Blends with Benefits

Photos by Kate and Michael Auda

Co-owner of CH Projects’ Juice Saves in East Village, Lindsay Nader is originally from Los Angeles. She arrived on the local scene less than two years ago and has been crushing (and shredding and grinding) it ever since.

PacificSD: How did you get started making juice?
LINDSAY NADER: I was raised by two very health-conscious parents, so I always incorporated healthy habits into my life. Working the majority of my twenties in the liquor industry, I felt compelled to promote the lifestyle even further. The schedules and demands of many professionals in my field include late nights and more drinking than one would like, leading me to notice that more and more beverage professionals were looking for tools to build a more balanced day-to-day life. I knew I was good at combining flavor from years of experience with cocktails and I had also messed around for years with home-juicing. So, I went for it. I was introduced to the gents at CH Projects, who were also looking to open a juice bar, and, luckily for me, it was a good match.

How would you describe Juice Saves?
Juice Saves is a 100-percent-organic, raw, vegan, cold-pressed juice bar. The menu includes our amazing root, fruit, citrus and green juices, which are cold-pressed and have a nutritional fridge-life of three to four days. We make them fresh every day and fill up our grab-and-go fridge with two sizes: 12-ounce and 16-ounce. Juice Saves is so much more than just cold-pressed juice. Everything we make in-house is organic, raw and vegan, including our amazing blended drinks, many of which include a creamy housemade almond milk base. These blended drinks are protein-rich and a great snack or meal replacement. We also serve vegan snacks and grab-and-go salads, but our most popular, by far, are the morning bowls, including a classic açai bowl, as well as other bases like pitaya and dragon fruit, all topped with granola and fresh organic fruit. We also have cleanses, which are perfect for breaking up or ending the holiday season.

What’s your favorite Juice Saves juice?
I love the Mighty Healthy with kale, Swiss chard, cucumber, celery, parsley, lemon and ginger. It’s very low in sugar, the ginger wakes up my digestion and the lemons have an alkalizing property. It’s really refreshing, despite being super green-forward.

Which are Juice Saves’ most popular drinks?
Aloe Vera Wang is an all-time fave, with watermelon, cucumber, coconut water, mint tea and aloe vera juice. It’s pale pink and gorgeous to look at, so you are drinking with your eyes already. Plus, it’s our most hydrating drink, so it quenches thirst, cures a hangover and has a beautiful, crisp sweetness that even children will enjoy.

What are the biggest benefits to juice cleanses?
A juice cleanse can be beneficial for anyone. It’s like hitting a reset button for your body and mind. Although cleanses have a lot of physical benefits like resetting digestive health and breaking bad eating habits, I encourage our customers to really take time out from work and stress when cleansing to experience the mental and emotional benefits, as well.

What’s the best cleanse for detoxing after an indulgent holiday season?
I would recommend our new Refresh Cleanse, which is easily digestible, not too challenging as far as green-heavy juices and includes a protein-rich and satiating almond milk drink called Stay Golden. It goes above and beyond just the benefits of plain almond milk to include ginger and turmeric.

Can you share a story about how your juices have helped others?
I recently received a message from a woman planning to visit S.D. from another state. She wrote to us saying she is treating cancer with Gerson Therapy, a method I have been aware of for many years. She asked if we could work with her on bespoke organic juices while she was in town to make sure she was getting the nutrition she needed. It was really rewarding and touching to be able to help someone battle a disease as serious as cancer.

JUICE SAVES
631 Ninth Ave., East Village
619.255.COLD (2653)
godblessjuice.com
Insta: @juiceforpresident

COMMUNITY PROPERTY

CH Projects’ popular venues are located in neighborhoods across the city.

Craft & Commerce, Little Italy: refined neighborhood eating
Dover Honing Co., East Village: a community barbershop
El Dorado, downtown: ode to the dive
Fairweather, East Village: tropical gangsters
Ironside, Little Italy: fish, oysters, other delights
Juice Saves, East Village: organic cold-pressed juice
Neighborhood, East Village: burgers, beer, booze
Noble Experiment, East Village: cocktails and conversation
Polite Provisions, University Heights: local tonics, elixirs, cures
Rare Form, East Village: a god-fearing delicatessen
Soda & Swine, Normal Heights and Point Loma: meatballs, soda, beer
Underbelly, Little Italy: ramen, craft beer