Are juice cleanses a fad or fabulous?

COLD pressed juice stores have firmly entrenched themselves in Melbourne in recent years. But are they all they’re cracked up to be?

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ARE juice cleanses a fad or fabulous?

Cold pressed juice stores have firmly entrenched themselves in Melbourne in recent years, suggesting the latter is the case.

Leading Australian nutritionist Lola Berry is a proponent for the cold pressed and powder varieties currently on the market.

Having tried almost all of the products available in Melbourne and Sydney she has established her own recommendations for those looking to undergo the typical three or five day cleanse, or simply include a juice here and there as part of a regular diet.

“As a juice cleanse goes there’s pros and cons,” Ms Berry said.

“What I like to do is include juices, for example, I’m drinking on a green juice today, as part of a healthy diet. I might have it midmorning or in the afternoon as a pick-me-up. I don’t fast on it. I’ll simply include it into my daily plan of eating because there are so many health benefits. You’re having beautiful cold pressed organic juices — full of kale and cucumber.”

Pressed Juices is a national chain with multiple stores in the Melbourne CBD that sell individual juices as well as one three and five-day cleanse programs.

“Cold pressed juicing is definitely becoming more popular, which is great because it means people are becoming educated on the process and nutritional benefit of cold pressed juicing,” Melbourne CBD manager Kirsty Lem said.

“Most of our stores are managed by a tertiary qualified nutritionist or dietitian, so customers can come and learn what cold pressing is all about, taste test and receive customised nutritional advice.”

In a cleanse, meals are replaced with a variety of selected juices consumed over a day.

“You’re giving your digestive system a little break,” Ms Berry said.

“We’re eating a lot of processed food, meat, refined sugars, and the digestive system is constantly working.

“When you go on more liquid the theory is that it’s already chopped up or pulverised for you so it’s quite easy, from a textual component, to digest. The body doesn’t need to break it down too much.”

Ms Berry recommends a three day cleanse over longer alternatives and urges shoppers, and first-time cleansers, to do research and look for packages that include thick smoothies.

“The reality is your digestive system does change and if you’re cleansing for more than three (days) your bowels start to not be very happy because they actually want fibre, they want bulk, they want things to be able to make you go to the toilet,” she said.

“If you’re having a proper smoothie you’re getting good fats, fibres, some form of protein. ”

Pressed Juices include a smoothie as a dinner supplement in its eight-step cleanse program that features two essential products in a Black Lemonade and Slippery Elm drink to start and finish.

“The Black Lemonade contains activated coconut charcoal, which travels through the digestive tract, collecting toxins along the way,” Ms Lem said. “We had seen an interest in charcoal use overseas, so we collated research on its benefits and decided to use it in one of our products. The lemon and cayenne pepper also give the metabolism a boost to start the day.

“The Slippery Elm is a herbal digestive tonic, which we advise people to consume at the end of the day. The herbs is contains are soothing and calm inflammation in the intestines.”

The detox progress, unsurprisingly, has the potential to make some feel worse before they feel better but it’s part of the process, which store assistants say is focused on health and not weight loss.

“Everyone feels different after cleansing” Ms Lem said. “There’s a huge percentage of cleansers that don’t crave heavy, processed foods after they have finished. Most people learn that their body can work better with reduced portion sizes, and that eating whole, nutritious foods, actually makes them feel more energetic through the day.”

It’s a case of each to their own when it comes to taste, especially with green juices that, while packed with plant nutrients, don’t always taste the best.

Juice cleanses are pricey too. A single bottle of cold pressed juice can start from $9 and three-day detox programs from $198 at some stores.

Weighed with the purported benefits it is more reasonable.

Even a one-day cleanse can provide the sense of a fresh start, a cleansed palette, if you will, which can lead to healthier habits.

“That’s why I think the mental side of it is really good,” Ms Berry said.

“You’ve invested in yourself, you’ve done this cleanse and bang you’re ready to start a beautiful healthy and balanced diet. I think that’s what a lot of people use it for and I don’t see that as a negative thing at all.”

Twitter: @SophieSmith86