Berry, berry good

Written by SkinnyintheCity   

Maybe I came to it a bit late, but I’ve just jumped on the açai berry bandwagon — with a vengeance! The açai berry has been touted as a super food because it has incredibly strong antioxidant properties as well as omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, and an essential amino acid complex. It all sounds amazing, but as with anything, there’s a catch. The berry comes from the lush rainforests of Brazil, and it’s best if consumed immediately after picking. Because it’s not readily available in the U.S. in its intact form and I’m not big on drinking juices, I never even tasted anything açai until now.

The beverage that won me over? MonaVie, an açai drink in what looks like a wine bottle. Here’s why I dig it: The açai berries that MonaVie uses are preserved by a freeze-drying process that takes place within hours of harvesting. This process helps the drink maintain more antioxidants than other juices. Antioxidants help counter the effects of free radicals found within the body’s cells, which studies have shown can help prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol, and also boost immunity.

But it’s still a juice, you say, so won’t I be drinking my calories? Not really. With this juice, you need to drink just four ounces a day to reap its benefits. This amount costs you just 120 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrates — roughly the equivalent of one serving of fruit — but it packs in multiple times the antioxidant power!

There are two specialty blends: “Pulse” contains heart-healthy plant sterols, which have been proven to lower cholesterol and “Active” has esterified fatty acids and glucosamine to help improve joint function and decrease inflammation. To buy the juice, you can become a preferred customer and get a 15% discount. Or you can become a member of the company for free, and buy the juice wholesale (kind of like joining Costco). Check it out at thegreatproduct.com/forabetterlife.

Tanya’s Tip : Drinking more than instructed is not necessary. If you want the full benefits, all you need is 4 ounces a day of this power juice — really!

 

Skinny Bonus: Want some in your refrigerator? Let us know why you'd like to try MonaVie by sending us an email at contests@skinnyandthecity.com. Eight people will win one of these antioxidant-rich bottles!