Vemma: Is It For You?

Growing up, my dad spent a lot of time railing against multi-level marketing. A multi-level marketing organization is one where you both sell a profit, as well as recruit people to sell underneath you, and you take a percentage of your recruits’ earnings.  He called every such “opportunity” that our neighbors or friends brought forth a “Ponzi scheme” and taught his three children that they were the devil.  We were little.  We didn’t care.  We ignored him.  But something obviously penetrated my brain, because now, anytime I hear of anything multi-level marketing or pyramid-like in nature, I immediately assume it’s a scam.

On a totally different note, as a former personal trainer and current food and nutrition “expert” of sorts, I am also highly suspicious of anything that claims to help with weight loss, unless it is one of three things: diet, exercise, or caffeine.  Any diet pill or drink or supplement seems like a scam, unless it’s a prescription medication that is bio-similar to methamphetamine.  Those are for real, but kind of scary.

When I heard of the new diet supplement multi-level marketing product “Vemma,” both of my biases came together beautifully and started my suspicion-ometer blinking like a strobe light at a rave.  I decided to dig a little further, for you, because I care about you and don’t want you to eagerly hurl your money at something that is potentially a giant scam of lies.

Vemma is a juice blend that promises to change the way you “look and feel” and claims that it may protect against human diseases.  It contains mangosteen juice, which is a tropical fruit that some claim has healing properties and antioxidative properties, much like blueberries, acai, or other such fruits.

A look at the ingredients shows that it does, in fact, contain fruit juice.  They tout the mangosteen juice within as a “superfood” and suggest that it, along with their proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals, is very good for you.  I would agree.  Taking a daily supplement of vitamins and minerals can help fill in nutritional gaps from a modern diet. A similar benefit might be received from taking a much less expensive vitamin and mineral supplement.  Like gummy vitamins, for example.  Or a bowl of enriched cereal.

Many Vemma products also contain caffeine, which, as previously stated, does aid in weight loss. But again, a similar effect may be achieved by drinking a couple of cups of coffee or green tea, both of which contain anti-oxidants that can “neutralize free radicals” as Vemma boasts.

A one month supply of Vemma will range between $63 and $1000, according to their website. Costs depend on how much you’ll use, and how many samples you’ll be giving out to family and friends to encourage them to become your underlings while they secretly seethe with hatred for you and avoid your calls.

A one month supply of vitamins and coffee will cost you approximately $30, according to Amazon. Add some fresh fruit, and you’re looking at potential additional costs.  But the bright side of going with vitamins and coffee is that you won’t be badgering the people around you to join you in a Unique Business Opportunity.  And who can put a price on people not hating you?