Smoothies are a tasty and nutritious drink.
In recent years, a trend has a developed in cities all across the country: juice bars. The shops tout the benefits of all-natural organic fruits and vegetables, blended together into colorful concoctions jam-packed with beneficial vitamins and minerals. People just can’t seem to get enough of the smoothies, either. According to IBISWorld, there are 1,435 juice bars across the U.S. Whether you’re a Boulder culinary student looking to expand your knowledge base, or just a fan of blended fruit, there are plenty of spots in town to enjoy a tasty smoothie. Here are just a few of these locations:
1. Wonder: Wonder touts that it sells more than simple fruit smoothies, but rather Wonder Juice. The staff believe that their drinks – featuring fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and made with a cold hydraulic press – have deeply transformative abilities. No matter why you might be drinking Wonder Juice, there is little denying the sheer depth of the bar’s sizable menu. The most abundant items are the blended juices, like the Matcha – banana mixed with cinnamon, raw honey and vanilla bean – and the Red Balloon, a medley of orange juice, coconut water, mixed berries and spinach. Or, try some of Wonder’s other selections, like the ginger apple Lemonaid, yam root smoothie or the strawberry and honey nut milk.
2. Rush Bowls: As you might have guessed from the name, Rush Bowls isn’t just your standard juice bar. Instead, the company’s biggest product are its namesake Rush Bowls, tasty dishes full of healthy ingredients like cereal and fruit, topped with honey and granola. Signature offerings include the Yoga Bowl – a mix of pineapple, banana, green tea and frozen yogurt – and Chai’s Mystique, which features cinnamon, chai, vanilla soy mix and almonds. Yet Rush’s commitment to healthy food extends beyond mere bowls of cereal, and in many ways the smoothies are just as popular with patrons. Rush has a ton of smoothies, like the Hemingway’s Grapefruit, Poe’s Hangover Cure -apple and orange juice mixed with prickly pear, bananas and oat bran – and the blueberry-heavy Brave Cowboy.
3. Protein Bar: Much like Rush Bowls, the Protein Bar is so much more than your standard juice bar. It combines the speed and convenience of a normal fast food restaurant with healthier, naturally-sourced ingredients. Perhaps one of Protein Bar’s most popular food items are the Bar-ritos, tasty burritos made with ingredients like all-natural chicken or beef, blue cheese, pesto and spinach. There are also the quinoa bowls, an edible seed made with varying spices originally hailing from South America. Protein bar’s mix of speed and nutrition is perhaps best exemplified by its unique lineup of smoothies. The Boulder location features The BGT – green tea mixed with vanilla and banana – the rich fruit medley that is the Fruita Loop’d and the Mile High Perk, a mix of chocolate protein, espresso and cocoa malt.
4. TrooVi Eatery & Juice Bar: Boulder Junction is one of the newest neighborhoods in this city, and it’s already lauded for being a spot for all things new and cool. Right in the heart of the neighborhood you’ll find TrooVi Eatery & Juice Bar. Also using a cold press, TrooVi has a number of signature juices, like Glow – a mix of carrots, apples and ginger used to boost energy or the sweet and spicy medley that is the S&S. There are also a boatload of smoothies. The Seattle features peaches, spinach and toasted flax seeds, while the dark chocolate syrup and coconut milk of the Discerne Delight should satisfy almost any sweet tooth. Can’t decide? Make your own juice or smoothie with ingredients like kale, almonds, cia seeds, apple juice, soy milk, mango, blueberries and beets.
