Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas! I know Ben and I sure did! I think just about every person I know has gotten engaged, bought a new home or is expecting a baby, so it has been an extra cheerful holiday season for quite a few people around me.

As I mentioned right before Christmas, I had decided to embark on the 3-Day Suja Juice Cleanse, and now that I have completed it, I wanted to share my results with you, along with some additional information on the brand and cleanse in general.

What is Suja?

If you are an instagram, tumblr or social media user in general, you may have seen these vibrant bottles pop up on your news feed at one point or another, and there is a good reason as to why.  Unlike many other health conscious juices or smoothies on the market, Suja juices stand out from the crowd in more ways than one. According to the Suja website, all Suja juices are made by using what is called high pressure processing, also known as cold pressure processing, to kill any harmful pathogens while preserving the nutrients and enzymes in the process. In other words, nothing is heated, which means that Suja juices are as pure as if you were to juice them yourself, with the exception being that they are a lot more convenient. You will not find any additives, preservatives or ‘natural’ flavoring in Suja products because what you see is literally what you get.

Suja juices can be purchased individually, or also as a 1-day, 3-day or 5-day cleanse. I had never tried any Suja products prior to doing my 3-day cleanse, so going into it, I really had no idea of what I was getting myself into beyond what I had read online.  While I am always a fairly healthy eater, I had gone a little off track this past month as most people do around the holidays, and I felt like my body was in need of a ‘reset.’ Even though the holidays aren’t completely over, I decided to do this cleanse prior to Christmas for a few different reasons. For one, I wanted to be able to give you an honest, full review before the New Year, and secondly, I was sick and tired of feeling sluggish. Those may be simple reasons, but that’s truly all there was to it.

Now, I will be the first to admit that I have never been a big believer in strict cleansing for extended periods of time. Most cleanses out there are incredibly limited in the nutrients they provide, and typically contain harsh stimulants that have a laxative or diuretic effect, additives, preservatives, or other unnatural ingredients that don’t really make them worth it in my opinion. Suja was the first brand I had discovered that provided unaltered vitamins and nutrients that replenished your body rather than just cleaning you out, and this reason alone was enough for me to want to give it a try.

 So How Does A Suja Cleanse Work?

While I mentioned above that you have the option of doing a 1-day, 3-day or 5-day cleanse, all of these cleanses follow the same routine, with the obvious difference being the amount of time you spend on them. The cleanse consists of six 16 oz. bottles that you drink in a specific order throughout the day. Totaling around 1200 calories each day, these juices will replace all meals, snacks and other beverages beyond water for the duration of the cleanse, and your juices need to be consumed in the following order:

Breakfast – GLOW – A mix of apples, celery, spinach, cucumber, collard greens, kale and mint.

Mid-Morning Snack – FUEL – Carrots, orange, apple, pineapple, lemon, turmeric

Lunch – PURIFY – Carrots, apple, celery, beets, cucumber and lemon

Mid-Afternoon Snack – FIJI – Apple, celery, cucumber, spinach, kale, collard greens and ginger

Dinner – GREEN SUPREME – Apple, kale and lemon

Dessert – VANILLA CLOUD – Water, coconut meat, honey, almonds, cinnamon, vanilla bean, and nutmeg

Prior to the cleanse, it is suggested on the Suja website that you ease your body into it by eliminating coffee, alcohol, dairy, red meat, sugar, white flour and bread products. This will make the transition much easier on your body, and can help in reducing some of the possible unwanted side effects that any cleanse can potentially bring on (i.e., headaches, dizziness, fatigue, etc.). Fortunately for me, this was easy since I don’t consume most of these anyway, but I think it would be highly beneficial to cut these out a few days prior for those who do.

When you are ready to begin the cleanse, it is suggested that you start the first day off with a cup of warm water with lemon juice to alkalize the body. When you begin to feel the need for something more, you will then begin your juices for the day. I personally spaced mine out about 2 hours apart and that seemed to work really well for me. If you’re a late riser, you may want to drink your first juice as soon as you wake up so your dessert drink has at least 3 hours to properly digest before bedtime.

Although it is recommended that you don’t consume anything beyond the juices and water during the cleanse, I did technically ‘cheat’ each day by having a boiled sweet potato for either lunch or dinner, and a cup of low sodium vegetable broth soup I made with some zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic, kale and turmeric. While I would have preferred to do nothing but the juices for the entire cleanse, I am currently on an antibiotic that has the potential to make me feel nauseous when I don’t consume something slightly heavier with it. If you are like me and have a reason for needing a little something extra, incorporate foods such as sweet potatoes, salad, broth based soups or additional vegetables.

Regardless of my ‘cheats,’ I followed the cleanse as directed otherwise, and I am completely happy with my results. I lost 5 pounds total, which of course is some water weight, but I truly feel so much lighter and more energetic than I was feeling before I started. It was exactly what I needed to ‘reset’ my body, and get it back on track without feeling deprived or ready to binge eat the minute I finished.

So How Much Do They Cost?

At $9 a bottle, Suja juices are not cheap, but it is important to consider why before you cross it off your list completely. Each bottle of juice contains over 2 lbs. of unaltered, organic, pure vegetable and fruit juice.  If you are a regular juicer, you are probably all too familiar with the costs associated in buying fresh produce, so it is not that surprising when you consider the huge size of the bottles, and the process that goes into them to retain all of the nutrients.

How Do The Juices Actually Taste?

I will come right out and say that I typically dislike celery in my juices, and as you can see above, most of these juices contain it. This did make me slightly nervous at first, but truthfully, it didn’t bother me at all. Each of these juices are combined really well as far as being complimentary in terms of pairings, and although there are some that definitely have a more ‘earthy’ taste (Purify), it isn’t at all overpowering. My personal favorites were the Glow, Fuel, Green Supreme and Vanilla Cloud, but each flavor I tried was refreshing and enjoyable without a doubt.

How Did I Feel During The Cleanse?

Throughout this cleanse, I honestly felt wonderful just about 100% of the time, with the exception of 1 small headache I experienced on the afternoon of my second day. While I can’t say for sure if it was related to the cleanse, I would assume that it was since it isn’t that unlikely to experience this sort of thing when doing any type of cleanse. It wasn’t unbearable or anything, but this is why I agree with Suja’s recommendation to eliminate some of the more acidic food and beverages from your diet before trying something like this. Other than the headache, I felt really, really good. I hardly experienced hunger pains, and I felt that the juices did a good job of keeping me satisfied on their own on the day where I chose to eat my sweet potato for dinner rather than lunch.

Would I Recommend This Cleanse?

I would absolutely recommend this cleanse, but I would also recommend you check with your doctor first. In the case of those that are pregnant or nursing, have diabetes or are on blood thinners, this type of cleanse is typically not recommended. Suja juices are gluten free, dairy free, and nut free with the exception of the Vanilla Cloud dessert drink that contains almond milk, but you can substitute this out if you need to for another juice. I would personally love to do this once a month, and I actually plan on doing so.

Where Can You Buy Suja Products?

 Suja products can be purchased through either Whole Foods stores nationwide, or through their website http://www.sujajuice.com.

If you have any questions for me about my experience with the Suja 3-Day Cleanse, feel free to leave it in the comments section below. You can also contact Suja for more information about the product through their website.