I know I promised not to get too geeky with this stuff, but the science on blueberries is so cool I had to share it all with you. Have a great weekend and we'll look at some more of the awesome superfruits in Bazi next week.

• 6 vitamins
• 11 essential and 22 trace dietary minerals
• 18 amino acids
• 8 polysaccharides and 6 monosaccharides
• 5 unsaturated fatty acids, including the essential fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid
• beta-sitosterol and other phytosterols
• 5 carotenoids, including beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene and cryptoxanthin, a xanthophyll
• numerous phenolic pigments associated with antioxidant properties

Recently, Men's Exercise magazine released an article titled Vitamin D & Exercise: A Winning Combination. The author, Lorna Garano, writes that consuming vitamin D is a great way to supercharge your workout. She writes, "Boosting your D intake will allow you to bring more energy and better performance to your workouts. And if you go outside for your regular run or workout, you’ll get more vitamin D from exposure to sunlight."

Lorna also spoke on the subject with James E. Dowd, M.D., an associate director and professor of medicine at Michigan State University. Mr. Dowd says, “Vitamin D helps you exercise better, longer and more productively.”  He went on to say that, "The trouble is that a whopping 60 percent of us are vitamin D deficient and most don’t know it."

It comes as no surprise that Men's Exercise wrote very kind words about BAZI. Did you know that BAZI contains 200% of your daily recommended dose of vitamin D? BAZI makes sure that your workout is supercharged and super healthy. 

This blog post was inspired by Addicted 2 Energy's question regarding our stance on vitamin B. Thanks Avery!

His question: What exactly is with the "safe amount of b vitamins" doesn't anyone know that excess b vitamins leave the body?

We are often asked about B vitamins, specifically on what we consider to be safe amounts. Of course we can't speak for other companies, but we believe that our position is based on science and not marketing hype.

When we formulated BAZI, we believed that it was best to deliver vitamins in amounts that were based on what the scientific community generally agreed upon as safe and beneficial for long-term health. We didn't want to get into a "horsepower race" and just try and beat our competitors by adding more vitamins than everyone else.

For example, one serving of BAZI contains less than 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for all B vitamins except folate (folic acid). The DV amounts are universally accepted as without risk and being below 100% is a virtual guarantee of safety.

With regards to folate, the Institute of Medicine and National Institutes of Health both suggest that folate intake of up to 1000 micrograms per day is absolutely safe and beneficial for good health, and BAZI falls well below that value.

As far as the amounts contained in our competitors' products, we challenge them to demonstrate the long-term safety of ingesting B vitamins in excess of thousands of percent over the DV. It is simply ludicrous to assume that taking in isolated nutrients which are thousands of times more concentrated than found in foods cannot have potential long-term health risks. As a conscientious company, BAZI will not take that risk with the health of our consumers.

Another point to consider is the common misconception that excess water soluble vitamins are simply excreted and not used. The fact is, taking excess water-soluble vitamins may lead to health risks or difficulties. A prime example of this is peripheral neuropathy (loss of feeling in the fingers), a neurological problem caused by excess intake of vitamin B6. Niacin, as another example, can develop gastric ulcers with chronically high intakes.

If all of that doesn't convince you, then consider the fact that humans are adaptable to nutrient intake. Therefore, the more you take, the more you may need to get the same biological effect.

To summarize, BAZI is formulated with your health and safety in mind using nutrient values based on science and common sense. Can the competition say the same thing?

Did you know that BAZI is the only energy drink to contain Jujube? No, not those little over-priced chewy candies that rest next to the nonpareils at the movies. I'm talking about the nutritious Chinese fruit that has been cultivated for over 4000 years. How's that for healthy tradition? 

The fruit's health benefits have been used by various cultures. For example, in China jujube is used to treat diarrhea, fatigue and loss of appetite (probably because they are so delicious). Japanese researchers have found that jujube increases immunity. In India, jujube seeds are taken to quell nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps in pregnancy.

There are other great uses for jujube:

1. Cancer Treatment - The National Center of Biotechnology found jujube juice to have high cytotoxic activity on different tumor lines. In other words, the juice reduced tumor cell division (growth).  These benefits have been attributed to the jujube's high content of bioactive compounds. Studies conducted over a 20 year period have shown bioactive compounds to play an important role in the prevention of chronic diseases.
2. Stress Relief - Jujube can calm nerves and reduce anxiety. In fact jujube has been made into a syrup, tea, and wine for that specific purpose! 
3. Blood Purification - Jujube fruits contain alkaloids, triterpenoids and saponin. These compounds are all beneficial in purifying the blood and aiding digestion. Consuming the jujube fruit will help treat diarrhea, chronic fatigue, bronchitis and anemia. 

