Our Leafy Green juice is an integral part of every Karmic cold pressed juice cleanse in Melbourne, and is the primary health and nutrition provider for those who opt for our deep Zen cleanses. Because Leafy Green is so important to our juice cleanses and your health, we thought we would run through each of the natural ingredients and some of their many benefits.

Kale

Even amongst superfoods, kale is seen as a powerhouse of nutrition and we thought it essential to include in each pressed juice cleanse. First gaining popularity amongst Ancient Romans, the leafy green has appeared in diets ever since, but it is only recently that the full health benefits have been discovered. Kale is crammed full of goodness, containing high levels of protein, fiber and vitamins A, C and K. The distinctive curly leaves also contain generous servings of essential minerals such as calcium, folate and potassium. Even the less well-known nutrients that colour the vegetable – lutein and zeaxanthin – offer protection from muscular degeneration and cataracts.

Spinach

Popeye was on to something all those years ago. Not only was spinach great for his muscle development, it also helped him steer clear of a raft of diseases and conditions, from arthritis to heart disease. Low in calories, but high in lots of essential nutrients, spinach also has generous quantities of vitamins A and C, folate and magnesium and is a great addition to a low fructose juice cleanse in Melbourne.

Cucumber

More than just a crunchy, refreshing source of water, cucumber also has some great health benefits. High in vitamin K, fiber and potassium, cucumbers helps keep weight gain in check, alleviates high blood pressure and reduces the risk of other heart conditions, all while promoting detoxification and reducing excess bodily fluid.

Celery

Often remarked upon for having fewer calories than it takes to digest, celery is certainly great for shedding kilos, but there is much more to the tasty vegetable than weight loss alone. Fiber, antioxidants and vitamins A, C and K can all be found within the green crunch.

Lemon

The zesty yellow fruit first earned its health stripes in the 18^th century as an effective preventative treatment for scurvy. Scurvy may belong to the annals of maritime history, but the high vitamin C content is still of great benefit today. Lemons help increase iron absorption, boost the immune system, offer antioxidant qualities and guard against asthma, colds and flus. The unmistakable flavour also offers a dynamic addition to the Karmic range of cold press juices in Melbourne.

With all this goodness in one bottle, it is little wonder that each sip takes you a step closer to detox, restoration and great nutrition. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the myriad of benefits and great taste of Leafy Green as part of your next Karmic juice cleanse in Melbourne.

Melbourne winters are always cold, but good health doesn't hibernate and neither do the Karmic team. We’ve developed two soups that are the perfect accompaniment to a Melbourne juice cleanse over the winter months.

Soup is one of the greatest ways to blend the healthiest raw produce into a delicious meal with maximum nutritional benefit. Better still, a good serving of soup will warm you through, leaving you feeling unseasonably comfortable. Just as we dedicated our time and energy to creating the very best pressed juice cleanse in Melbourne, the creation of our soups was equally a labour of love.

We thought very carefully about super foods, essential minerals and vitamins, and flavour combinations in order to maximise both health benefits and taste. The results are now available in jars of Pumpkin Bliss and Green Brassica; soups that will simultaneously cleanse and warm the body. Both flavours are a fantastic way to supplement a juice diet in Melbourne, adding nutrition and aiding the detox process.

Every jar of Pumpkin Bliss contains some of the best wholefoods alongside nutrients, herbs and spices, combining to form a rejuvenating, healing soup.

The all-natural ingredients:
Pumpkin
Tomato
Onion
Garlic
Apple Cider Vinegar
Spices
Coconut Oil

Green for go, this blend is bursting with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Great for the immune system and for reinvigorating your mind and body when the weather has other ideas, Green Brassica tastes as good as it is nutritious.

The all-natural ingredients:
Broccoli
Kale
Peas
Spinach
Onion
Garlic
Apple Cider Vinegar
Spices
Coconut Oil

As these soups were developed to be consumed in conjunction with a juice detox in Melbourne, they are made to the same high standards as our cold pressed juice. This means that both Pumpkin Bliss and Green Brassica are made from 100% natural wholefoods, with no preservatives and low levels of fructose.

With all that goodness packed inside and everything bad left out, these soups have loads of great benefits for your body. From detoxification of heavy metals to improved gut health, essential alkalizing to antioxidants, each spoonful is another step closer to better health. By combining these with a juice detox in Melbourne, we have created a cleanse specifically designed for winter; one that is sure to help you through the cold days and long nights.

Recently KARMIC caught up with our good friend & holistic nutritionist Bonnee Fahlstrom. Bonnee was preparing for her next modelling shoot, so decided to try KARMIC's new Winter Cleanse to help her look and feel at her best. Post cleansing & shoot, we're pleased to share Bonnee's ideas around health, wellness & looking awesome!

Living an acidic lifestyle of stress, over eating processed and packaged foods, bingeing on alcohol and relying on stimulants like coffee can lead people to ill health, which includes internal and physical issues, and symptoms you can no longer ignore. Some of these issues include weight gain, acne, cellulite, candida, malnourishment, hair loss, plus an endless list of immune illnesses, parasites and viruses!!!

