People who have recently over-indulged, over-worked, or are just feeling sluggish or bloated often turn to detox and cleanses to help them feel better. A juice cleanse made from raw fruits and vegetables can clean out, rejuvenate and restore the body. It’s also an excellent way to jump-start a new healthier diet, assist in quick weight loss, or just improve your health.
What is a Juice Cleanse?
A juice cleanse is a modified fast. You stop eating solid foods for a few days and instead consume only liquids. Instead of consuming plain water, on a juice cleanse, you consume only healthy, nutrient-packed juices derived from raw fruits and vegetables.
Are Juice Cleanses Safe?
As long as you are reasonably healthy and don’t do a juice cleanse for more than three consecutive days, a juice cleanse isn’t harmful. Anyone who has health issues such as diabetes, kidney disease or other conditions should talk to a doctor before starting a juice cleanse.
Do You Really Need to Cleanse and Detox?
Medical experts generally say cleansing and detoxing are completely unnecessary because your body constantly cleans and detoxes itself automatically. However, some experts point out that a juice cleanse is an excellent way for people to jump-start a change in diet towards a healthier type of diet. Doing a cleanse as the first step in kicking a caffeine or sugar habit can prevent common withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and cravings. And the number of people who report that cleanses make them feel remarkably better suggest that cleansing is doing something beneficial.
Why Juice Cleanses Instead of Other Kinds of Detoxes?
Many detox protocols are quite hard on the body. The digestive tract is exposed to powerful laxatives and various chemicals are consumed to stimulate the rest of the body to release toxins. Not on a juice cleanse. On a juice cleanse, the digestive tract is allowed to rest and recuperate from solid foods. The healthy vitamins, minerals and antioxidants present in fruits and vegetables are consumed in order to refuel and refresh the body. After a detox, many people are exhausted and feel ill. After a juice cleanse, most people feel invigorated and extremely healthy.
When to Juice Cleanse
A juice cleanse is a good idea after any period of over-doing of anything. Too much work, too much partying, too much junk food or drink. If you haven’t been over-doing anything but just feel blah and sluggish, a juice cleanse may be exactly what you need. Some people periodically engage in a juice cleanse, such as every three or four months, just to keep their bodies in tip-top shape.
Juice Cleansing Tips
Some people find that consuming fibre-rich purées of fruits and vegetables for the first day or two of a cleanse, followed by only clear juices, is the most effective way to do a juice cleanse. The fibres clear out the digestive tract and then it is allowed to rest. Others prefer to use only clear juices, or only purées—it is a matter of personal preference.
Most experienced juice cleansers suggest consuming six glasses of juice and six glasses of water per day. Usually, the first juice of each day should contain citrus fruits, and the last juice should contain some protein, such as from nuts. The other juices should be an equal proportion of green vegetable juices and red fruit-heavy juices.
Should I Run On A Cleanse?
Generally, light exercises can actually enhance the cleansing process. You probably won’t feel up to power-lifting or marathon running, but jogging, yoga and tai chi are all excellent forms of restorative exercise that can help with the cleansing process. Your body will expel toxins naturally by sweating it out through the skin, through the lungs when you channel deep breathing, and through your lymphatic system when you stimulate the colon during your workout.
If you wish to continue with endurance workouts like running, you will need extra calories and protein, so a pure juice cleanse isn’t enough nutrition. You should add some protein to your diet.
Listening to your body and seeing how it responds is part of the cleanse experience. Following a less intense running schedule is perfectly appropriate. It’s important to tune in to your body to avoid injury or lose muscle mass.
Popular Commercial Cleansers Available in Singapore
A number of companies prepare organic, fresh juice cleanser packages in Singapore. Most deliver their freshly-made products to your door. A typical 1-day package will cost around S$150, including delivery. Prices vary by company and options chosen.
Antidote
Antidote offers six varieties of juice, for 1 to 5 days of treatment and 3 levels of cleansing: basic, intermediate and advanced. All the juice from Antidote is processed by their cold-pressed machine to ensure the highest level of vitamins, minerals and enzymes are extracted into your bottle, keeping your juice fresh, great tasting and nutritious.
Syndicate Juice
Syndicate Juice offers either a 1-day, 3-day or 5-day juice cleanse. The juices are pressed fresh and delivered each evening throughout the cleanse.
Punch Detox
Punch Detox offers a 3-day cleanse programme, with six different juices to be consumed each day. They are delivered fresh to your door.
Beauty Cleanse
Beauty Cleanse offers several different 3- or 5-day cleanse programmes. Some are designed to promote weight loss and some are designed to restore a youthful appearance. In addition to juices, this company provides supplements to be taken along with the juice.
Sana Cleanse
Sana Cleanse has a 3- or 5-day cleanse programme. The juices are prepared fresh and delivered on the desired cleanse start day.
Joob
Joob offers a 1-day cleanse programme that can be repeated multiple days in a row, if desired. Joob also offers a special immunity-boosting 5-day cleanse programme. Juices are delivered fresh daily or can be picked up in person.
FP Juice
FP Juice produces a beginner cleanse, a deep cleaning cleanse, and a rejuvenation cleanse programme. Each type comes in either a 1-day, 3-day or 5-day package. The deep cleanse programme focuses on green vegetable juices with only limited amounts of fruit. The rejuvenation programme offers a balance of fruits and vegetables with no nuts. The beginner programme offers a balance of fruits and vegetables with a nut smoothie to end each day.
Lucky You Juice Cleanse
Lucky You Juice Cleanse sells cleanse programmes that take 1 to 6 days to complete. Each programme is shipped fresh to your door.
hic’Juice
hic’Juice offers three different types of cleansing programmes. Reboot has a balance of greens, fruits, roots and nuts. Restore has a higher level of green vegetables and fewer fruits. Reborn only has limited amounts of fruit and is suitable for a reduced sugar diet. Each type comes in 1, 3 or 5-day cleanses. Juices are delivered each evening fresh for the next day.
Calamansi
Calamansi has a 1, 2, or 4-day cleanse programme. Each package comes with organic tea to be consumed in addition to the juices.
Rejuicenate
Rejuicenate has 3- or 5-day cleanse programmes. They have three different levels, each with an increasing amount of green vegetable juices.
Mission Juice
Mission Juice sells cleanse programmes in half-day 4-juice sets. Each order is delivered fresh daily.
DIY Cleansers
If you’re into making cleansers at home, try some of the following recipes for your next juice cleanse. For fibre-rich purées, drink the purée as is. For clear juices, strain out the solids before drinking.
Power Green Gulp: Purée 3 kale leaves, a small green apple, 240ml of green grapes, 1 cucumber and 120ml of water.
Berry Supreme: Blend together 240ml blueberries, 240ml strawberries, and a large chopped, peeled mango.
Energy Boost: Blend together 1 can lychees in syrup, 240ml sliced peaches, and 240ml coconut water.
Vitamin Bomb: Peel and cut up 1 grapefruit, 2 oranges and 3 kiwis. Blend together.
Gut Scrubber: Purée 30ml ginger, 1 beet, 4 carrots, 1 apple and 240ml water.
Protein Milk: Purée 120ml almonds, 120ml strawberries, 1/2 banana, 240ml water.
Juice cleanses, particularly if you spring for a ready-made product, are easy to do. They provide many health benefits, or at least don’t seem to cause any harm. Why not try one today?
