I’m not one of those health junkies that live off a juice only diet. Nor am I a couch potato with an a addiction to fast food (although I could easily be if I wanted to). I like to think that I sit nicely somewhere in between and most of the time I like to follow the 80/20 rule; 80% healthy eating , 20% yummy treats. I won’t lie and say that I’m not mindful of what I eat because I am but at the same time I won’t deprive myself of the foods that taste good but not necessarily good for your waistline or health for that matter.
If like me, you tend to struggle with your 5 portions of fruit and veg a day then fresh juices (not the bottled concentrate) might help to get you that one step closer to fulfilling the quota. For me, I genuinely enjoy fresh juices as they taste yummy and it’s psychologically satisfying to know that it feeds your body with lots of essential vitamins and minerals. Yes they can be on the steep side, with some places charging up to £5 or £6 for a juice fix, I do think it’s worth investing in a juicer and something I need to do myself. But for those that don’t have one, I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite places in London where you can grab a healthy beverage whilst on the go.
I stumbled on the little haunt whilst traipsing around town and as the name would suggest, Lab Organic serves up fresh organic juices. Their juices come bottled and stored in their fridge and are named with whatever function it caters for e.g. the Wellness Juice is a mix of kiwi, beetroot and orange whilst perfectly balanced with the slight aromatic bitterness of celery and broccoli, and their Alkalizing Juice brings together your greens; pear, lime, celery and parsley. They also sell indivdiual shots like Wheatgrass if you want a concentrated fix.
They serve up little pots of goodness and bigger boxed salads which are also kept in the fridge alongside their juices. At the counter, you are presented with an array of healthy bars and snacks that it’s really hard to walk away without trying something. I’ve tried a few of their juices and my favourite one so far is the most recent and was a blend of apple, lime juice, ginger and mint (warning: There is a very strong kick to it). A small 350ml bottle is around £4.95 whilst the large one comes in at £7.
I didn’t realise that Joe & The Juice was an international franchise with stores in Germany, Denmark , Norway, Sweden and Iceland. There are five Joe & The Juice stores in London (six in the UK), four of them being in the centre of the city; Dean Street, Broadwick Street, Regent’s Street and New Oxford Street. They have an extensive juice list with funky names like “Hangover Heaven”, which is made up of apple, elderflower and mint, and “Sex Me Up” (ooh err) a concoction of passion fruit, apple and ginger. They also do shakes, albiet the healthy kind (of course), coffee and if you’re feeling peckish, you can stop by for one of their salads or for something a bit more substantial, a sandwich. Their stores are quite spacious compared to some of the other juice bars out there with comfortable seating should you wish to stop and enjoy a healthy juice or even a bite to eat.
This was my recent find whilst out shopping in Carnaby street with my boyfriend. We were actually looking for a place to stop by for lunch and stumbled on the Moosh store tucked away in Kingly Court. Unlike the other two places, this is more like a shop as it’s small with no indoor seating. There are a few seats outside in the court should you wish to stop and enjoy your beverage though. Moosh offers a choice of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and frozen yogurt but also snacks in the form of freshly made cakes and bars and also a selection for those who prefer their snack gluten free. The shelves are also stocked with familiar brands likes Coco Vita, Naked and Proper Corn. Like Lab Organic, they offer individual shots like Wheatgrass at an extra cost.
Moosh also have a Juice Detox plan (details on their site) which promises to help you lose weight in 5 days or less. A 3 day programme costs £100 whilst a 5 day programme costs £125. The site gives you all the details of the detox including preparation tips, FAQs, tips for a successful detox, post detox diet etc. I won’t be embarking on a juicing detox anytime soon but this is great for those who are interested in doing it.
Refuel
If you’re ever in the Angel area in Islington, there is a mobile/pop up juice bar on the corner right opposite the station. The list of juices is quite extensive considering it’s a tiny place, and you also have the option to create your own. I love the “Detox” juice which is a concoction of beetroot, orange, carrot and ginger. The best thing about it is they don’t skimp on size and it’s relatively cheap compared to other juice bars. My large “Detox” juice is only £3.50. I guess they are able to offer such a good price because overheads and staffing cost is low (I see one person in the weekday and maybe two people at the weekend behind the bar). I’d love to see more of these around London.
If you ever find yourself trying to decide on which exit to take out of Old Street station, which happens to be a stones throw away from Angel, you might want to stop by the pop up juice bar within the station aptly named “Juice Club” (these pop up bars seem to be popping up just about everywhere). There are 8 choices of different juices on the menu but you can add extra ingredients to customise it and make it your own. Available in three sizes, the large is around a fiver which seems to be the going rate but around a third more than what you get in the Angel pop up. They also sell whole coconuts which is becoming increasingly popular. I ordered the Club Classic which is a mix of apple, carrot and ginger. It was delicious but could do with a bit more ginger as I like mine with a bit of a kick to it. Juice Club also has concessions in Selfridges Food Hall and in Fortnam and Mason in Picadilly (very posh).
Like Lab Organic, this is at the pricier end of the market. Their cold pressed juices are bottled and refrigerated so you can literally grab and go. For a 250ml bottle, it’s £3.99 (this is less than what you get in a soft drink can). For a 500ml bottle, it will set you back £5.99. This I suppose is the cost of having your beverage fresh and of the organic kind. Yes whilst it is delicious, I went through mine within a few gulps. Their 500ml smoothie will leave you walking away with a few coins of change from a tenner with it costing £6.49 (which I have yet to try but they all sound good enough to eat if it were in solid form). They also serve snacks in the form of cakes and bars, all made with delicious and nutritious ingrediants of course and like Moosh they also have a Juice Plan but at £69.00 a day *chokes on my juice* I do wonder who actually signs up to it. I love juice but I’m pretty sure I can buy my own juicer for that price.
Let me know if you have a favourite juice bars in London as I’m always on the lookout for new places for a healthy juice fix.