3 Things That Happened When I Traded My Nightly Glass of Wine For Cold-Pressed Juice

For years, I've periodically enjoyed the immediate health benefits of cold-pressed juices and elixirs. If I'm feeling sluggish, I head straight to my local juice shop for a shot of wheatgrass, and I love an organic green juice when my body is in desperate need of a good detox. But honestly, consuming them every day has never really been a part of my regular routine. It's not that I haven't studied the myriad benefits; I know the experts say organic juices are laden with rockstar antioxidants and nutrients that expel toxins and free radicals, boost our immune systems, and aid in digestion. While I've always been a fan of the way I feel after a fresh juice, the reason I don't consume them daily is because, frankly, it can get really expensive.

But when I took a serious look at the portion of my budget I allocate to beverages, I quickly realized that a much larger amount goes toward a certain type of grape juice — fermented, that is. Almost every evening, after I fix my dinner plate, I pour myself a glass of red wine, considering it a reward after a hard day's work.

With my body and budget in mind, I decided to change it up. For the next seven days, I would trade my nightly glass of wine for a cold-pressed juice to see if I could actually see a difference in the way I felt each day.

I'm not going to say I'll never have a glass of wine with dinner again, but I did learn that certain flavors of cold-pressed juices can be just as rewarding at the end of the day — especially for my mind and body. I felt lighter, more energized, and was even sleeping better at night. Here's a breakdown of the three biggest changes I noticed.

01
I didn't need a late-night snack.
UnSplash | Georgia Vagim

I didn't need a late-night snack.

Although many health experts will tell you there's no shame in enjoying red wine in moderation, it certainly doesn't do you any favors in the late-night snacking department. I strive to eat dinner early and not consume any additional food past 7 p.m., but when 9 or 10 p.m. rolls around, I'm usually tempted to reach for a bag of popcorn or handful of chips.

But even on day one, when I drank a peach and apple cider vinegar cocktail instead of Pinot Noir, I was not inclined to begin snacking later in the evening. The nightly juices really helped to curb my appetite and squash any post-dinner cravings. As a result, by the end of the seven days, my stomach was noticeably flatter (no crunches required!), and I felt lighter and more energized throughout the day.

02
I needed a flavor I truly enjoyed.
UnSplash | Francesca Hotchin

I needed a flavor I truly enjoyed.

Here's the thing I realized about my ritual glass of wine: I didn't consume it each night to "turn up" or party by any means. It was merely a treat after a long day's work and something I genuinely looked forward to and enjoyed. Although replacing it with the juice felt like I was making a better choice for my body, it needed to be a flavor that I truly savored to feel like a reward. If the beverage was bitter or superpungent, drinking the juice felt like something I had to do, not something I necessarily wanted to do.

03
It was easier to fall (and stay) asleep.
UnSplash | elizabeth lies

It was easier to fall (and stay) asleep.

To every person out there who can fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, I'm insanely envious. For me, there's usually a good hour of tossing, turning, and counting endless sheep before I can even think about reaching REM. I've been this way for as long as I can remember, and since I try to stay away from sleep aids, I've accepted this mild insomnia as a regular part of my bedtime routine.

While the juice was not a magical cure by any means, I did notice that once I feel asleep, I was not frequently waking up throughout the night like I typically would. By the middle of the week, I felt considerably more rested and energized upon waking up in the mornings.