drink tank
GETTING JUICED
Healthy blends come to Reno-Tahoe juice bars.
WRITTEN BY ANN LINDEMANN
PHOTOS BY ASA GILMORE
Whether it’s bottled on a store shelf, made to order at a juice bar or eatery, or concocted at home, fresh juice surely is a popular healthy food trend in the Reno-Tahoe region.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the fresh juice market is estimated at $100 million a year in the United States. Businesses in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City have led the charge in this movement, with juice bars popping up like weeds in the cityscapes. A bit behind the national curve, the Reno-Tahoe area now is making up for lost time with the advent of wildly popular fresh juice bars, which have cropped up in the last three years.
Advocates of juicing tout the health benefits that occur when consuming lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, distilled into a relatively small serving.
For what ails you
“One of our customers suffers from arthritis and has noticed a huge change after adding ginger (juice) shots and turmeric (juice shots) to his routine,” says Megan Petrilla, co-owner of The Mill Juice Shop in Truckee. “Another customer has chronic fatigue syndrome and drinks one of our green juices daily. And another customer comes by regularly to pick up low-sugar green juices for her daughter, who is battling cancer.”
Adam Castleman, owner of Jüs in Reno, points out that a 16-ounce drink offers as much as half of one’s daily supply of fruits and vegetables.
“Many people just don’t enjoy eating vegetables and are unfamiliar with juicing, so at Jüs there’s a lot of hand holding,” he says.
Castleman says he educates people and their juice palates. He adds that it’s unwise to start out with a bright green veggie drink, but rather it’s best to opt for a more familiar-tasting, fruit-based juice blend for one’s maiden juice experience.
Juice in moderation
Stephen Compston, registered and licensed dietician and outpatient dietary educator with Renown Health Management Services in Reno, agrees that juice has its place, but notes that there are drawbacks, and, in most instances, the whole fruit or vegetable is preferable.
“(With juice) you miss out on the fiber from the fruit/vegetable, which helps to keep you satisfied, lowers cholesterol, and keeps you regular,” he explains. “If we continue to do this, we also will be contributing to weight gain, because we will likely be consuming many more calories than we need. The juice does nothing to fill us up.”
Author Eric Helms speaks to the juice conundrum in his book, The Juice Generation.
“Successful long-term juicers learn to liquefy greens and vegetables on a daily basis and to juice sweet-tasting fruits and the sweetest root vegetables … in moderation,” he writes.
A juicy lifestyle
Petrilla of The Mill is familiar with these types of concerns, but believes there is a place for fresh juice in everyone’s diet.
“Smoothies are higher in fiber, which is great if you need something more filling,” she counters. “That’s the reason we serve both; we feel it’s important to have the beauty of both worlds. In terms of incorporating these into a healthy diet, I usually have a smoothie when I’m feeling hungry in the morning to get my day going, and have a juice when I need energy.”
Retail juice bars such as The Mill, Jüs, and The Seed use commercial juicers that have the capability of squeezing out a whopping five pounds of produce into each serving. Considered the gold standard of the commercial juicing world, the cold press extracts juice from produce without using heat. Devotees say this method renders the most nutrient- and vitamin-rich juice.
Home juicing
Understandably, these premium juices come with a price tag. This fact has spurred many people to try juicing at home, where the lines are blurred between juice and smoothie.
Amber Sallaberry, Great Basin Community Food Co-op co-founder and general manager, has juiced for 14 years with a VitaMix blender, a device that pulverizes produce into liquid.
“I love my VitaMix,” she says. “I’ve heard from friends that cold press (centrifugal juicers) extract more nutrients, but I like reusable culture, and I think for beginners it’s easy to get a cheap thrift store juicer and have great results!”
Syd Earley of Tahoe City uses her VitaMix religiously.
“After two kidney stones, I decided I needed to start over with my diet. I did a 10-day cleanse and the daily smoothies stuck with me,” Earley says. “My favorite blend is cold water, organic spinach, frozen organic blueberries, pineapple, flax seed, and ginger. I like starting my day with a smoothie as opposed to juicing because the smoothie contains whole foods with loads of fiber that keeps me satisfied until lunch. And I know at least that morning meal was guiltless!”
