Unless you're living under a rock, chances are that you would have heard of a 'juice cleanse' or have seen people uploading fancy pictures of juice bottles on Facebook or Insta, claiming to be on one. And yes, it has picked up quite a bit of popularity with brides-to-be, looking to get that 'bridal glow' before their wedding. So let's make you understand what the hype's all about, and give you all the lowdown on this latest fitness fad... so you can choose whether this is something you wanna try out or not!
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So, what is a juice cleanse?
Simply speaking, juice cleansing or juice fasting is a 'detox' diet, in which a person consumes only fruit and veggie juices for a few days (which can vary from person to person), and during this time, the juices are all they consume, letting go of any solid food. This juice is not the one that's commercially available in tetra-packs in the market.. it's either freshly extracted at home, or by roping in the services of juice cleanse packages that have come up off late.
Why has juice cleanse become such a craze?
The purpose of a juice cleanse is believed to be to detoxify the body by ridding it of toxins. Some also claim that following a juice-only diet can not only help your body detox, but can also make you more energetic, clear up the skin and ease digestive issues. Plus, with celebs endorsing it, it's no surprise that juice cleanses have become really popular!
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So what kind of juices should be consumed while on it?
Cold-pressed juices are all the rage off late, which does not involve grinding the fruit for the juice but putting it in a machine that presses the sh** out of it to take the juice out, which is said to be more beneficial as it has minimum oxidation and contamination and can be stored for upto 30 days without any preservatives.
But when it comes to juice cleansing, there's a catch. If you consume only fruit juices, then chances are that you're loading your body with natural sugars, which is not the best thing to do. So that's why it is advisable to consume fruit and vegetable juices as a part of the regimen, so that the sugars can be balanced out to an extent. Also, fibre is a necessity, so that shouldn't be left out of the juices either. So yes, while a juice detox does sound very fancy, the juices might not be the best-tasting ones you've had.
So is it effective?
The verdict is mixed on that. While some people claim it's made a lot of difference to them, others don't really see a difference. While a few people claim that it makes them glow and lose some instant face and tummy bloating and puffiness, others call it a marketing gimmick. You might lose some weight on the scales, but that's most likely going to come back as soon as you start eating normally. Medically speaking, there is no real evidence that juicing is some sort of magical cure-all. But yes, even Ayurveda recommends giving your body a break once in a while and consuming juices, but not for more than a couple of days. Our liver and kidneys already do a good job at getting rid of any unwanted waste, so all that a liquid diet like this one can do is give your body a break from junk foods and processed ingredients, which can help give your digestive system a rest.
So, is it good for brides to go on a juice cleanse before their wedding?
The main reason why juice cleansing for just a couple of days can actually be a good idea for brides, especially those who are you're looking to get a slight glow on the skin, lose some puffiness and water weight, especially from the face and calm down tummy bloating. But medical experts do not recommend doing it for more than 3-5 days at a stretch. Here are some precautions if you're considering a juice cleanse before the wedding...
- If you have an ongoing or chronic disease, do not do this without consulting your doctor, no matter how simple and harmless this looks.
- Prepare your body for the juice cleanse. Pre-cleanse for about a week before going on this drastic diet. Cut back on caffeine and drink more water in the days leading to the juice cleanse.
- Initially, the juice cleanse might give you an upset tummy as suddenly your body will be loaded with a lot of fibre. Try to eat healthy for a couple of weeks before the cleanse as well, especially introduce a lot of fibre in the diet gradually.
- Consistency is the key. You must make sure you have the juice as advised, which will be every 2-3 hours. Do not skip it as that's the only nutrition your body is getting at that time. This can also throw your blood sugar levels off.
- Remember you can experience a bit of nausea or fatigue with this, but realise when to stop it if you feel really sick or faint.
- A week before the wedding is not the time to do a juice cleanse... do it more like a month in advance! That way you eliminate the possibility of the side effects affecting your plans. Everyone's body reacts to it differently, especially if you've never done it before.
- Take care of your consumption after the juice cleanse as well. Since you have already put in the effort, make sure not to undo it with junk and alcohol the very next week!
So, should this be done by juicing stuff at home or order it?
That choice is yours. If you don't have a cold press juicer at home, then you might not be able to store a lot of juices for long or carry them to work. And also, there are certain ingredients like kale, chia seeds, collard etc in the pre packed juices, which might not be that easy to get and juice at home. Plus, you cannot keep having the same juice again and again, you have to mix it up, which can be a bit cumbersome at home.
So, how does a company juice cleanse work?
If you wanna give it a shot, thankfully such facilities have started in India as well, with a lot of startups packing the pre juices of the day, marking them according to the time to be consumed and delivering it to you at the start of the day at home or in office, so that you don't miss out on it. You might have to consume about 8 bottles of different juices in a day!
How much do these juice cleanses cost?
Anything above Rs 3000 for a 2-3 day cleanse, depending on the company you rope in for it. So yes, these do not come very cheap. But most of them have trial packs and one day cleanses available which you can try out.
Where do you sign up?
Here are some popular Indian startups that deliver the prescribed juices to you, given to you city-wise! The prices and juices may differ from company to company. A lot of them have their products in supermarkets or do take orders online for other cities as well.
Mumbai
Jucifix starting at Rs 1200 for a one day juice cleanse.
Rawpressery starting at Rs 1500 for a one day juice cleanse.
Delhi
Justpressed starting at Rs 1600 for a one day juice cleanse
Rawpressery starting at Rs 1500 for a one day juice cleanse.
Antidote starting at Rs 3000 for 14 days juice cleanse, one each day.
Bangalore
Freshpressery starting at Rs 1500 for a one day juice cleanse
Hyderabad
Cleansehigh starting at Rs 1360 for a one day cleanse
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