Our body’s are extremely intuitive, and will give us signs when it’s time to shape up and pay attention to what it needs. When I started getting headaches and sugar cravings I knew it was time for a reset. And I was ready to try something a bit different.

The day I made the conscious decision to live a plant-based lifestyle was the day my life changed for the better. Complete healing didn’t happen overnight, but every day I would see and feel improvement. Eating healthy means giving your body power foods it can easily assimilate and use for regeneration and rejuvenation. Life comes from life. So the more foods you eat which are organic and straight from nature's raw garden, the better you are going to feel.

 @bonnee_fahlstrom

I started the Karmic 4 day Winter Cleanse purely to boost my immune system for Winter!!! The soups were lush, hot and full of flavour ! Pumpkin Bliss was delish! I loved the Green Brassica soup too!!! It got me through a few icy arctic Melbourne days!

The biggest positive changes I noticed afterwards are:
- Appetite under control. My hunger seems to be more balanced and stable, this gives me more control over when and what I want to eat.
– My cravings are greatly reduced. I feel more satisfied (and faster) with my meal portions and don’t have such an urge for snacking.
– My body in general feels lighter and revitalized after this reboot.

Throughout all elements of my life, I am now committed to becoming the very best version of myself. I love to nourish my body with earth-loving foods, saturation of fruits and veggies and to respect the environment around me, to practice self-love and share my lifestyle with others. 

Since my Karmic experience I have personally included juice fasts as my regular cleansing method since it is easy to incorporate in my routine and is a period long enough to give that needed break to the digestive system, which enhances the removal of accumulated toxins.

If I can take a small part in kick starting your journey to an optimal health balance, my work here is done! No matter what your long-term goal is, I guarantee this cleanse will help you make healthier lifestyle tweaks and stick to them- which is where you will see continual long-term improvement and results!

We're pleased that Bonnee has had such an awesome experience while cleanse, and most importantly, loves our new Winter Cleanse! 

If you have any questions about cleansing or would like to know more about our Winter Cleanse, jump onto our website or send us an email at info@karmiccoldpressedjuice.com.au

Protein powders can be a convenient way to bump up your protein intake if you're undertaking a solid exercise routine. Aside from repairing body tissue, a diet high in protein has been shown to keep you leaner, stronger and promote a healthy body composition. As far as protein products are concerned, they are generally marketed based on the type of host ingredient they're sourced from. A common example is whey protein which is derived from milk, but you'll also see egg protein and increasingly common are vegetable proteins such as rice or pea. 

However, despite being marketed as a 'protein powder' many products are actually quite low in protein in terms of percentage of dry weight. Ideally, a protein powder should be over 85% protein - if it isn't, then you really need to be asking questions. After all, why would you want to pay anywhere up to $80 per kilo for something which is not a pure product? 

So if your protein powder is not actually high in protein, then what's in it? To answer this, it helps to understand the sources of the protein a little better. For example, carbohydrates can still be present after the whey is separated from milk, or when the vegetable protein is sourced from a grain or legume. Likewise, a smaller percentage of fats can also be found. These naturally occurring compounds are not usually detrimental to the overall quality of the protein supplement provided the product is made using good quality ingredients in the first place. Just make sure that no additional carbohydrates, sugars or fats have been unnecessarily added to an otherwise good quality product.  

But what about the list of often enigmatic or chemical ingredients? 

Artificial sweeteners are of particular concern here. There is a growing body of research linking some sweetener compounds to toxicity in the liver/kidney, adrenal fatigue and even some types of cancers.

There's also evidence to show that many chemicals found in foods which cannot be properly digested by the body (artificial colours, flavours, preservatives) disrupt normal metabolic functions, often resulting in the compound being stored in the body's fat cells, thus making the stored fat more difficult to metabolise in the future. 

It really does pay to do plenty of research on the ingredients before making a purchase, especially given the volume of protein powder which is often taken on an almost daily basis. 

So what are the alternatives? 

Firstly & fore mostly, if you want to increase your protein intake the best way to do this is to source your protein from clean, whole food sources. Lean meats, nuts & seeds, eggs and a limited range of grains & legumes are all readily available sources of protein. Also, when the whole food is consumed, the protein often comes pre-packed with a broad range of complimentary macro & micro nutrients which support the synthesis of one another. In short, a whole food source of protein is a 'complete meal' rather than an isolated supplement. 

This is not to say that protein powders do not have their place in terms of convenience. So if having a shake or smoothie on the go is your thing, then perhaps try to source a pure form of protein that does not have any questionable additional ingredients. Look for brands which sell whey protein in it's pure form with no additional flavours, colours or sweeteners. It has a mild, neutral milk flavour which goes really well in pretty much any smoothie you can imagine and often boasts a protein level of well over 90%. Pure, raw rice protein is also a fantastic vegan alternative with a high protein level and good versatility, especially in raw cooking. 

As with any formulated product, ask plenty of questions and research the ingredients well. If it's not a real food, then why eat it?