At this point in the summer, many of us are feeling like it’s high time for a dose of antioxidants. Fresh-pressed juices can offer a potent dose of them, along with other vitamins and minerals and that do the body a world of good. Stock your fridge with some refreshing elixirs from these well-loved local juice dealers and treat yourself to an end-of-summer energy boost.
Here are our favourite fresh juices to check out in Toronto.
Whale Juice
Healthy need not be boring, when you stock up at Whale Juice. Here, cold-pressed juice comes with the option to add toppings like tapioca, lychee, and aloe, and they also offer fruit teas, fresh-fruit milkshakes and icy fresh fruit slush blends. Treat yourself!
- Multiple locations in Toronto
- Click here to visit their Instagram
Elxr Juice Lab
Elxr Juice Lab creates full juice cleanse packages that make the process of cleansing a no-brainer. Whether you’re looking for a mini reset, or you want to take your cleanse game to the next level, Elxr is where to go. Their juices, tonics and boosters and all plant-based, all cold-pressed, all organic, and also, very stylishly packaged.
- Multiple locations in the GTA
- Click here to visit their Instagram
Village Juicery
For a robust selection of organic, cold-pressed and raw juices, meals and snacks that’ll inspire your next health kick, head to Village Juicery. Get completely set-up for your juice cleanse with one of their nutritionist-designed cleanse kits or work with one to create a kit that suits your needs to a T.
- Multiple locations in Toronto
- Click here to visit their Instagram
Plant-Lyfe Cafe
This completely plant-based cafe and meditation space is a one-stop shop for healthy living inspo. With a vegan menu of smoothie bowls and loaded toasts, cold-pressed juices and wellness lattes, and a roster of community programming (think: astrology forecasts and sound baths), Plant-Lyfe will help you embrace a whole new lifestyle.
- Location: 998 Queen Street E, Toronto, ON M4M 1K1
- Phone Number: (416) 462 0490
- Click here to visit their Instagram
Greenhouse Juices
These homegrown juices have their own cult following. Try a made-with-love organic, plant-based juices as a one-off in a glass bottle, or commit to one of three different cleanse programs (gentle, standard, and green). Greenhouse also offers resources to help you conduct your cleanse – from what to do, when, to how.
- Multiple locations throughout Toronto
- Click here to visit their Instagram
Revistasize Natural Juice Kitchen
Stock up for a healthy work week here with cold-pressed, fresh, raw organic juices, as well as eats like power breakfasts (overnight oatmeals and vegan cheesecakes), energy balls and organic soups. Or, stop by their cafe for a fresh made breakfast or lunch.
- Location: 2631 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4P 2J4
- Phone Number: (647) 347-8050
- Click here to visit their Instagram
Anti Vice
Anti Vice makes their juices fresh to order, so you can be sure you’re getting the brightest flavours. Choose from a menu of seasonal blends like lemonade slushy (lemon, maple syrup and ice), strawberry lemonade or candy crush (orange, pineapple, strawberry, lime and kiwi) or, make up your own custom mix.
- Location: 853A College St, Toronto, ON M6H 1A1
- Phone Number: (416) 859 5412
- Click here to visit their Instagram
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As someone who enjoys a daily green juice, I’m a bit embarrassed to reveal that I had never done a juice cleanse before this. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of a cleanse and have often been close to ordering one but I was worried about not completing it and wasting not only the juice but also the money.
As if by fate, I was approached by ELXR Juicelab to try one of its cleanses and at first I shook my head at the thought of doing a juice cleanse during quarantine. Quarantine for me has been a time of cooking, baking, and constant grazing so the thought of replacing not only my morning cups of coffee, bagels, french toast, cookies, and more with juice seemed near-impossible. After chatting with a few friends, I realized that this is actually a great time to do a juice cleanse because I wouldn’t be tempted to go out to eat at restaurants and I had no industry events to attend, so what was holding me back? Nothing.
I decided to go for it and I signed myself up for two days of ELXR’S Deep Dive cleanse.
