A Better Way to Detox

You've got big plans for 2011. A boozy brunch followed by more imbibing and the making of anti-resolutions. Tomorrow you'll detox. Juices fasts for three days? Not your style. You were once persuaded by the "You Drink, We Think" campaign, until you couldn't think at 3pm. You are smart enough to know that without protein, you'll be catabolizing that muscle you've spent the last 12 months building up. The insiders approach: make detoxing simple and something you can do for the next 365 days. Swap out your 4pm snack for a green juice (a freshly pressed concoction of green vegetables). It's raw, vegan, loaded with phytonutrients and racks up less than 45 calories for 8oz. Since you don't own a juicer (and never will) where do you get green juices in Chelsea and the West Village?

ABC Kitchen - 35 East 18th St (cross is Broadway) NYC,  212-475-5829, M-F 12-10pm S-S 11am-11pm
Not only does ABC Kitchen stock Organic Avenue green juices (see below), it also provides refugee when you're dating and detoxing. Order a 24 Karot and while your date might think you're being rather bling, it's simply carrots, beets, apple, ginger juice and blue-green algae. For staying power points, select the roasted carrot & avocado salad with snow pea shoots and sunflower seeds. If you must order the burger, rationalize that it's from grass-fed kobe beef and you'll be getting more omega 3's than a GNC fish oil capsule. Prices - $10

Elm Health - 56 Seventh Avenue (cross is 14th  St) NYC 10011, 212-255-6300, 8am-10pm daily
While 14th street doesn't elicit thoughts of purity, Elm Health, which opened 4 weeks ago, adds some salubriousness to it's otherwise carb-plagued neighbors - bagels, pizza and donuts. Pick up a green juice that contains your combination of organic cucumber, celery, parsley, spinach, lettuce and kale. I suggest going light on the celery as it tastes, well, like celery. Elm Health also stocks a very large range of gluten-free products should you be attempting another resolution this year. Prices - $5.50 for an 8oz and $8.50 for 16oz.

Integral Yoga Natural Foods - 229 West 13th St, NYC, 10011, 212-243-2642, M-F 8am-8pm; S-S 9am-7pm
You don't need to master the downward dog to purchase a green juice at Integral Yoga Natural Foods. Despite it's co-op look, the store is open to all. Make your skin glow by selecting a Swiss chard, collard greens, kale, bok choy and cucumber juice. Or try their Heart Juice which would be better named Hangover Helper as it contains liver protecting foods, green pepper, dandelion, spinach and beet. $8 for 16oz.

Lifethyme Natural Market - 410 Avenue of the Americas (cross at 9th St) NYC, 10011, 212-420-9099, M-F 8am-10pm; S-S 9am-10pm
Green Champagne? That's like Happy Hour Yoga... Green Champagne is a mixture of organic apples, lemons, ginger, collard greens and celery. If you're more hard-core, opt for the Green Forest which is Green Champagne without the apple. Insiders tip: call ahead for your juice. The juice bar doesn't operate on NY time. $6 for 9oz and $9 for 16 oz.

One Lucky Duck - 425 W 15th street, Chelsea Markets, NYC, 10011 212-255-4300, M-F 10am -9pm; Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 10am-7pm
One Lucky Duck is the most experimental with their green juices. A dash of spearmint and tarragon in their Swan Greens or some cilantro and lime in their Mean Greens. Delicious. Be inspired by One Lucky Duck's raw food and go raw and vegan for a day. Try their Goji High cashew milk smoothie for breakfast, Taco Salad for lunch, Portobello and Hempseed burger for dinner and drink their Swan Greens and Mean Greens through-out the day. If you need something sweet, their gluten-free chocolate pudding will have even the most jaded salivating. $10 for 16oz.

Organic Avenue - 43 8th Avenue (between Jane & Horatio), NYC, 10014, 212-358-0500  8am-8pm daily
If you're not convinced of the benefits of a green juice, check out the staff at Organic Avenue. With their peachy perfect skin, you'll be knocking back their cucumber juice and Young Love (cucumber, celery, spinach) faster than Kim Kadarshian does a sponsored tweet. Still feeling timid? Try their Green Mylk - freshly pressed almond milk with cucumber and cinnamon - it tastes more like a smoothie than a juice. On the sweeter side (but equally cleansing) try Organic Avenue's Veggie Vibrance packed with carrot, cucumber, beet, celery, chard, spinach, ginger, parsley and lemon. Prices from $10 (+ $2 bottle deposit).

Terri Organic - 64 W 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010 212 647 8810 M-F 5:30am-11pm S-S - 8am-4pm 
Need to feel virtuous at 5:30am? Get a green juice from Terri. Their Perfect Pear is made with cucumber, spinach, pear and celery or try their Live Long and Green with apple, cucumber, spinach, lemon, ginger. These green juices aren't organic but they are also the cheapest - $5.97 for 16oz.