Does the idea of losing weight, making more money and cleansing your body sound appealing to you? If your answer is “yes”, you’re not alone. Thousands of people from across the globe also like the idea of this concept, which led to the development and ongoing success of the multi-national company, Isagenix.
If you’ve ever received an email from a friend or acquaintance posing the idea of a fantastic business opportunity with the words “nutritional cleanse” included, or have been approached in your gym about getting started with a cleansing program – this concept may sound familiar.
Isagenix is a US based company that was founded in 2002. The company was designed as a multi-level-marketing company that sells dietary supplements, meal replacement shakes and other personal use products.
Just as we recently exposed the ingredients in Soylent, today we’re uncovering what’s really in Isagenix and look at whether or not these products are really all they’re cracked up to be!
1. Approach
Isagenix advocates for a very low calorie diet and instructs people to replace two meals per day with shakes. There are thousands of Isagenix testimonials flooding the internet showing how much weight people can lose simply by using these products. Does this mean they are good for us? The answer here is no.
Isagenix is essentially a multi-level marketing company (also known as a network marketing company).
Multi-level marketing relies on sales people recruiting new salespeople into the scheme. Essentially, the issue here is that unqualified people are able to give health advice to vulnerable people seeking the crucial information they need on how to live a healthier life.
2. Does This Product Contain Real, Whole, Nutritious Food?
Although Isagenix markets itself as “all natural”, a few of the ingredients in their products had us raising our eyebrows. These ingredients ranged from vegetable oils, juice concentrates (i.e. sugar) and flavor enhancers to acidity regulators and soy lecithin. They also contain a wide range of synthetic vitamins.
We noticed that many of these products also contained a warning to consult a medical professional before ingestion if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Surely this is a warning sign not only to pregnant women but to everyone that these products aren’t good for us.
The main ingredient in Isagenix shakes is a combination of dairy-based milk powders. You can read about the dangers of dairy here.
They do have dairy-free versions also containing a concoction of scary ingredients.
Dairy foods cause inflammation in the body. It seems quite contradictory to becleansing the body with inflammatory foods, right?
3. Natural Flavors
When we see the term “natural flavors” it’s easy to assume that it means healthy, in its “natural” state and good for us. Let’s not get too carried away. Natural flavor can mean a wide range of things.
Take castoreum for example. This product is one of the many ingredients that can be listed as “natural flavor”.
Castoreum is used to make natural berry and vanilla flavoring. It is an extract derived from the anal glands of a beaver. Mmmmm just think of all the other ingredients that could be hiding under the term “natural flavor”.
4. How Come There Are So Many People Claiming That Isagenix “Works”?
Calorie restriction and eating under the recommended daily caloric needs is one way to lose weight, however, doing so can be extremely dangerous. These diets are generally unsustainable and, upon returning to eating within a normal calorie range, can actually lead to an increase in weight.
Unfortunately, companies like Isagenix rely heavily on testimonials. As the evidence that these products are healthy, sustainable and promote a healthy lifestyle really doesn’t exist, this is where testimonials play a vital part of attracting their audience.
Isagenix also offers “maintenance packs”. Our question here is, if you have to keep paying for maintenance, what health have you actually achieved?
Instead of teaching how to eat abundantly and fuel your body with healthy, nutritious foods in their natural state (the way we were designed to eat!), Isagenix is essentially promoting restriction and deprivation of the beautiful foods available to us.
5. Let’s Weigh Up The Cost
According to the current Isagenix price guide, these products don’t come cheap. A ‘30 Day Starter Pak’ will set you back just under $500 USD (unless you are part of the network marketing scheme and can get it at a cheaper price). Of course it all depends what ‘program’ you choose as to how much you are willing to pay.
The products range from a ‘9-Day Cleansing Program’, which aims to “support healthy energy and help satisfy hunger” that retails for an average of $230 USD for the nine days, to a ‘President’s Pak’ which “combines best-selling products with proven marketing tools” for $743 USD for 30 days.
Let’s take a look at what else you can buy for the same money as an Isagenix ‘30 Day Starter Pak’.
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6-7 1 hour personal training sessions
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6-8 consultations with a nutritionist or naturopath
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6 weeks worth of fresh produce delivered to your door
