altering your diet and keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels. Glucosamine is technically a carbohydrate which the body is not able to convert into glucose.

How do daily vitamins and Mona Vie Juice compliment each other?
Mona Vie Juice is a natural food source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that are only found in whole foods. Mona Vie Active also includes glucosamine and Celedrin which are shown to restore joint health and significantly reduce joint pain and inflammation.

Why aren't there more vitamins and minerals listed on the label?
There are over 50 phytonutrients contained in Mona Vie Juice and Mona Vie Active Juice. Mona Vie can't list its proprietary blend of fruit juice, or everyone else would copy it! Labeling laws require a listing of Vitamin C, fat, protein, as well as other vitamins and minerals. Mona Vie is not intended to be a source of macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Mona Vie is a natural food source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that are available only in whole foods. For your information, one ounce of Mona Vie Acai juice contains 20 calories, and 4 grams of carbohydrates.

How many different fruits are contained in Mona Vie products?
Mona Vie products are a proprietary blend of 19 power-packed fruits. Fruits are necessary not only for their vitamin, mineral, and fiber content, but also for the many phytonutrients and antioxidants they offer. Mona Vie’s goal was to create a blend of delicious and nutritious fruits high in antioxidants and specific phytonutrients. An exhaustive review and analysis of fruits grown all over the world revealed that wild fruits—and particularly those grown in the Amazon rainforest—had by far the most phytonutrients. In the end, Mona Vie chose the 19 fruits that would best contribute to your health and give you the variety of fruits your body needs on a daily basis.

Why does the acai berry seem to get more attention than the other healthful fruits in Mona Vie?
While all the fruits contained in Mona Vie have unique properties that benefit your body, the acai berry has become the “headliner” fruit because it is packed with nutritional value—proteins, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals. It also has a low glycemic index. So complete is this berry that the Brazilian people living along the Amazon can survive on it as their sole source of food and demonstrate amazing vitality and energy. More important than this, however, is the impressive amount of phytonutrients that Mona Vie is able to capture from the acai berry.

What fruits are contained in Mona Vie products?
In addition to the acai berry, there are 18 fruits, including: white grape, nashi pear, acerola, pear, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passionfruit, banana, apricot, prune, kiwi, blueberry, bilberry, camu camu, wolfberry, pomegranate, and lychee fruit.

Does acai have a high ORAC score?
Yes, with an ORAC score of 1,026, the acai used in Mona Vie boasts the highest ORAC score of any fruit or vegetable tested to date. The acai fruit is the star among other well-known antioxidants, such as blueberries, grapes, red wine, green tea, cranberries, blackberries, and pomegranates. By comparison, acai has more than 10 times the antioxidant power of cranberries.

What does ORAC mean?
An acronym for oxygen radical absorption capacity, ORAC is a way to measure the antioxidant capacity of a food. Foods with high ORAC values are desirable for their ability to inhibit free radical activity. The ORAC measurement was developed by a scientist at the National Institute of Aging in 1992 and has proven to be a valuable tool in quantifying health benefits associated with consuming fruits, vegetables, and other antioxidant-containing foods and supplements.

What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are “agents” that inhibit harmful compounds known as free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to your cells through the process of oxidation. By donating an electron to unstable free radicals, antioxidants neutralize their harmful effects. Obtaining a variety of antioxidants through diet or supplementation is essential to maintaining your good health.

What are free radicals?
Free radicals are atoms with at least one unpaired electron. In excess, free radicals produce harmful oxidation that can damage cell membranes. Free radicals are analogous to cattle let loose on a field of planted crops. Uncontrolled, the cattle would destroy the crops. Ranch hands are hired to make sure the cattle stay in place and graze. Antioxidants act much the same way. As the ranch hands for our bodies, antioxidants prevent free radicals from potentially damaging millions of healthy, functioning cells.

What is oxidative stress?
Oxidative stress occurs in your body when there are not enough antioxidants to counter the effects of damaging free radicals.

What causes excess free radicals?
Tobacco smoke, alcohol, pollution, insecticides, radiation, chemicals in the home or at work, and excessive amounts of sunlight are all prolific contributors to the formation of free radicals. Other causes include a high-fat diet, stress, insufficient sleep, and strenuous exercise.

