Source : New Zealand
Highly regarded nutritionist Rosemary Stanton says her main concern is that while the fad juices such as noni and goji may have genuine health benefits, they have not been the subject of scientific trials on humans and are sold at such enormous prices that people are convinced they must be good for you. Another huge concern is that if people believe their ailments can be fixed by a very expensive juice, they may delay getting effective medical treatment. “It becomes almost a religious belief in the product,” she says. “I don’t have any doubt that some people take these products and suddenly feel better. The placebo effect is very strong.” Stanton has written about the marketing of noni and goji juice for the weekly journal Australian Doctor, noting the wild health claims made about them. She went through all the so-called scientific studies cited by the main websites and found that even negative coverage in a medical journal was counted by sellers as “scientific backing”.

Marc Cohen, Professor of Complementary Medicine at RMIT University and president of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association, says the idea of the “exotic” plays a big part in the attraction of untested juices such as noni and goji. “There is a perception that because it’s exotic and has mysterious origins it must be better for you”. The problem with multi-level is that while Australian authorities such as Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the ACCC can prosecute Australian website marketers, sales are often carried out by linking to a foreign website, where the more outrageous claims may go unfettered.