A jujube nutritional chart via Purdue University.

The next time you're jonesin' for jujube just grab a BAZI. You'll get healthy energy for a healthy life.

If you’re craving for a food flooded with antioxidants, pomegranate might be just what you’re looking for. Throughout history, pomegranates have been thought of as a jewel among fruits. Inside a pomegranate’s thick skin are tiny crimson seeds bursting with outstanding taste, high levels of fiber, and a plethora of vitamins and minerals.

Pomegranate or Punica granatum originated in the Middle East, but is now grown throughout the world. The fruit has a tough peel, and sweet juicy pulp that contains many seeds. In ancient times, the Babylonians would chew the seeds before battle, believing it would make them invincible.

With more and more people realizing the multiple benefits of pomegranates, it makes sense that BAZI would include this invincible fruit as one of our super 8. These health benefits can be given as follows:

• Fights Cancer: Pomegranate juice has three times more antioxidants per 100 ml than does red wine or green tea! A study done on 48 men who had surgery or radiation therapy to treat localized prostate cancer showed that drinking 8 ounces of pomegranate juice daily may slow the prostate cancer growth.
   
• Normalizes Blood Pressure: Pomegranate juice does an excellent job thinning blood. This makes pomegranate the perfect catalyst for promoting blood flow to the heart. One study showed that drinking 1.7 ounces of pomegranate juice per day lowered systolic blood pressure by as much as 5 percent.
   
• Healthy Teeth: Research shows that pomegranate juice possesses antibacterial properties. This aids in gum health.
   
• Supports Immune System: The high amount of vitamin C content helps to fight against flu and cold symptoms.

The next time you drink an energy drink you should ask yourself, what am I putting in my body? If the answer doesn’t involve any of the fantastic ingredients in BAZI, then you might owe your well-being an apology. Don’t sacrifice your health for energy. BAZI is a great complement to an active lifestyle, not an unhealthy, artificial fix.

The raspberry's nutritional value is often overshadowed by it's tastiness. For over 2000 years the raspberry has been the subject of medical interest for its digestive benefits and as a remedy for morning sickness. A new study has found that eating raspberries may prevent cancer by inhibiting the abnormal division of cells. Ellagic acid has been clinically show to cause apoptosis (cell death) in certain cancer cells. Tests conducted at the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina have revealed that the human body readily absorbs the ellagic acid from red raspberries. 

Among several significant phytochemicals, red raspberries contain ellagic acid, a phenolic compound that has exhibited anti-carcinogenic effects against a wide range of carcinogens in several tissues. Ellagic acid contributes to significant inhibition of colon, esophageal, liver, lung, tongue, and skin cancers in studies with rats and mice, both in vitro and in vivo. By the same token, quercetin, one of the flavanols found in raspberries, has been found to be an effective anticarcinogen against skin, colon and mammary cancers in rodents.

Health Benefits of Raspberries

• High in polyphenolic compounds known for their anti-cancer properties.

• Contain strong antioxidants such as vitamin C, quercetin and gallic acid.

• Have a high ORAC level – ORAC is a measure of the antioxidant capacity of a substance. Red raspberries with an ORAC of 24 µmole/TE/g are similar to blueberries, well known for their antioxidant values.

• Have been shown to inhibit the production of COX-I and COX-II enzymes. Anti inflammatory products like ibuprofen and aspirin, inhibit COX-I and COX-II resulting in the reduction of pain associated with arthritis, gout and other inflammatory conditions.

• Red raspberry oil is creating interest in the cosmeceutical market (skin care products which provide health benefits). The oil from raspberry seeds is rich in Vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acids and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 25-50.

Did you know that 90% of the raspberries sold in the United States come from the Pacific Northwest? That's a lot of raspberries. These berries are extremely versatile. You can make them into sauces, bake them into pies, blend them in smoothies, or eat them plain. We prefer to drink them in a shot BAZI.

Don't overlook the raspberry when drinking your BAZI. Sure, compared to the exotic acai, mangosteen, jujube, seabuckthorn, and goji berry -- the raspberry might seem a bit plain. But believe me, there is nothing plain about the nutrition in Raspberries.