How well do Mona Vie products scavenge other free radicals such as peroxynitrite (NORAC), hydroxyl (HORAC), and superoxide anion (SORAC)?
The Mona Vie juice blend is a very powerful antioxidant against these additional free radicals; in fact, the SORAC assay score of 1,614 unit/g represents the highest value ever reported for superoxide scavenging activity in vitro of any food.

What are phytonutrients?
Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds that contribute to the flavor, color, and disease-resistance of plants (i.e., fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes). Phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants, but their value extends much beyond free radical protection. Maximum health benefits are derived from consuming a variety of phytonutrients with a full spectrum of colors and pigments, such as those found in Mona Vie products.

What are polyphenols?
Polyphenols are a class of powerful antioxidants that play an important role in preventing cardiovascular diseases (e.g., heart disease, heart failure, and stroke) and that have been shown to reduce harmful LDL cholesterol. Polyphenols are also thought to be responsible for the French Paradox: the French have a diet relatively high in fat, yet have a decreased incidence of heart disease. This is attributed to the amount of polyphenols present in the grapes used to make French wines. Mona Vie products contain a powerful variety of polyphenols, including anthocyanins. It is estimated that Mona Vie products have 20–30 times the amount of anthocyanins found in red wine.

Does Mona Vie use flash pasteurization?
Yes. With flash pasteurization, the product is heated for approximately 15–30 seconds and then immediately cooled. By only briefly subjecting the product to high temperatures, most—if not all—taste and color changes are avoided. Flash pasteurization is preferred to other methods because it kills microbes without destroying beneficial phytonutrients.

Is Mona Vie’s acai certified organic?
Yes. The acai used by Mona Vie is certified organic through The Institute for Marketecology (IMO). IMO is one of the first and most renowned international agencies for inspection, certification, and quality assurance of eco-friendly products. IMO’s worldwide activities are accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS), according to EN 45011 (ISO 65), which is the international standard for organic certification.

How much acai is contained in Mona Vie products?
Because Mona Vie product formulas are proprietary, the exact amount of acai or the other fruits contained in our blend is not disclosed.

How many servings of fruits and vegetables does the U.S. National Research Council recommend we eat daily?
The U.S. National Research Council recommends that you consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day to maintain a proper supply of food derived antioxidants for your body. Research indicates that only five percent of the U.S. population consumes five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Where are Mona Vie products manufactured?
To ensure the highest level of quality, Mona Vie blends and produces Mona Vie products at its manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah (not far from the corporate office).

What is glucosamine hydrochloride?
Glucosamine hydrochloride is a natural compound found in the body that is used to help make and form cartilage. Glucosamine has also been shown to help lubricate, cushion, protect, and rebuild joints.

Is one form of glucosamine more effective than another?
There are three types of glucosamine: glucosamine hydrochloride (HCl), N-acetyl glucosamine, and glucosamine sulfate. Both glucosamine HCl and glucosamine sulfate are rapidly converted into “free” glucosamine in the stomach. So, from a medicinal standpoint, they are equally effective. However, glucosamine HCl is 79 percent glucosamine, while glucosamine sulfate is only between 47 and 52 percent glucosamine. Mona Vie Active juice contains glucosamine HCl because it contains the highest level of free glucosamine.

What is the shelf life of the Mona Vie Original and Active juices?
If unopened, both the Mona Vie juices have a shelf life of one year. If the Mona Vie juice has been opened, then the shelf life is approximately 30-60 days, as long as the opened bottle is refrigerated.

Are Mona Vie products safe?
Yes, Mona Vie products are safe and contain only well-tolerated foods. Mona Vie contains fruit juices and purees naturally found in the food supply that have been consumed by various cultures for hundreds of years. However, if you have any health concerns, you should consult a physician before starting any new product or program.

Are Mona Vie products FDA approved?
There is no special approval or certificate needed from the FDA to approve the sale of a juice product. As long as the ingredients contained in Mona Vie products are generally recognized as safe, which they are, FDA approval is not necessary.

