Tried and tested: 2 juice cleanse diets

A juice diet or juice cleanse involves drinking pure fruit and vegetable juices for around three to seven days, with the promise of a detox or weight loss. There are a few good juice cleanse options in Singapore; we review a couple of them below. And do let us know if you’ve tried a liquid diet before – which company did you use, and what did you think?

Before we get to the reviews, there are a couple of things to be aware of. You consume less sodium during a juice cleanse. In this climate, when you’re sweating so much, it can lead to adverse effects, including dizziness. So, if you’re doing more than three days, do keep up your mineral intake with supplements.

All juices are different. Many of the ones you buy in the supermarket are pasteurised to extend their shelf life, and they may include preservatives, added sugars and so on. So check the labels. The companies that focus on juice cleanses should be keeping them as ‘clean’ as possible.

Rebecca reviews Antidote

I had done a juice cleanse in Singapore a few years ago and enjoyed it. Recently, I’ve been snacking quite a bit, not cooking much, and not getting enough fruit and veg.  I decided I needed a reset and ventured out in search of a juice diet.

Antidote looked promising and the website was really helpful. I read that they use cold-pressed technology to extract their juices from fruit and vegetables – and that they are clear of any additives or processing.

The five-day one looked doable – and it was. But I would probably do a three-day one next time and do them more regularly, especially if you’re trying to fit any work or social dining out around it.

It’s so easy; the juice bottles arrive in great little cooler bags, which are returned and recycled. The added value is that you don’t have to think about what you’re going to eat, there’s no cooking and no washing up – for me it ticked a lot of boxes.

I chose the Skinny Cleanse, and I honestly loved all of the drinks except one. They’re numbered in order, which makes it really easy – even if did take me a day to discover it! The ones at the start of the day were heavier, with almond milk, coconut milk, chia and so on, which I thought would be better at the end of the day for sleeping. However, I never felt hungry, and it didn’t affect my sleep, so there must be a reason why it’s that way round. By the night of day four, I did feel I needed something solid, so I had a little bit of tuna. And I continued on as normal for day five.

I’m not sure if I lost weight, but I’m definitely less puffy, and it got me back on to a healthier choice road. It was great not to think about food, too. I’ll definitely be doing juice diets with them more often in the future.

9181 7415 | antidote.sg

Anthia Chng reviews EGA Juice Clinic

EGA Juice Clinic was founded by Sumit Nanda, whose personal transformation story is testament to what they do here. Cold-pressed juices are prepared with the freshest fruits, veggies and herbs, then poured into glass bottles before they’re ready for takeaway and deliveries.

I first reviewed EGA’s juice cleanse in Singapore a while ago and found it hard to stick to the plan as I wasn’t used to a sudden dip in my calorie intake. But I decided to give it another go as I wanted to challenge myself, since I felt pretty defeated by my previous experience. (I cheated a lot!)

I’m happy to say that the cleanse this time round felt a ton better. My pick was Rewind ($100), a one-day program that starts off with two triphala lax tablets the night before to cleanse out toxins and prep the system. While the plan was to take two juices (Cleanse and Harmony) in the morning (starting at 7.30am), I found it a bit of a struggle as I’m so used to starting my day at 9am. Nonetheless, the juices were more than enough to fill me up until the afternoon. That was great as it’s hard to focus on work while you’re feeling “hangry”!

You get a total of six juices (500ml each). I’m happy to say that I managed to last through the day without much snacking. I know I’m not supposed to consume anything else, but because I was so used to having something to munch on, I found it hard to stop myself from reaching out for a cracker or two. Hopefully, next time I can power through it the proper way!

I had two favourite juices in the batch. One was Glow, which contains only pomegranates (high in antioxidants). The other was the Immuno Booster, a potent mix of lemon, ginger, amla, turmeric and Himalayan salt. Everything is based off Ayurvedic teachings and research, and you’re given a detailed plan to follow, which I appreciated as a newbie.

By the end of the day, I was completely wiped out, so I went to bed earlier than usual – score! The next morning, I woke up feeling more energised and slightly less bloated. I think I should do this more often. However, I definitely need to ease into the cleanse by eating cleaner the week before. Sign me up for the next juice cleanse challenge!

egajuiceclinic.com

Want to maximise the effects? Try these 7 steps after your cleanse

1. Start your day with a glass of warm water and freshly squeezed lemon juice to kick-start your digestion.
2. Stick to smoothies, juices, salads and clean food for the first few days after your cleanse. Slowly reintroduce proteins and solids into your diet.
3. Once you’ve started eating solids, listen to your body. Eat only when you’re hungry, not because of old habits or eating by the clock. Overeating will make you feel sluggish and tired.
4. Eat slowly, and chew your food properly. The enzymes released from your saliva will help to ease the burden on your digestive system.
5. Carbohydrates, refined sugar, caffeine, red meat, dairy products and processed food should be eaten only occasionally and sparingly.
6. When shopping for groceries, have a handy list of foods you can eat and those to avoid for the first few days after the cleanse.
7. Exercise regularly to keep fit and to sweat out toxins.

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