Juicing Up With a Juice Cleanse

Like many folks, I try to eat clean, especially this time of year when one habitually takes stock of their health and exactly where the needle rests on the scale. But just because I love to fill a tote with spoils from the local farmer’s market and force myself to eat broccoli doesn’t mean I couldn’t lead myself blindfolded to Mission for falafel and fries. In a snowstorm.

The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines recommend 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per person per day. Per day. I’m not convinced the average American is reaching that standard. I, for one, can say with certainty, I’m not. Busy schedules, daily demands, social commitments... free time is at an all-time low, and sadly neither sweet potato fries nor Pinkberry counts. I checked.

With my paltry intake in mind, I thought – what if you could knock out that daily requirement in one fell swoop? Think smarter not harder, right? I chatted with Brigid Rafferty, founder of the Power of Juice in Middletown. The Cordon Bleu-trained chef concocts raw cold-pressed juices from fruits and vegetables (many organic and non-GMO) packed with essential vitamins, minerals and other key nutrients.

Though you can find single jars of juices at the Newport Cooks storefront in Middletown and the Aquidneck Growers’ Market on Saturdays, I was looking for something a little more intense with more commitment. Brigid offers juice and cleanse bundles, and anyone whose worth their Us Weekly salt knows juice cleanses are the celebutant detox go-to. If I wanted the ubiquitous Blake Lively-style “post-baby-bikini-bod” boost, the 1-Day Purify surely would be too simple; the 5-Day Cleanse too intense. The 3-Day Reboot? Just right.

“But will I be hungry?” I asked with near panic after Brigid instructed me to start my day with the Electro-Lite-Me Hydrator comprised of coconut water, orange, pineapple and ginger. She told me other clients had reported back that much to their surprise, they didn’t find themselves hungry throughout the reboot. Despite true concerns that I’d be cutting the line at Chipolte half-way through day one, I readied for the reboot by choosing my 12 artisan juices, three hand-crafted milks and three Electro-Lite-Me Hydrators to enjoy each day on The Power of Juice.

Brigid makes the process easy by providing local deliveries for a small fee, and I admit, when I saw the 18 rainbow-hued juices in 16 fl. oz. glass jars packed neatly in boxes, it felt real. And slightly terrifying. This is all I had to “eat” for three days. Goodbye java, hello Green Giant (made from green apple, curly kale, Tuscan kale, cucumber, parsley and lemon).

I would be lying if I didn’t say I was comforted by knowing Newport’s legendary Brick Alley Pub and its delicious Arugula Salad Pizza was just three blocks away from my workplace (I mean, it’s a salad, right?). Following Brigid‘s instructions, I started the morning with the hydrator (preceded by a hot “tea” of boiling water and half a fresh lemon squeezed into it after waking up), which is reminiscent of Gatorade minus the sugar and processed garbage. I followed with a variety of juices every two and a half hours or so with water in between. The last time I felt this hydrated was during marathon training.

Brigid advised me to save the Maca Me Feel Good Milk I had selected for my usual peak hunger hours (in my world, also known as “all hours”). As I loathe going to bed hungry, I planned the milk made from raw almonds, filtered water, maca powder, espresso powder, cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt for the day’s grand finale. Shockingly, by day’s end, i.e. “maca time,” I was... satisfied. Yes, I could have easily polished off a bowl of Perro Salado’s guacamole if given the chance, but the hydrator, juices and nut milk kept me fueled, plus there was the satisfaction of knowing that everything I ingested that day was full of nothing but valuable vitamins, minerals and living enzymes. By Day Two, I woke with an extra spring in my step and by Day Three, was in the swing of things (but also grateful solid food would be returning to my diet soon.) Going green never tasted so good. 

The Power of Juice
796 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown
617-875-8437