I obviously had a lot of time on hand back then, considering that I juiced not just for myself but also for my mom and two brothers. Cut to the present, I still am as inclined towards nutritious eating, but I don’t have the luxury of as much time. [Or you can say, I don’t make the time for it.]

Then one day, I saw a post on Facebook by a yoga teacher flaunting six juice bottles, of some cold pressed juices. The doubter in me immediately presumed, “Oh! She’s probably abroad and talking about some foreign brand.”

I clicked the link to discover a beverage company called Raw Pressery has launched these and they are available in aamchi Mumbai, delivered at your doorstep by our very own dabba wallas. Seemed too good to be true.

My desire to try these juices was so compelling, that before I could call Raw Pressery to place an order for my juices, I got a call from them asking if I would like to try a one-day cleanse on their juices. Talk about law of attraction!!! Would I??? Of course! Bring ‘em on! 🙂

So I decided to do the cleanse on a Saturday, since I would be at home. The day before starting the cleanse you’re advised to not have caffeine, alcohol, smoke or eat meat… in order to make the most of the cleanse.

Delivery: The juice was delivered at 5am sharp. I knew they were going to be delivered early, but I was not aware it would be that early; I wasn’t prepared!

The juices arrive in an ice-pack and once handed over to you, need to be refrigerated immediately.

Schedule of a day cleanse:

As you can see in the picture above, the juices are available in six flavours, or let’s say variants [since it’s not really about taste but nutrition]. Each bottle has a time mentioned on it for when it should be consumed.

Each bottle for the juice cleanse is a 410 ml and they give you a schedule to follow which is—

Trim:  9am

Run:  11.30am

Flush:  2pm

Shield: 5pm

Glow: 7pm

Build: 9.30pm

Taste and palatability:

I thought that the juices tasted good, except for Build. The ginger and bell pepper in Shield may seem to be a tad pungent to some people. Run with pineapple and pear is the winner at taste.

Since the juices have to be kept refrigerated, it may be a problem if you’ve been asked to avoid cold drinks. Since I did the cleanse during the peak of summer, drinking the chilled juices was refreshing. But during the winters, I prefer having soups to juices.

Energy levels during cleanse day:

I had all the juices as per the schedule and since the quantity is a lot, it keeps you feeling full. Though they recommend only drinking the juices during the cleanse, I did eat some fruits and salads; but overall my energy levels were good, with no fluctuations. But if you’re not used to doing something like this, then you may want to prepare in advance by stocking up on fruits and veggies. If you get too hungry or feel weak during the day you may end up eating unhealthy food; then all your effort would go wasted.

Nutrition value:

Firstly, the juices have no sugar and no preservatives, so that’s one big concern taken care of. The juices are prepared using hydraulic technology, so no heat or air enter the juices and that makes sure no oxidation of nutrients happens.

I was fascinated to see that the date of manufacturing on the bottles was the same as the date it was delivered to me. Wow!! It’s almost as good as me making the juices in my own kitchen.

The shelf life of the juices, if kept in the fridge, is 48 hours as per the bottle. [though their website says 72 hours].

Raw Pressery offers several packages. To have these juices delivered to you, you need to subscribe to a minimum package of 15 juices, which will be delivered to you over a period of four weeks. These are smaller bottles, of 250 ml [Price: INR 150].

The cleanse comes in a 1- or 3-day packages of bigger bottles, 410ml [Price: INR 250 per bottle]

Value for money:

Well, if it’s possible for you to have fresh juices made at home, then you don’t need these. But if lack of time is your excuse for not eating healthy, you have your answer. Of course, it’s not as if a glass of these juices a day will end all your health woes. You still have to eat healthy, sleep well, exercise and manage stress. But they will improve your nutrition quotient a good deal.

If you have any health issues, check with your physician if this is safe for youmdash;especially if you are doing the cleanse.

I do think they are tad expensive, but then you’re not just paying for the juices but also for the time you saved if you had to make them yourself.

Definitely worth a try!

The post Juice cleanse, courtesy Raw Pressery appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Hence, detox diets—and even weight loss diets—require us to forgo some food groups. While some diets restrict carbohydrates, others say no to sugar or salt, still others forbid caffeine intake.

But evidence suggests that whenever our body observes the lack of supply of a particular ingredient, it reacts in a certain way, sometimes even violently. Let us have a look at the withdrawal symptoms of various food categories.

Withdrawal symptoms of a detox diet

Caffeine detox

Tea/coffee are the most targeted food group in a diet. A lot of people are addicted to tea and coffee and sometimes have several cups a day. On completely discontinuing tea or coffee, some changes take place in the nervous and vascular system, as the body tries to get rid of the poisons and realign its systems according to the new regime.

“Caffeine in coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks is habit-forming. It therefore creates dependability and withdrawal signs show up when it is stopped,” says Sheela Krishnaswamy, an independent diet, nutrition and wellness consultant.

Withdrawal symptoms of caffeine

The first symptom to manifest is a headache that stays for 2 – 3 days. You may also experience pain in the stomach and joints, which subsides after 3 – 4 days [the time taken by the receptors in the brain to be free of caffeine consumption]. Clogged sinuses and a running nose are other symptoms. For many people, tea and coffee work as a laxative, so constipation too is a common occurrence. Besides that, you may feel irritable and drowsy.

Cure: Take a couple of analgesics and ample rest. Having a very small amount of tea or coffee may also alleviate the symptoms. Switch to herbal teas or decaffeinated brews.

