Juicing is a buzz word in the world of nutrition, but its meaning can be broad and ambiguous. Freshly squeezed lemonade is a juice, but so is the bottled orange juice you buy at a supermarket. Cranberry cocktail is a juice, as are the individual bottles of thick green liquid near the produce section.
So what exactly is the difference? In contrast to the centrifugal process used to make most regular juices (the kind you’ll typically find in large bottles at grocery stores), the cold-pressed variety is made using high-pressure processing—usually with a hydraulic press—to extract the juices from fruits and vegetables. The lack of heat helps retain enzymes and nutrients from the foods in the juices, though it reduces the product’s shelf life.
Juice bars have become popular across the country, and there are a few gems in and around Baton Rouge. Here’s where to find cold, bold and nutritional juices locally.
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Known mostly for its housemade organic baked goods, this natural foods store also has an organic cafe with a smoothie and juice bar at its Florida Boulevard and Main Street Market locations. Our Daily Bread’s juices incorporate only a few key ingredients but still pack powerful flavors.
The store’s mixed juices include organic carrot, carrot with mixed vegetables and organic green vegetable. The juice bar also presses organic lemonade and apple juice, and offers wheatgrass and ginger shots.
Possibly the most well-known juice provider in the city—especially after its expansion to Alexander’s Highland Market—The Big Squeezy offers cold-pressed juices packed with nutrient- and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables such as beets, carrots, kale, bananas, cucumber and lemon.
I tasted the Sweet Greens, a blend of kale, cucumber, pineapple, red apple and lemon, and at just 140 sweet calories, the drink struck me as something I could really use to power me through a late-afternoon slump.
At The Big Squeezy’s main location on Perkins Road, guests can pick up just one bottle of juice or buy whole packages for cleanses. The shop offers one-, two- and three-day cleanses at four different levels. The higher the level, the harder the cleanses are to complete.
Pressed juices are great for a healthy snack or breakfast, but remember to study up on the benefits and possible risks of participating in a full juice cleanse. The Big Squeezy offers this detailed FAQ page to help those who are unsure if an extended cleanse is right for them.
Trader Joe’s began its foray into the cold-pressed juice market by creating three blends simply named after their colors: green, red and yellow. Earlier this year, the store also added cold-pressed watermelon and cantaloupe juices.
The juices at Trader Joe’s are a good pick if you’re looking to stock some at home. They stay fresh in the fridge for up to 30 days, whereas many juice bar blends are best consumed within a couple of days.
Whole Foods also presses and bottles its own juices, stocking them at the grab-and-go counter in the front of the store. In addition to its own blends, Whole Foods offers organic pressed juices from companies such as Suja, Odwalla Organic, Blueprint Juices and more.
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This juice bar is located in Geismar, but is well worth the half-hour drive. Like The Big Squeezy, Krave offers single grab-and-go bottled juices as well as packaged multi-day cleanses. Whole gallons of juice are also available by pre-order.
This juice bar uses a variety of more exotic ingredients in many of its blends, including acai berry and aloe vera juice, as well as super foods such as spinach, kale, beets, lemon and nuts.
Welcome to summer with 225 Dine. Our Summer Sippin’ series explores some of the Capital Region’s most refreshing drinks, from juice to cocktails to smoothies. Follow along with us each week to discover a different local beverage and share your favorite local juices in the comments!