I'm not here to tell you that January should be a time for weight loss - I'm definitely not in that camp. But for me, it doesn't matter the time of year, I'm always striving to be healthier, and give my body a kickstart. Celebrities from Gwyneth Paltrow to Blake Lively praise the benefits of a juice cleanse for improving their health, but what is one and how on earth do you start a juice cleanse?
If you're looking for a way to reboot and recharge, a juice cleanse could be perfect for getting your body - and mind - sharp and ship-shape. Juice cleanses can benefit your skin, sleep, and even your immunity.
Salma Hayek is such an advocate of juicing, she started her own juicing business, Cooler Cleanse. "After doing a juice cleanse, I'm motivated to eat healthier and not emotionally," Salma says. "It makes me stop, focus and think about what I'm putting into my body. I'm making a commitment to my health and hitting the reset button."
Fancy a slice of the juicing action? The good news is, juice cleanses have come a long way from the days when you had to be BFFs with a blender to even get started. Nowadays they come delivered straight to your door, ready-made and tailored to give you the daily nutrients you need.
Benefits of a juice cleanse
A juice cleanse is typically done to detox the body of toxins like sugar and alcohol, and can give your gut a rest so it works better. People swear by juice cleanses for everything from weight loss to clearer skin, more energy, a stronger immunity and better sleep. It's also a way to flood your body with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals from a range of fruit and vegetables - great if you struggle to get your five-a-day.
Cons of a juice cleanse - from someone who's done a few
Juice cleanses aren't for everyone. I've tried a few and fared differently, from finding them easy to follow as long as my activity on the day was at a minimum, to not being able to finish them. I found myself craving cucumber, just to crunch something, so definitely ease yourself in with a one day cleanse if it's your first time.
For me, I found the juice cleanses with a nut mylk blend once or twice a day to be a little easier (my favourite was Radiance's Signature Cleanse). They felt more filling to me, and ever so slightly more like actual food. My first ever juice cleanse was a one-day affair, and I found my stomach less bloated and a lot flatter than it was before. I moved onto a three-day cleanse before my sister's wedding, and again, found my tummy to be flatter, my sleep majorly improved and that resulted in my skin having a bit more of a glow plus those under-eye bags that plague me being less obvious. I felt I had more energy (not on day two of the cleanse - that was a low, laying on the sofa barely moving day) and didn't crave chocolate and sweets so much.
I heavily researched too, what to do post-cleanse as that's just as important. You don't want to flood your body with a million calories, or drink alcohol and caffeine - take it easy. The first day post-cleanse, I ate lean meats, veggies and a sneaky coffee with just a splash of milk. I did have a chocolate biscuit or two, but was satiated after the two (as opposed to me usually wanting to eat the entire packet).
Always consult your doctor or a health professional if you are going to embark on one. Juice cleanses can be expensive, and if you've got a hectic schedule, it's best to leave trying one until you're less busy.
How many days does a juice cleanse last?
A juice cleanse typically lasts from one to seven days, depending on the one you choose. Newbies are recommended to try one for one to two days and the more experienced can juice cleanse for seven days.
What should you eat before and after a juice cleanse?
Before embarking on a juice cleanse (consult with your doctor first), you probably think you'll be craving pizza and chocolate post-cleanse, but a juice cleanse also affects your metabolism and people find they're less hungry afterwards. But when you do return to solids, keep it light - think steamed vegetables, whole foods such as nuts and a little fruit.
Add a green smoothie to your daily diet too (experts suggest first thing in the morning) and try to swap caffeine with hot water and lemon. Before you embark on a juice cleanse, follow the same principle for a day to prep your body and get the most out of the experience.
Fancy giving a juice cleanse a try in 2024? I've created an edit of juice cleanses that either I've tried, or the reviews are glowing...
How I chose the best juice cleanses
- Trusted reviews: I haven't personally tried all of the juice cleanses, but I've combed through the online reviews to find the juice cleanses that seem to be the most popular and most praised. If I have tried it (paid for by myself), I've let you know.
