These juices are health junkies’ morning fix

It’s a cold winter morning at Marine Drive. And the early walkers and joggers are making their way to an elderly lady, who is parked under the flyover.
She’s handing out styrofoam cups with a variety of healthy liquid concoctions — vegetable mix minus any sugar and frills. Say hello to a breed of juice healers like Sarla Devarajan, who are fast becoming the city’s answer to a healthy lifestyle.Here’s what their detox cure is all about: Quick fixes The simple pureed vegetable brew — neem, amla, ginger-lime, beetroot, doodhi and more, offers a variety of benefits. Most morning walkers prefer either a single variety or a combination of up to three different kinds. Whenever 40-year-old Vishal Kadam drops into the city from his hometown Nagpur, he has his regular fix. “It’s either beetroot or tulsi. My day doesn’t seem right if I don’t have a glass of any of these juices,” he says.
Morning walkers Nitin and Ranjish are wheatgrass (which is said to be equivalent to five helpings of green veggies) shot buffs — and there are takers for bitter karela, too. Says Devarajan, who has been waking up at 3 am for the last 15 years to prepare these healthy concoctions, “The jamun or neem-karela mix is most popular with diabetic patients. And tulsi-ginger is served with a dash of khatta kokam to take away the bitter taste. By now, I think I can look at someone and tell what they would need,” she says. Reiterates Rajan Viredkar, who has been selling juices at a park at Colaba, “Earlier it was only senior citizens who would ask for these juices. But of late, the number of youngsters who have become health conscious, is much higher. After a brisk morning walk, a juice is the healthiest way to build immunity.”
Just juice concoctions are not enough
Health experts vouch for the trend. Doctor Sameer Khan endorses healthy juices in the morning, saying, “Raw juices definitely aid in weight loss, as vegetables have zero fat and can keep you full longer. They are also packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants but need to be consumed in addition to a healthy, balanced diet.” He also has a word of caution, “Pulverising juices is okay, but for a short duration. Also, don’t depend only on these juices; food deprivation will cause dizziness, fatigue and nausea.” Adds dietician Priya Karkera, “For our hot weather have kokum or cucumber-amla. You can even have bottlegourd and spinach, which are rich in antioxidants. Having unstrained fresh juices early in the morning help retain fibre, which aids in cleansing the body.”