Do Mona Vie products treat, cure, or prevent disease?
It is not the purpose of a natural product like Mona Vie to treat, cure, or prevent disease; the FDA approves drugs to treat, cure, and prevent disease. Mona Vie’s products are made with a specific selection of fruits and other natural compounds such as glucosamine hydrochloride and esterified fatty acids. These fruits and compounds have been shown in some studies to protect from various ailments.

What are esterified fatty acids?
Esterified fatty acids are thought to reduce pain-like symptoms and rapidly promote joint health, improving flexibility and mobility. Esterification is the general name for a chemical reaction in which two chemicals (typically an alcohol and an acid) form an ester as the reaction product.

How much potassium is in Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active?
For customers concerned about potassium levels for reasons relating to dialysis, please consult a physician before taking Mona Vie products. The potassium level in Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active is approximately 62–66 mg/oz. Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active contain no potassium additives, grapefruit, or cantaloupe.

Is there any vitamin K in Mona Vie Original or Mona Vie Active?
For customers concerned about vitamin K levels because of blood thinning medication, please consult a physician before taking any Mona Vie products. The vitamin K level in Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active is approximately 12.4 µg/oz.

Are Mona Vie products gluten-free?
Yes.

If someone is allergic to shellfish can they consume glucosamine hydrochloride?
Shellfish are a known allergen and glucosamine is derived from shrimp shells. However, people who are allergic to shellfish are actually allergic to the protein troponin, which is found in the muscle (protein) of shrimp. Analyses do not find any protein in the glucosamine hydrochloride used in Mona Vie Active Gel. Glucosamine hydrochloride (GHCl), the form of glucosamine used in Mona Vie Active Gel, is more than 99 percent pure. Because shellfish is a known allergen, please consult with a physician before taking Mona Vie Active Gel.

Why do Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active contain the preservative polysorbate?
To create a blend of water-based fruits and essential fatty acids that tasted palatable, Mona Vie considered a number of emulsifiers. The safest, by far, was polysorbate. Polysorbate has been thoroughly researched by the FDA and has been found to be nontoxic and safe at the amounts used in Mona Vie Original and Mona Vie Active. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (the “food police” for the USDA) awarded polysorbate their highest safety rating.

Why do Mona Vie products contain the preservative sodium benzoate?
Sodium benzoate, an organic chemical preservative, can prevent the growth of almost all microorganisms (e.g., yeast, bacteria, and fungi) and occurs naturally in some fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, wines, and teas.

Why are there natural flavors in Mona Vie products?
Mona Vie uses natural flavors in its products because a juice concentrate, which contains only the juice from a fruit, does not give you the entire flavor of the fruit. Mona Vie’s natural flavors make our products more palatable and balanced by staying true to the natural flavor of the entire fruit. The natural flavor used in Mona Vie Original, Mona Vie Active, and Mona Vie Active Gel is a mixed berry natural flavor.

Does Mona Vie use recycled glass in its glass bottles?
Yes. Mona Vie also encourages its distributors and customers to take advantage of recycling services in their state or country (where available).

What is acai?
Acai is a small, round, black-purple berry with amazing nutritional properties. Its appearance is similar to that of a grape, but it has a smaller amount of pulp and a single large seed. Scientific experts have referred to the acai berry as the most nutritious and powerful food in the world.Where does acai grow?
The acai berry grows in clusters on the acai palm, a genus of 25–30 species of palms native to tropical Central and South America. These tall, slender, and attractive palms can grow 15–30 meters tall, with leaves up to 3 meters long. The prime commercial source of acai comes from the area where several rivers converge within the Amazon estuary, emptying along the northeastern corner of Brazil into the Atlantic Ocean between the states of Para and Amapa. The people of Brazil refer to acai as the “Milk of the Amazon.”

Does harvesting the acai berry destroy the Amazon rainforest?
No. In fact, Mona Vie is helping to preserve the Amazon rainforest by harvesting the acai berry. Each week, poachers illegally chop down 5,000–10,000 palm trees to obtain and sell a 12-inch section of the palm known as the “palmito.” As a result, the entire tree dies. On the other hand, by harvesting just the acai berry, the palm tree continues to thrive and the natives have an incentive to preserve the acai-bearing palm tree. It is estimated that in 2006, Mona Vie, by buying the acai berry from Brazilian suppliers, will preserve over 250,000 acai palm trees.