Thursday 10 April 2014

CLEANSED, SPARKLY & REJUV'D - A Review

The delicious daily juice pack by Inner Ego

I am full o' beans, bright eyed and glowy skinned after my very first two day juice cleanse. I have always been interested in trying out a juice cleanse, after years of struggling with all sorts of digestive issues and troubles, but have never been able to source a local supplier. So you can imagine my delight when I discovered the beautiful instagram account by @innerego - a Perth based cold pressed, juice cleanse company. 

I had a little stalk of their beautiful website - do yourself a favour and have a looksie here - and decided that THIS was the supplier for me. The offer cold pressed, raw and fresh juices, delivered straight to your door in one, two or three day packs. The cleanse consists of eight juices per day, packed and ordered for your ease and convenience, that you enjoy in place of solid food. These juices are jam packed with essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients - so do not fear that you're not getting enough goodness in your body - you are! The beauty of these juice cleanses is that they provide short term detox and digestive rest. They are not designed to be consumed for more than three consecutive days in lieu of food - BUT Inner Ego do offer individual orders (minimum of six bottles) and have a few little stockists around the place for those of you looking for a daily afternoon energy kick! 

The box was delivered by the owners, exactly when they said it would be - and service with a smile. What could be better?! The box of juices is so beautifully put together and packaged - a handful of colourful straws, tips and instructions for the cleanse and, of course, 16 little jars of vibrant nutrition! They had me at hello. 

Each bottle comes perfectly portioned, labeled, numbered and ready to enjoy. The quaint labels use a very rustically inspired template that are easy to read and interpret. On the front we have the order number of the juices (one through eight), list of ingredients and an 'experience summary' (i.e. a sweet green remedy). On the back you can find information on the juice such as how it's produced//created as well as a nutritional panel for each and every juice. VERY handy if you are calorie conscious (although when it's good, real, plant based food - I really don't believe number crunching is necessary! S'all good!) or wanting to see a little more of the breakdown of the juices' nutritional punch. 

A few extra tidbits of information - the juices have a shelf life of three days as they don't possess any additives or preservatives. They are to be consumed within two hours of opening, so you can sip and enjoy your juices but not too slowly! When you grab them out of the fridge (and yes, they must be refrigerated!) they may look like they have separated with a bit of layering noted at the bottom - this is a natural part of the juicing process and they just need a little pre-drink shake up to mix it all up! The masterminds over at Inner Ego have created a brilliant FAQ page on their site which serves to answer all of your niggling questions. The owners are absolutely lovely - with an incredible mission to provide quality assured, easy to access, on the go nutrition for people who want to implement healthy changes into their lives but who are too time or resource poor to self juice!

Day one kicked off on a busy work day and I can't even describe how incredibly convenient it was to be able to have brekkie and lunch packed in no time. Easy peasy! I tried to space out the juices appropriately - with at least an hour and a half between each juice. I pretty much stuck to this plan and managed to get all my juices in. I was so full in the afternoon though that I needed to break up the juices a little longer. Inner Ego have done a great job in creating filling and satisfying juices! I felt a little headachy on the afternoon of day one, nothing too hectic, just a little spacey and achy! This sensation passed within the hour and I felt lovely and relaxed in time for bed.

Day two FLEW by and I guzzled down my juices with ease. I don't know whether it's because my body had become more alkalised or whether it was random coincidence but the juices tasted SO much better on day two. Very energetic, light, settled tummy and sharp mind. Day two was fabulous! No detox symptoms either which was a wonderful bonus. I must admit - I got a little hungry in the early evening but nothing too terrible or too tempting.

I thought the easiest way of sharing my experiences with you is to break down each of the juices - tell you a little about the flavours, effects and snazziness of these bottled wonders. Sounds good right? Let's kick it off ...

Juice One - Cucumber, celery, lettuce, lemon and mint
This one was very difficult to swallow on the first day - hello acidic body! It became much easier to drink on day two - but still holds sharper, strong flavours of lemon and mint. Very good for a mind/body wake up and uber relivitalising.
In a word - ZAP!

Juice Two - White tea, pineapple, lemon and mint
YUM! This juice had a very light, refreshing and subtle flavour that provided an amazing morning pick-me-up. The label says great for 'clarity' and I must admit I was sceptical - but it hits the nail on the head. Mental and physical clarity a go-go with this juice. It's made from Fujian white tea which possesses less caffeine than other white tea varieties so is nice and gentle for our bodies.
In a word - Refreshing.

