Sunshine Juice

Sunshine Juice

Sips of superfoods in Ebisu

By

That dreary, sneezy, sniffly time of year is upon us—so keep your energy up with a dose of “sunshine.”

A spectrum of ingredient choices
A spectrum of ingredient choices
(Photo courtesy of Sunshine Juice)

Sunshine Juice, a juice bar in Ebisu, has a whole slew of concoctions featuring such superfoods as goji berry, wheatgrass and kale. Whether you seek to detox or recharge, there’s a drink for your needs.

At an average of ¥1,000 per drink, it’s pricier than your average juice stand—but they work. The juices also come in sturdy reusable bottles; bringing your own bottle grants you a mild discount of ¥20. We tried three juices from the winter, detox and rejuvenate menus.

First up: Spicy Sunshine (¥980, regular size). This ain’t your traditional OJ—it’s a mix of oranges, seasonal citrus fruits and pepper that somehow works perfectly, the latter adding more bite than flavor. This one’s packed with vitamin C and is just the thing to warm you up and get you going on chilly winter mornings. But fair warning: When they say spicy, they mean spicy.

Next: The Green Detoxer (¥980, regular size), a melange of organic kale, spinach, Japanese komatsuna (or mustard spinach), celery and lemon combine in a powerful detoxer.

It’s not very sweet—the lemon is the sole source of any sugar—so it’s a little more difficult to swallow but by no means horrible. Be careful, because the green detoxer will in fact detox you, so don’t drink it if you’ve got a three-hour business meeting coming up; you’ll need good access to a bathroom. According to the menu, this juice works well to supplement malnutrition.

Finally, Ironman’s Favorite (¥1,186, regular size)—a blend of beets, seasonal citrus fruits and maca (a vitamin-rich root vegetable from the Andes of Peru). Luckily, Ironman’s Favorite tastes a lot better than it smells and is sweeter than the Green Detoxer. The menu claims elite athletes often drink beet juice to recover from exhaustion—so if you do catch a cold, this potion could help fortify your immune system.

Sunshine also has a few cleanse programs that lay out which juices to drink and when to do so for ultimate detoxification—but please consult a doctor before trying one of these programs. Note: Only juice names are available in English; for more detail on the ingredients, ask the friendly and helpful staff.

1-5-8 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-6277-3122. Weekdays 8am-8pm, weekends and hols 9am-7pm. Nearest station: Ebisu. http://sunshinejuice.jp