Every week, this column will review ways and places to eat healthy in D.C.
With tons of celebrities walking around and sipping their salads, juice cleanse diets have recently received a lot of press. Even though there is debate about the health benefits of juicing your veggies, a short cleanse may be the detox your body needs before the warmer months.
Where To Try
Puree Artisan Juice Bar provides single or three day juice cleanse packages for its clients. Prepared food is also served at both locations. Shakes, juice and small organic, raw and vegan meals can be found at Puree’s spots.
Juices and meals can be found in the fridge as grab-and-go items, while shakes can be ordered at the counter. Shakes can also be specialized by adding boosts, such as agave, beets and wheat grass.
Puree Artisan Juice Bar can be a little bit pricey for college students on a budget. The single juices and shakes run from $7.50 to $11. The snacks and meals cost anywhere from $5 to $9.50. Some boosts (i.e. cinnamon, dates and agave) can be added to your shake for free, while others cost 50 cents or $1 extra.
The store offers juice cleanse packages for one or three days cleanse. The cheapest option is the single day fresh fusion cleanse, which is $56 for one day and includes mean lemon-aid, easy green, bunny brew, daily green, one entree and one dessert or salad.
What To Try
With so many juices to try, it might be difficult to pick just one. The Sweet Green Mylk juice was surprisingly tasty, despite its ugly green color and separated layers. This juice includes spinach, romaine, cucumber, kale, celery, house made vanilla cashew mylk and cinnamon.
The vanilla cashew mylk and cinnamon were the stars of the show. The cinnamon and vanilla are delicious, and make the juice taste almost like dessert. The cashew mylk adds an unexpected creaminess to the juice, so it is definitely recommended for first time juicers.
A single juice is fairly large and seems like a good grab-and-go meal. The only downside to drinking your veggies is that it doesn’t quite meet up to the expectations of a full meal. The drink may leave you hungry after an hour or two, and pairing a juice with an entree may get too pricey.
The most popular meal is the walnut burrito, according to the employees. The dish includes walnuts, spices, olive oil, garlic, avocado, lime juice, tomato, red onion, cilantro, cashew, lemon juice, sea salt and is served with salsa and vegan sour cream, wrapped in collard greens.
The meals may look a bit intimidating to those who don’t typically go the raw, vegan route. Despite this, they still look delicious and healthy.
Tips To Know
- If you plan to go all out on a juice cleanse, be sure to do your research and check with your doctor or nutritionist before hand. Though juicing is a major diet trend, it is controversial due to the changes juicing makes on veggies.
- Make sure you know what kinds of nutrients your body needs and that you are still staying healthy and active. A temporary juice cleanse is fine, but if you keep it consistent, you may lose vital nutrients you can’t get from juice alone. Research has shown that juicing vegetables can remove the fiber from the veggies, causing major effects on your health.
- Juicing can get a bit pricey. If keeping a budget for a formal juice plan isn’t something you can commit to, look into options of buying your own juicer and use online recipes for ideas to make your own juice plan.
Puree Artisan Juice Bar serves an impressive variety of juices that mask the bitter flavors of vegetables. Despite this, I don’t know if I would make another appearance because of the price. Be sure to check out the store at least once, because it’s a great inspiration for at home juicing and a healthier lifestyle.
Address: 4903 Elm Street, Bethesda, MD
Metro: Bethesda, Red Line
