by Ebony L. Morman 

A new year is a great time to start a wellness journey or revitalize an existing one. If you are looking for ways to make better food choices this year, these Charlotte juice bars and restaurants can help you start the year off on the right foot.

Those participating in Clean Juice’s January challenge can earn $100 in store credit to use in February. Photo courtesy

Clean Juice, multiple locations
The juice bar currently has a January smoothie challenge. Buy a total of 20 smoothies throughout January via the Clean Juice app (limited to one smoothie per day), you’ll receive a $100 rewards credit to use during the month of February. The rewards credit can be spent on wraps, salads, açaí bowls, and smoothies. The challenge ends on January 31. Learn more online.

Green Brothers Juice & Smoothie, multiple locations
Visitors can choose from superfood juices, açaí bowls, smoothies, and wellness shots. Juice flavors include Greenade (apple, spinach, kale, celery, and lemon), Dtox Me (cucumber, mint, carrot, apple, lemon, and ginger), Cell Recharge (celery and lemon). Juice cleanses are also available with one- to five-day options. Juices and wellness shots are vegan. Order online.

The Jugo Bar sells fresh juices and flavored lemonades via its shop in NoDa, area farmers markets, and online. TM Petaccia/UP

The Jugo Bar, NoDa
The Jugo Bar offers more than a dozen options of juices, including the popular Blackberry Sage, Guanábana (soursop), 24 Carrots (carrot, orange, ginger, and turmeric), Kale Yeah (kale, cucumber, Fuji apple, orange, lemon, ginger, and turmeric), and Beet It (beets, orange, ginger, turmeric, and lemon). Pre-order online by 5 p.m. on Sundays. Also available at select South End Farmers Market on Saturdays.

Juice Box, Lincoln Heights
The online shop’s options include Cleanse (beets, carrots, lemon, and ginger), Replenish (carrots, apple, and ginger), Mighty Boost (ginger, turmeric), and others. Shipping available. Order online.

Juiiced Up Reesy, Eagle Lake
The juice bar offers cold-pressed raw fruit juices, detox plans, “nut mylks”, wellness shots, smoothie bowls, and more. Also available at Charlotte Regional Farmers Market on Saturdays. There are delivery and pick-up options, as well. Membership plans, detox plans, and juice coaching are available. Learn more online.

The Lights Cafe, Ballantyne
Along with a full breakfast and lunch menu, the cafe offers Root Juice (carrot, pineapple, and orange) and Green Juice (cucumber, pear, spinach, kale, and lemon). Place orders online.

Living Kitchen, South End
The plant-based and vegan restaurant offers organic, raw cold-pressed juices such as Gateway to Green, Kale Pearadise, Pure Vida. Order online.