Juice is the new coffee. Yes fellow islanders, it may finally be time to follow through with that caffeine-cutting resolution you have been holding off. Green juice cleanses have been sweeping the world, but are they really our one way ticket to the lean mean bodies of runway models and hollywood movie stars?
The elixirs offer all kinds of essential vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants in a liquid form that allows the body to quickly and easily absorb them. After a week long test run, and a hard one at that, the WTM beauty team is all for this new health fad, but like everything in life, moderation is key.
We traded in our morning lattes for a freshly prepared glass of green goodness before breakfast and although we did go through some aggressive caffeine withdrawal symptoms, benefits were reaped. The first two days took a little effort to get used to the taste, but after that, we stayed fresh and energetic longer and, dare we say it, our skin was looking mighty brighter by day seven.
One thing to note though, if you are looking to quickly shed some pounds this is probably not the way to do it. You will lose the weight mind you, but you are also left with a nutritional hole that could cause some unwanted problems.
Although the rejuvenating juices come fully packed in much needed nutrients, they lack the one thing that helps keep us energised and boosts our metabolism — proteins! So if you are looking for a way to wash out the toxins in your body, this can work, but keep your juice-only plan for no longer than a few days.
Gwyneth Paltrow has been known to start every year with a week long cleanse (check out our June issue to learn more about her wellbeing website). However, if you are just looking for a more balanced nutritious diet, we are all for incorporating these ‘easy to make’ babies into your daily meals.
Detox the easy way
Our tip for beginners is to skip the full-on liquid diet and instead enjoy one juice with two other nutritious meals per day. Check out our four ‘easy to blitz’ recipes. All you need is fruits, veggies and a blender:
– The classic. A handful of spinach, kale and a cup of pineapple with two apples.
– The cooler. One pear, one cucumber, half a ginger root and a handful of mint.
– Sweet tooth. Four handfuls of spinach, two cucumbers, four small Fuji apples.
– Full green. One cucumber, two celery ribs, one handful of cilantro, four sprigs of basil and two apples.
