Winter is coming. Well, on Aussie shores that is, and our bodies are starting to crave warmth, comfort, and heartier food, which is why a juice cleanse doesn’t sound too appealing. But dedicated juicers (or complete newbies), don’t fret, there’s a new winter alternative in town: soup cleanses.
Since soup relies primarily on vegetables rather than fruits, they’re normally super low on the glycemic scale, and jam-packed with gut-loving fibre, making them pretty filling and a great comfort food in the cooler months. Not to mention they also provide a nourishing vitamin hit, boosting your immunity and helping to ward off food cravings and reduce bloating.
But if, like me, you’ve tried juice detoxes before and felt exhausted and hangry (hungry + angry = bad combo!) then you’re probably a little sceptical about diving into the world of soup cleanses. With this being said, I am always opening to trying new things, which is why I agreed to try Prodjuice.
Based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Prodjuice are all about high quality, seasonal products that are not only good for the body, but also the environment. Their range of organic juices, soups, tonics and milks are pressed in small batches, tasted & checked, then bottled lovingly by hand.
Here’s the low-down on my Autumn Cleanse:
My Autumn Cleanse consisted of seven drinks for three days (they also have one and five day cleanses available, in addition to buying separately).
First up was a pre-breakfast immune shot of cold pressed ginger, garlic, lemon, raw honey and oregano oil. Then, a quinoa, slippery elm and blueberry porridge, which was very tasty and surprisingly filling.
Mid-morning rolled around pretty quickly, and next up was the (not too sweet) green juice. Lunch came in the form of a nourishing bone broth, followed up a punchy turmeric tonic to stimulate digestion.
For dinner, I had – you guessed it – soup. This time is was chunky spiced carrot, chickpea and lentil concoction. Last, but very not least, was a fragrant, antioxidant-rich rose and ashwagandha almond milk.
“The Autumn Cleanse aims to be like no other “juice cleanse”. I find it important to work with the seasons, what we consume in Summer should never be the same as what we eat in Winter. Each season should be treated individually. During The Autumn Cleanse we include warming soups, broths, almond milks & tonics to support the body during the transition towards cooler weather. The broths and tonics also offer strong support to the immune system at a time when, seasonally, cold & flu becomes prevalent. The other element I feel is incredibly important to include in any cleanse is protein. Protein not only keeps you feeling “fuller”, making the cleanse more achievable, but also helps to maintain energy & lean muscle mass throughout the cleanse. It’s the “anti-juice cleanse” juice cleanse if you like!” explains Anne Durham, Founder and Director of Prodjuice.
All in all, I loved the concept of being able to the chew the hearty soups, which certainly made the three days a little easier, and enjoyed the variety of flavours. But I’ll let you be the judge, and try it for yourself.