Juice Three - Carrot, orange, lemon and ginger
One of my absolute favourites from the cleanse. Beautiful rich, full bodied, strong flavours of orange and lemon. This juice was a lovely mid-late morning kicker because it is a little thicker and 'heartier' than the other juices - very filling in my tum! The juice is also aesthetically gorgeous - with a vibrant orange colour that invokes an instant perception of freshness.
In a word - Zing!
Juice #4 - Carrot, orange, lemon and ginger

Juice Four - Beetroot, pineapple, celery and lemon
Strong, powerful and very earthy in flavour. If you're not a fan of beetroot - this one may not be for you. Luckily I love me some beetroot so my reaction to this juice was 'gimme'! It's slightly sweetened from the pineapple which leaves it tasting rather refreshing and energising. Like it's juicy predecessor - the vividness of colour this little juice packs let's you know it's full of goodens.
In a word - Earthy//grounding.

Juice Five - Green apple, pear, kale, lettuce and celery
For late lunch it's your typical 'Green Juice' - loaded with vital greens and sweetened slightly by the apple//pear - this juice is a fantastic early afternoon addition to the cleanse. I downed my juice at about 3-4pm, just prior to my workout on day two, and it left me feeling pretty dang good. It possesses a delicious, light and humble flavour that would make it an amazing one to consume on its own (separate from the cleanse pack).
In a word - Recharging.

Juice Six - Grapefruit, pears, lime and mint
I must preface this reflection by stating that I'm not a fan of mint. I'm one of those rarities that just do not like the strong flavour - whether it in a juice, salad or even icecream//chocolate! But I love and appreciate it for it's very refreshing and rejuvinating properties so I definitely can see it has its place in the world. My first reaction on day one was 'zing!' - I found the flavour so overpowering (rich in lime and mint) that I had to actually hold my nose to get it down. The beauty of biodiversity huh!? So many different taste preferences and experiences! Day two was a completely different story - whether the amounts of ingredients differed slightly or whether my body was more alkalised - it was actually a very light and enjoyable drink!
In a word - Full on.
Juice #5 - Beetroot, pineapple, celery and lemon

Juice Seven - Red apple, decaffeinated green tea, strawberry, pomegranate and tomato
Holy yum. I loved this (mainly) fruit juice! It has a very distinct berry flavour that is still only moderately sweetened by the fruit juices - very uplifting but not so much so that I was over-energised before bed - it's really such a perfect blend. Despite being derived from pure juices - this one is actually quite creamy and filling - it leaves you feeling very satisfied and refreshed.
In a word - Nourishing.

'Juice' Eight - Filtered water, almond, cacao, dates and spices.
The healthy foodie's take on chocolate milk. This delicious almond based night cap was soooo good at the end of the day - giving you the feeling of 'dessert' minus the guilt, heaviness and regret that late night dessert consumption usually brings. I think they saved the best til last with this baby but so perfectly placed it at the end of the day to provide your tummies with a smooth, delish and satisfying drink. It reminds me of a sort of cacao chai - not overly sweet, slightly spiced and so dang delicious. *Adds 15 of these to cart*
In a word - Indulgence.

There is quite a great deal of controversy at the moment as to the safety of such cleanses. It's my informed belief that two or three day cleanses provide a safe space for internal detox and mental clarity. They ensure that you are still able to get vital nutrition and nourishment to your cells - while allowing a bit of rest for your digestive system. If you do your research and choose good quality juices (or better yet, if you're not able to find a company that you endorse//support - create your own juices!) so that you can be sure you are getting optimal nutrition. The juicing regime that I embarked on encourages the consumption of eight juices per day - that's three litres! Other juicing trends//diets that have been recently under the media spotlight have reportedly involved having three juices per day with people reporting feeling hungry but embarking on the regimes in an attempt to lose weight. Cleansing and weight loss are separate things. I did not once feel deprived, starved or 'lacking' during my cleanse and never felt like I was consuming the juices out of obligation or in an effort to lose weight. It provided me with a chance to rest my digestion, get some good quality phytonutrients into my body and to promote mental clarity//sharpness. Set your intentions prior to your cleanse, and always ensure that your decisions are driven by love, respect and kindness for yourself and your body. 

Blessings, juicy smiles and a light, happy heart x

Disclaimer - Although I am reviewing the Inner Ego pack - I received no financial endorsements or incentives for completing this review (other than the initial cleanse pack). The opinions and review that I have provided is completely independent and reflective of my experience with the juice cleanse. At the time of this post - I am not an affiliate or employee of this company and all opinions//information stated above is entirely of my own. 

5 comments:

  1. This makes me want to dust off my poor neglected juicer. How could you not want to drink those juices, when presented so beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This makes me want to dust off my poor neglected juicer. How could you not want to drink those juices, when presented so beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was so amazingly simple and delish - I have missed them everyday since!

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  3. I really loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to understand. Unlike other blogs I have read which are really not that good.Thanks alot!
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    ReplyDelete

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