It’s the newest fad in the healthy living world… freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices. And not just green juice, but all colors of the rainbow.
Last weekend, while looking for kombucha at Whole Foods, half of the refrigerated beverage section was stocked with colorful bottles of beet, celery, and kale juices; the other half was, not surprisingly, designated for probiotic refreshments.
Home juicing and store-bought juices have squeezed their way to the top of the “2014 Healthiest Fads” list. I personally haven’t had much experience with either (although, I’ve played with my mom’s 30-year-old juicer a time or two), so I reached out to Pressed Juicery to see if I could sample some of their popular presses.
It’s not just green juice that’s the it thing, but juice cleanses more specifically. I wasn’t interested in doing a 3-day cleanse, or even a 1-day cleanse for that matter, but Pressed offered to let me sample a variety of their products regardless.
PJ has some info about cleansing if that interests you >> How a Cleanse Works // Juice Cleanse Benefits
Q: What’s your opinion on juice cleanses?
Since I had made the decision before my shipment arrived that I would not be partaking in a juice-only cleanse, I was somewhat cautious of my juice supplementation as some of the beverages can be high in (natural) sugars. One of my food philosophies is “don’t drink your sugar.” With that in mind, I sampled the dozen juices in a relatively timely manner (as it is recommended the juices be consumed within 3 days of purchase).
I tried all of the juices, except for two. I never got around to Roots 4 or Coconut Cinnamon (despite its taste appeal).
Overall, my experience with Pressed was super! I enjoyed all of the juices (and waters) that I sampled. I certainly felt fantastic consuming all of those extra greens and micronutrients. I think the only critique I could make is that, as a consumer, it’s not easy to determine whether or not PJ uses organic produce. Of course, this would be a plus in my book.
Listed below are the juices I sampled, which are not inclusive of their full menu.
Seasonal
- navel orange / tumeric / fuji apple / lemon >> UH-mazing! I only sampled 1/4 of the bottle due to its high sugar content; but, holy yum, it was without out a doubt a favorite.
- kale / spinach / romaine / brazil nuts / vanilla bean / dates / sea salt >> FAVORITE! Drank in two 8 oz. servings.
Greens
- greens 1 (2 bottles) >> Loved it! Very cucumber-y and refreshing. Easily drank both bottles.
- greens 3 (2 bottles) >> Enjoyed the addition of the lemon and ginger kick; the apple increases the sugar content greatly so I split the bottles up into smaller sips.
Roots
- roots 1 >> Earthy! Thumbs up.
“Four green leafy veggies provide high doses of vitamins and minerals, including calcium. Parsley, celery, and cucumber are powerful detoxifiers; and beets are anti-inflammatory and help with restoring optimal pH to your stomach for better digestion, higher immunity, and more.”
- roots 4 >> Did not sample.
Citrus
- citrus 1 >> Spicy!
“A clean elixir that preps your digestive tract for optimal absorption and assimilation. A great juice to drink first thing in the morning!”
Signature
- coconut cinnamon >> Did not sample. How delicious would this be in a smoothie… with dates and banana!?
H20
- cholorphyll h2o >> No distinctive taste; guzzled it anyway.
“Chlorophyll, the green substance found in marine plants, is one of the world’s most beneficial substances. Chlorophyll contains a high concentration of vitamins and minerals, as well as protein, and can increase the quality and quantity of red blood cells in the body. When red blood cell production is increased, we feel more energized!”
- aloe h2o >> To me, aloe has a cucumber-like flavor.
“The same amazing substance that soothes burned skin also soothes our digestive tract. Aloe vera water is an excellent choice if you are looking to get your digestion back in flow.”
Have you done a juice cleanse? What was your experience like?
What freshly-pressed juice brands have you tried?
Do you juice at home?
Disclosure: Product was received in exchange for this review. As always, the honest opinions are entirely my own.
Tuesday Tidbits | 4.8.14
quick {cinnamon} quinoa ‘cakes.
eat more kale.
Meal Plan | Week of February 10
PB, banana, honey, and…
Yum! These all sound great! I’d love the coconut and cinnamon one. I LOVE coconut! I mainly juice at home, but since my juicer is currently in a box somewhere I have been missing my fresh juice. Good thing there’s a Whole Foods close!
I’m a big fan of juices – I love having a little bit as part of a snack every once in a while. But, I don’t think drinking tons of juice day after day (let alone do a juice cleanse) is really great for our bodies (unless, for whatever reason, it is advised by a doc). The high sugar content is definitely one thing, but also, we need healthy fats and protein to survive! I feel like a juice cleanse would leave me craving nut butter all day, hah.
Interesting, the ingredient list in these looks great. I would do a one day cleanse, but I don’t think I could make it for three! Good idea to give them a try over a few days.
I did a Pressed Juicery cleanse, too!! I totally loved it, but I didn’t really feel the affects I was expecting. I had energy and definitely detoxified my body, but after the cleanse, I didn’t really feel too different. That’s a good thing, I guess? :)
The almond milk, greens 1, and all the citrus drinks were my FAVORITE!
I haven’t done a cleanse since then – not really for me, to be honest – but I’m glad I tried it! Pressed Juicery definitely knows their stuff :)
I LOVE juices and juicing, but there’s nobody that does it locally here. Jealous!
I haven’t done a juice cleanse, but I LOVE green juice! The one I drink is similar I think to Green 1 you showed. I just feel so fresh and energized after drinking it, it’s the best : )
I’ve never commented before, but wanted to say I love Pressed Juicery! Did a cleanse through them and it was quite a challenge, but I really enjoyed it.
Also, I found it interesting and honestly, somewhat wasteful, that you reached out to Pressed Juicery (expecting, I’m assuming, to get some juice) but didn’t finish a number of them due to their sugar content and two you never sampled. Not sure if they let you pick the flavors to sample or not; however, all the nutritional information is posted on their website so the sugar content shouldn’t have been a surprise! Hopefully you gave those unfinished/untouched juices away and they didn’t go to waste because they are delicious and quite expensive!
I did a juice cleanse only once, and really didn’t like the taste of any of the juices. Whether a cleanse or not, I think taste is crucial. It seems like all of these tasted good. I’m curious to try them, and see if I like them, because of course, it’s great to get more veggies and fruits in every day, and fresh squeezed juices makes it super easy!
I thought these were delicious!