My lifestyle in Shanghai often revolves around street food and alcohol, so I wanted to give my liver and bloating stomach a break by trying out a one day juice cleanse. Besides detoxing the body, cleanses (apparently) can also clear skin, promote mental clarity and emotional stability, give you more energy, etc. I was skeptical to see how not eating would actually make me feel better, since I often succumb to being hangry (simultaneous hunger and anger). I ordered from Farmhouse Juice, paying 208RMB for 6 500 mL juices (plus 15RMB delivery fee, which varies on your location). Every 2 to 2.5 hours, you’re supposed to drink one bottle until you’ve finished them all. The day before the cleanse, it’s recommended to eat light to acclimate your body to the juice, so I stuck to salads and vegetables. Nothing too crazy here. 8:00 Woke up feeling the same level of hunger I normally do. The first juice should be drank within the first hour of waking up, so I waited a bit for my “breakfast”. 9:15 Juice 1: Green Elixir kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, celery, cucumber, apple, ginger, lemon The vegetable taste was a bit strong for my liking, but the apple balanced it out with a light sweetness. This was not the greatest juice to start the day. It was probably my least favorite juice out of them all, but still not bad. 11:15 Juice 2: Internal Fix pineapple, apple, mint Very sweet, refreshing and cool. But 50g of sugar?! Maybe that’s why it tastes so good… 1:15 Juice 3: Beauty Glow apple, cucumber, celery, lime, ginger Vegetable taste is stronger, and also slightly citrus. Not a big fan of this, but still palatable. A bit tangy. I’m starting to get sick of apples, since they’ve been in every juice so far. 3:15 Juice 4: Spicy Lemonade calamansi, lime, lemon, ginger, cayenne pepper, agave nectar Tart and spicy when it goes down. Starting to feel more hungry, still bearable. Craving some food. 4:00 Okay, I think I just went to pee three times in the past hour. I wonder if anyone has noticed… 5:30 Juice 5: Beet It beet, carrot, apple, ginger, lemon Sweeter than other beet juices I’ve had in the past. I wish this one had a stronger beet flavor, rather than the apple overpowering the beet. Again, getting sick of apple flavor. 6:00 I’ve just been invited to Blue Frog for their Monday buy one get one free promotion. I’m definitely tempted, but with only one juice left, I can’t give up. 6:15 I’m going back and forth debating whether or not I should eat, but I ultimately decide that I can’t throw 200RMB down the drain. Surprisingly, I’m not as hungry as I should be for not eating all day. I’m able to sustain myself, but I feel a headache coming on and am a bit lethargic. 7;30 Juice 6: Horchata cashew milk, vanilla specks, cinnamon, agave milk This tastes like pure Christmas with the addition of vanilla and cinnamon. I was most excited for this last juice, and I was not disappointed. Very smooth, and I was able to end my cleanse on a good note. 8:00 Wait a second, I’m not going to sleep for another few… How am I going to survive the rest of the night without anything besides water? 11:00 Fell asleep right away. Was able to get in my full eight hours and woke up the next morning feeling good.

The Verdict Starting during the middle of the day, I had slight headaches. They were alleviated immediately after drinking juice. However, it only provided temporary relief and satiation until the headaches came back about an hour later. However, that’s supposedly a sign that the detox is working. I’m not sure whether it was the placebo effect or the cleanse actually working, but I did feel more focused and awake post-cleanse. Farmhouse Juice says their one day cleanse “aids in a quick spark of the system”. I was very surprised that I wasn’t dying of hunger all day. Perhaps the greatest benefit has been that the cleanse has motivated me to stay more hydrated throughout the day and to continue to strive to eat cleaner. As tempting as 6RMB shengjian bao or xiaolong bao are, there are only so many MSG-induced naps I can take.

Bottom line, I wouldn’t recommend a juice cleanse. I still remained skeptical about its benefits, and at such a high price tag, it may not be something everyone would want to experiment with.