*If you aren’t sure a juice cleanse is right for you, consult a doctor and always listen to your body.*
The cleanse consisted of two four juices, two boosters, one tonic, and one milk and let me preface by saying how easy the whole experience was from start to finish.
The cleanse was delivered right to my door at 9 a.m. via contactless delivery and I got started right away with Toxic Flush which is like a spicy lemonade that kickstarts the detoxification process. In addition to being good for you, this tonic was absolutely delicious and I had to stop myself from downing it all in one go. Along with Toxic Flush came with the Tumeric Booster. This potent shot is great for its immune-boosting anti-inflammatory properties and with added black pepper, it makes it easier for our bodies to absorb.
Next up was ELXR’s Second Base which is a green juice and I’m not afraid to admit that I was scared it would taste awful because, let’s face it, most green juices can be reminiscent of grass. However, I’m also not afraid to admit that I was proved wrong and was pleasantly surprised to find this juice was SO good and didn’t have a grass-like taste at all.
Again, I had to stop myself from downing this juice because it was that delicious.
By now it was early afternoon and I proceeded to tuck into juice after juice and found each one tasty, refreshing, and all-around enjoyable. Now, I’m not saying that I expected them to be nasty, but I wasn’t prepared for them to be this good.
It wasn’t until the late afternoon that I began to feel hunger and I developed a relatively strong headache. I made sure to keep drinking enough water but even as I stayed hydrated, my headache wasn’t going anywhere.
I decided to have some of the Chaga Fix which was my “all-day sipper” and after a while, my headache and hunger disappeared completely.
Dinner was another green juice, the Third Base, and it didn’t disappoint either. The juice tasted ‘greener’ than the Second Base but it was easy to drink and before I knew it, the bottle was empty.
Call me crazy, but I already felt less bloated and I wasn’t even completely done with Day one.
All in all, the cleanse was much less scary than I thought it would be. I anticipated feeling deprived, hungry, and sluggish all day but it couldn’t have been more of the opposite. Day two came and went and I felt not only amazing and lighter in a way, but also proud of myself that I stuck with the cleanse and tried something new.
If you thought that ELXR was known for just its juices, then think again because the brand also makes tasty treats like chia seed parfaits, oatmeals, sprouted granola, and more. These are delicious any time of the day but they’re great for breakfast as well as post-cleanse for introducing food back into your diet.
I had the chance to ask ELXR Juicelab founder and CEO Daniel Gelshteyn a couple questions:
What are your thoughts on doing a juice cleanse while we’re in quarantine?
DG: Whether you’ve just learnt to cook for yourself, are snacking more than usual as a result of heightened anxiety or boredom or becoming more health-conscious in an effort to keep your immunity up, I think it’s become increasingly evident that this pandemic has had an effect on the way most of us eat. Juice Cleansing is an opportunity to take a break from unhealthy eating habits which may have developed during your time in quarantine, or simply as a way to refocus your diet with a variety of organic formulas and vibrant plant-based superfoods that aim to detox, energize, repair and nourish the body from the inside out.
Do you have any tips on how to stick with the cleanse for the whole duration if someone is new to cleansing?
DG: For anyone that’s new to cleansing the most important thing to remember is that you need to listen to your body to ensure you come out of the cleanse feeling your absolute best. If you ever feel low on energy, It’s okay to introduce salads, soups or nuts into your diet. In addition, it’s super important to continue drinking lots of water or herbal teas in-between juices to stay hydrated.
Cleanses can span anywhere from 1-6 days at the discretion of the person participating. It’s important to pick a number of days that services you and your body without overexerting yourself to ensure maximum success. We also understand cleansing can be difficult with day one typically being the hardest. It’s important to monitor how you’re feeling, you can always take a break in between days while maintaining a plant-based diet and still feel the benefits.
Want to order your own ELXR Juicelab cleanse? Use code STYLEDEMOCRACY for 20% off, valid until July 31!
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