Cola detox

Soft drinks can be the primary source of calories and sugar for you. According to dietician Joanne Larsen of dietitian.com, there are nine teaspoons of sugar in each 12 ounce [355 ml] can of soda.

Caffeinated soda and energy drinks may contain other stimulants too, which may make you feel nervous. Reducing or eliminating caffeinated soda and energy drinks with stimulants should reduce feelings of nervousness.

Withdrawal symptoms of cola

Strong cravings and headaches are common symptoms. Dehydration may occur if soda is your main source of water for the body.

Cure: Switch to natural juices and decaffeinated drinks. Drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration.

Simple Carbs detox

Food items made of refined flour such as bread, cake, candy, pasta, noodles, and white rice are associated with a higher incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even breast cancer. And eating refined carbs, over time, results in almost certain weight gain.

Withdrawal symptoms of refined carbs

The first week is miserable, with a feeling of fatigue and acute craving for carbohydrate-rich food. You may feel constantly hungry and irritable or even experience nausea.

S K Thakur, a senior gastroenterologist, explains, “When your source of income dries up, you utilise assets like gold and silver. Similarly, when the intake of carbohydrates gets restricted, the body starts using the stored fats.” This process is called ketosis. As a result, the insulin levels in the blood drops, stabilising the blood sugar and the body loses weight. After the first week, the person starts to feel better and the craving pangs reduce.

Cure: Drink plenty of water to enable fat metabolism. Eat protein-rich foods like eggs and dal. You can take a teaspoon of good quality MCT oil or even pure coconut oil — it helps ease your cravings for carbs. If you feel nauseous, take adequate rest. “Substitute refined flour with complex carbs such as jowar, bajra or nachni to help you feel fuller without the negative effects,” suggests Mukerjee.

Salt detox

Salt is a chemical compound consisting of sodium, which is detrimental to health. While reducing salt intake is good, when a person drastically restricts his intake of salt for an extended period of time, the old accumulations in the body are excreted through the skin and kidneys.

Withdrawal symptoms of salt

In the initial days, there may be a salty taste in the mouth. “Cramps are initially experienced as salt is removed from the diet or rapidly excreted from the body,” adds nutritionist Honey Khanna. Other withdrawal symptoms include high blood pressure, lethargy and drowsiness, and excessive urination [as salt is water retentive]. In extreme cases, you may experience hypernatremia [electrolyte disturbance in the body] and fits.

Cure: Reduce salt intake slowly. Replace regular salt with rock salt or low-sodium salt.

Meat detox

Meat eaters have a high acid content in their body. When they stop eating meat, the body attempts to revert to the healthier, alkaline condition.

Withdrawal symptoms of meat

As the acids leave the body through the pores, they leave behind a disagreeable smell, foul breath and a bitter taste in the mouth. You may also experience some hair loss and muscular weakness. Once all the acid has been neutralised, these symptoms disappear.

Cure: Consume lots of fruits, vegetables and fluids.

Dairy detox

Milk is considered by many as a complete meal in itself. However, some people become lactose-intolerant and have to cut down on milk. Milk contains tryptophan [essential amino acid], which is sleep-inducing.

Withdrawal symptoms of dairy

Lack of sleep, lethargy, grogginess, mood swing, and headaches are common. You may also experience ailments like multiple bowel syndrome and chronic constipation.

Cure: Replace regular milk [cow or buffalo milk] by soy milk. “By completely eliminating dairy products from our diet, we deprive ourselves of calcium, a mineral that’s imperative for strong bones and teeth. This is an open invitation for diseases like osteoporosis at a later stage in life,” explains Deepika Malik, executive director, LifeCentury, and a qualified Ayurveda practitioner. You can also meet your calcium requirements with the help of supplements.

Sugar detox

Many dieticians treat sugar as slow poison. Not only does it promote weight gain, but it is also deadly for a person with diabetic tendencies. In many ways, what seems harmless is actually a cause of diabetes, obesity, and a variety of other problems.

“We take sugar withdrawal as seriously as addictions to substances like alcohol or drugs,” says Malik.

Withdrawal symptoms of sugar

Due to low blood sugar levels, the first symptom is acute craving for sugar and sugar products. Next is fatigue, in the absence of the energy boost sugar gives.

Depression, anxiety and mood swings may be experienced as sugar enhances these emotions too. It is also common to experience headaches, similar to the ones experienced in caffeine withdrawal. Other withdrawal symptoms include drowsiness, skin rashes and throat discomfort. In extreme cases, fever with tremors, unconsciousness and seizures are observed.

Cure: Cut off sugar slowly instead on stopping all at once. Switch to fresh fruits, salads and nuts.

Fat detox

A major chunk of our population suffers from obesity. The prime suspects are our fat-intensive diet and sedentary lifestyle. However, fats also provide many of the necessary vitamins. Embarking on a fat less or low-fat diet, reduces the level of vitamins like A, D, E and K in the body.

Withdrawal symptoms of fat

All problems related to the deficiencies of vitamins A, D, E and K manifest. You may also suffer from dryness of skin and hair, itching, weakness of bones, and night blindness.

Cure: Eat good fats like almonds and walnuts and fresh fruits.

A word of caution about detox diets

While going on any type of diet, reduce in stages instead of imposing a total stop on the consumption of any food item. “If you are cutting down on the consumption of above foods, you can avoid some of the symptoms by doing it slowly. If the craving persists, substitutes can be used,” suggests Khanna. Some withdrawal symptoms like that associated with wheat/caffeine withdrawal might require medical management.

■ This article was last updated on 18^th February 2021

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