Mona Vie juice is a product containing acai, a Brazilian berry rich in antioxidants and other nutrients, along with the juices of 18 other fruits. In addition to the original Mona Vie blend, there is Mona Vie Active with glucosamine and fatty acids to promote joint function, and Mona Vie Pulse with omega 3 fatty acids, resveratrol, and plant sterols to encourage the health of the heart. Mona Vie products are only available through individual distributors, and any person may become a distributor.
Mona Vie juice is sold according to a multi-level marketing plan, so that distributors earn money both for their own sales, and for the sales of other distributors that they have recruited. Distributors often host parties at which their friends can sample and purchase Mona Vie products. After paying a flat fee, distributors can purchase juice products at wholesale prices.
Mona Vie juice contains freeze-dried acai powder, acai puree, and juice from concentrate or puree of a variety of healthy fruits. The daily recommended serving is two to four ounces, which Mona Vie claims has the antioxidant capacities of 13 servings of fruit and vegetables. Many people choose this juice as a substitute to the five daily servings of fruit and vegetables recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because of its greater convenience. In addition to juice, Mona Vie products are also available as gels, which are portable, and even more convenient.
Mona Vie has come under criticism both for its marketing plan, which detractors see as a disreputable scheme, and for its claimed health benefits, which are not substantiated. Mona Vie is a food product, not a drug, and its makers admit that it is not intended to prevent or treat any disease, but simply to promote a healthy lifestyle. One of the most common criticisms leveled against Mona Vie juice is its high price. Fresh fruits and vegetables are much cheaper and, some claim, that they are at least as healthy, if not healthier, though admittedly not as convenient.
Despite widespread criticism, some people swear by the benefits of Mona Vie, which are claimed to include increased energy, improved immune function, reduced joint pain, and the elimination of migraines. However, most people who benefit from Mona Vie say that they did not consume the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables before they started using the product. Also, because it is in distributors' financial interest to convince others of the benefits of the product, it is difficult to take their claims at face value.