Mangosteen Mania: The New Super Fruit

At the media unveiling of the new FireSky Resort & Spa in Scottsdale (formerly the Caleo Resort, which was formerly the Sunburst) last Thursday evening, I was privy to the bonus goodie bag at the end of the exquisite event. Digging through it the next day, buried under the media kits, brochures and trinkets was a tiny, feminine-shaped bottle of an "ultra premium liquid dietary supplement" called Vemma. Oh, I thought, another one of those. But wait, this one had mangosteen juice. From what I've read lately, mangosteen is the new pomegranate -- a prized tropical superfood rich in nutrients and antioxidants. I finally took the plunge and tried it this morning. The taste is complex, fruity, a bit tangy and frankly, it didn't go down well with the leftover carrot cake from Easter dinner that I ate along with it. I wouldn't recommend the combo. But it certainly tasted healthy. And while mangosteen has suffered some controversy because of its association with multi-level marketeers, the product did have a well-balanced blend of other nutrients including trace minerals, organic aloe vera and green tea. To read more yourself, visit Vemma online. Just don't drink it with carrot cake.