Today, I’d like to get some things off my chest that have been bothering me for a while, namely greed and abuse of consumer credibility by many companies selling outrageously expensive products for their so-called “antioxidant.” force.

First I’m going to squash some obvious ‘ripoff’ products, not because they are necessarily the worst out there, but simply because these products are promoted all the time and I know many honest health seekers are wasting much of their hard earned money on them. .

Then, after I’m done with this fuss, I’m going to deal one last blow to these greedy empires by showing you some of the best antioxidant-packed foods you can incorporate into your diet on the cheap.

Xango mangosteen juice: or the art of abusing credulity

I never told you that, but a long time ago (over 12 years), I briefly tried to succeed in the “network marketing” world. For almost a year, I was involved in one such company, selling “premium dog food”, believe it or not!

So I got a lot of insights into the world of “network marketing.” While it’s true that there are plenty of good companies operating under this model, there are definitely plenty of bad ones as well.

When I first joined this MLM (Multi-Level Network) company, the great guru told us that MLM was the future of the world. That in ten years 80% of the products would be distributed in this way (which obviously has not happened, 10 years later… not even close).

He also told us that because MLM bypasses the “big distribution network,” it allowed for the distribution of higher quality products at a lower cost.

My experience with many networking companies that I have come across shows that this is incorrect. Generally, the products they sell have a very high price. Unless you actually join as a distributor, you are literally paying multiple times the actual market value of the product.

I also found that while there are some good MLM companies with good products, most companies sell dubious items to gullible consumers. Many of these products actually have very little value and are 90% hype, marketing and exaggerated claims.

Of course, they always have a cute little story to back it up. How the founder of the company had a “vision” and a “dream” to improve the nutrition of the entire world, and how he founded his company to fulfill his superior mission.

I especially like how they talk about this “scientist” from Japan (ever notice they’re all from Japan?) who found the fountain of youth in an ancient plant and wants to share it with the western world.

Let’s talk about this mangosteen juice

The Xango company markets its exotic fruit drink made with mangosteen. This fruit is not related to the “mango”. When I was in Bali, I ate mangosteens by the kilo and they were very cheap. In Asia, the mangosteen is considered the “queen of fruit” for its delicate flavor.

Xango sells its mangosteen juice as a “miracle cure.” In reality, what they sell is some mangosteen product mixed with the juices of eight other fruits. And at $32.50 a bottle, this fruit juice had better be good!

Actually, if you start to believe its marketing literature, this juice is nothing short of a miracle cure.

According to Xango, there are more than 20 “human health benefits” to their mangosteen juice, from “antimicrobial” to “anticancer.”

Supposedly, we should drink its juices because of the “xanthones,” a “powerful antioxidant” that “may help maintain gut health, strengthen the immune system, neutralize free radicals, help maintain cartilage and joint function, and promote a healthy seasonal respiratory system.” “

However, since they do not have any serious research to support this claim, Xango adds this disclaimer as a footnote: “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent no sickness”. “.

Xango is in the bux business

Anyone who knows network marketing knows how the system works. Independent distributors sell the products, but they primarily recruit other distributors to earn a percentage of their sales.

Typically, the motivated network marketer will aggressively sell the products to their own friends, relatives, and neighbors.

(I remember when I was at this “dog food” company and phoned the entire list of names from my high school year, to introduce them to the dog food product!)

With this system, the more distributors a person can recruit, the more money they can earn. And the company itself provides all the marketing material they need to generate as much excitement as possible.

Like all similar products sold through the same type of system, Xango has some semblance of scientific truth that they go overboard to sell their product.

Many of his claims are completely exaggerated and unsubstantiated. For a neutral perspective on Xango, read the Wikipedia page on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XanGo

Countless other products

The marketing, claims, and dubious research behind Xango’s success are eerily similar to many other similar products we’ve seen on the market in recent years. I mean:

– Noni fruit juice

– Goji berry juice

– Aloe vera juice

Same story here, same scam, with a different product. In fact, I found out that both the CFO and the president of Xango previously worked for Tahitian Noni International, another company that sells its own miracle cure.

When I look at a $35 bottle of “antioxidant-rich” mangosteen juice, I can’t help but laugh and think, “what kind of idiot would spend that kind of money (plus shipping) on ​​a bottle of fruit juice?”

Let’s not forget what these companies are looking for.

A few years ago, more than one person wanted to take advantage of my “great mailing list” to sign me up as a Xango distributor. They tried to convince me that I would make “big money” if I used the power of my mailing list to sell this product and recruit other distributors.

I didn’t for a second consider doing that and never responded to those requests (one came from a friend of mine).

What is interesting is that everyone who came to me about mangosteen juice spent more time explaining to me how much money I could make with it, instead of trying to convince me that it was a really good product. It’s almost as if the product is irrelevant as long as the rest is in place.

Some foods rich in antioxidants: cheap alternatives

Okay, now that I feel a little better for speaking the truth about this mangosteen juice, let me give you some quick tips that these companies certainly don’t want you to know.

1- Berries: Berries are by far one of the richest sources of antioxidants, particularly wild blueberries. I suggest having as many berries as you can. In addition, they are particularly pleasant to eat. When wild blueberries are in season, freeze them in ridiculous amounts and use them all year long.

2- Pomegranate Juice: Pomegranate juice is a very high source of cancer-fighting antioxidants. You can buy fresh pomegranates and make the juice yourself, or buy pomegranate concentrate (which is still a great source of antioxidants). The good thing is that even a large pitcher of pomegranate juice will only cost you about $7, which is 5 times less than mangosteen juice (which is mostly made from other juices). And best of all, you can find it in most health food stores.

3- Plums: According to recent studies, plums rank very high in the “antioxidant” score (http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/20061101/antioxidants-found-unexpected-foods) Whew, because they are also very delicious.

4- Vegetables — Dark green leafy vegetables are also an excellent source of antioxidants. But not only that. Vegetables contain more nutrition than any other food! For the full story, sign up for the Green for Life program (http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/greenforlife.html)

5- Mangosteen — Finally, you too can get the health benefits of mangosteen…by trying it fresh. they are very delicious. You can find them in many Asian markets. Even at $5 a pound, you’re going to get a better deal than you would with Xango juice. And if you ever travel to Costa Rica in September, or Asia in the winter, you’ll get all the mangosteens you can eat, at very cheap prices.

In a future issue I will delve into this fascinating subject of antioxidants.

Know that next week, for less than the price of two bottles of mangosteen juice (I think I’ll start talking like that for a while…), you can join me in a powerful and truly “results driven” green cleanse. — one of my most popular and effective detox diets. There are a few spaces available and cleanup begins June 4th. Sign up at: http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/greenforlife.html)