- Price: Juice cleanses can be pricey, so I've scoured the web for a range of price points to suit all budgets.
- Variety: Since not everyone wants to be drinking green juice, and green juice only, even for a day, this edit includes juice cleanses that offer a variety of flavours, juices and soups too.
The one for first-timers
- From £38 per day
- Can be bought as a one-day juice cleanse, up to seven-days
- Free delivery on orders over £45
- Eight juices, including two oat milkshakes
"This is one I've tried, for a one-day cleanse, and I have to say it's a really user-friendly way to enter the world of juice cleanses. The juices themselves are delicious, if a little sharp (well the celery juice isn't going to be much else!) I loved the addition of the oat milkshakes, which filled me up!
"This cleanse has eight juices, and I found by 1pm I was actually full of liquid and did struggle with the 4pm juice. I love that PRESS gives you the timeline of when to drink them, and I definitely had a flatter tummy the next day. It is a brilliant one to try if you're curious, and want to see how you'd fare, as not too pricey either." - Carla Challis, HELLO! Commerce Partnership Editor.
The one reviewers rave about for weight loss
- 3-day plan
- 5 juices a day
- Delivery costs £2.99
This plan includes five cold-pressed juices a day, with all juices made in the UK. I've studied the reviews and shoppers say it's "delicious", "great value for money" and "a great way to shift some pounds quickly."
Crucially, there's a number of reviews that applaud how filling and tasty the juices are, with one claiming they "felt energised after drinking them!"
The soup cleanse to improve immunity
- From £50 a day for a four-day cleanse
- Includes four juices and two soups per day
- Free delivery over £65
If juices seem a little too, well, little, for you a day, Plenish's soup and juice cleanse might just be the one for you.
Designed to improve immunity, this cleanse not only has three juices, but a yummy sounding cacao milk plus two soups, one for lunch and one for dinner.
You can do this cleanse for 2-4 days, depending on your lifestyle.
The sugar cleanse
- Available in a 3-7 day cleanse
- Includes 5 cold-pressed juices, a booster shot and a nut mylk
- Free delivery
This sugar cleanse detox sounds perfect for this time of year, when we've overindulged in the sweet stuff and need to reset to start the year with less-sugary intentions.
What I love about this, even though I haven't tried it, is that you can add notes to your order if there's a fruit or ingredient you're not so keen on.
This cleanse has been designed for those coming off a high-sugar diet, or are struggling with their sugar and carb cravings. Shoppers have commented that they found themselves with less sugar cravings even weeks after the cleanse, and that the juices themselves taste "glorious."
The one to make your skin glow
- Available as a 1-5 day cleanse, with either 5 or 6 juices
- Includes three juices and two nut mylks
- Delivery costs vary
"This is my favourite juice cleanse, the one that made me a juice cleanse fan. I tried this a few years ago and couldn't believe how delicious the juices and nut mylks were, how easy the whole process was and how full I felt.
"The thing for me though, was the final juice of the day - a cacao cashew mylk. Honestly, it was so tasty I'd drink it every single day. It was great to go to bed on a full stomach from this, and I genuinely did wake up with glowing skin after a three-day cleanse on this programme." - Carla Challis, Commerce Partnership Editor.
The protein-heavy cleanse
- Choose from 1, 3, 5, 7, or 14 day cleanse
- Includes a juice shot, two cold-pressed juices with supplements plus four cold-pressed juices
- Delivery charges vary
Upping our protein is something I'm always hearing from nutritionists, personal trainers, health experts and even friends, and this protein-heavy juice cleanse leans into that.
Described as not your typical juice cleanse, it's an award-winning macro-complete nutrition plan that still allows you to exercise while putting your body into a calorie deficit without putting it into starvation mode. Genius! (My personal trainer is a fan!)
A lot of the online reviews say the same thing - that shoppers weren't hungry on it, had more energy and felt overall better post-programme.
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