Rachelle Lanning, owner of The Seed in Reno, bristles when people suggest that Jamba Juice is a healthy alternative to fast food. Nothing could be further from the truth, she argues.
“Filled with processed sugar and frozen yogurt, Jamba Juice may be a little better than McDonald’s, but that’s about it,” Lanning says.
Writer Ann Lindemann thanks her story sources for the juicy education. Now she can tell people that activated charcoal and blue/green algae don’t taste as bad as you might think.
Extras
Where to get juiced
The Mill
With commercial neighbors that include a busy fitness center, a popular yoga studio, and a rocking sandwich shop, owners Megan Petrilla and Ben Wolcott nailed it on the active, healthy Truckee demographic for The Mill. The all-organic shop is small but mighty, with Wolcott beginning the daily juicing ritual at 3 a.m. The Mill’s faithful following can’t get enough of the Good Vibrations blend with carrot, apple, lemon, and ginger, which is a great starting point for juice virgins. High-intensity ginger, blue/green algae, and fire cider shooters are popular pick-me-ups with this energetic crowd. Juice detox programs are available, too.
10825 Pioneer Trail, Truckee
775-745-1807, http://www.Themilljuiceshop.com
Jüs
Owner Adam Castleman’s first location was in a former Damonte Ranch Jamba Juice in Reno, but he insists that the similarity ends there. He quickly changed the taste buds of those customers who were accustomed to his predecessor’s sugary blends. Just how popular is Jüs? Castleman estimates that he juices 2,000 apples, 750 pounds of carrots, 1,500 oranges, and 1,000 cucumbers each week! With made-to-order menu categories for brain; detox; fitness; and hair, skin, and nails, newbies will have a fairly easy time making choices. Wheatgrass shots and detox options available.
South store: 191 Damonte Ranch Pkwy., Ste. B, Reno
775-852-1401
Midtown store: 555 S. Virginia St., Ste. 103, Reno
775-323-1794, http://www.Freshjus.com
The Seed
A raw and vegan café, The Seed offers organic juice blends and organic superfood smoothies. Take a yoga class, get a massage, and then hit The Seed … all in the same building!
1085 S. Virginia St., Reno
775-657-8743, http://www.Thestudioreno.com
Other spots for fresh juice
1864 Tavern
290 California Ave., Reno
775-329-1864, http://www.1864tavern.com
Laughing Planet Café
650 Tahoe St., Reno
775-360-2592, http://www.Laughingplanetcafe.com
New Moon Natural Foods
11357 Donner Pass Road, Ste. C, Truckee
530-587-7426, http://www.Newmoonnaturalfoods.com
Sprouts Café
3123 Harrison Ave., South Lake Tahoe
530-541-6969, http://www.Sproutscafetahoe.com
Coming soon: RAWBRY
Fifty South Virginia (the old post office building, downtown)
775-848-2248, http://www.Rawbry.com
Find the raw ingredients to create your own juice at:
Great Basin Community Food Co-op
240 Court St., Reno
775-324-6133, http://www.Greatbasinfood.coop
Whole Foods Market
6139 S. Virginia St., Reno
775-852-8023, http://www.Wholefoodsmarketcom.com/stores/reno
Farmers’ markets
See our updated listing at https://ediblerenotahoe.com/2012-01-27-04-24-16/2012-farmers-market-guide
CSAs
See our updated listing at https://ediblerenotahoe.com/2012-01-27-04-24-16/csas
Juicing equipment is available at
Nothing To It Culinary Center (including the Fagor slow juicer)
225 Crummer Lane, Reno
775-826-2628, http://www.Nothingtoit.com
Amber Sallaberry’s Favorite Green Smoothie
(Serves 1)
Blend together:
½ bunch Dino kale
½ bunch cilantro
⅛ organic lemon (with rind)
1 organic Golden Delicious apple
1 pint organic local raspberries
Filtered water (amount varies based on how thick you want it)
