Prior to about 2009 when I saw or heard the words “cleanse” or “detox” I had visions of someone chugging an endless supply of spicy maple syrup lemonade. Since actively learning about clean eating, green smoothies, veganism and the raw food movement and dabbling in all four, I now know what to look for in a proper cleanse or detox program…and I also have a better handle on my diet. I was recently introduced to Kaeng Raeng (pronounced kang-rang, meaning “be healthy, be strong) and got very excited to try their detox because it didn’t involve starving myself, depriving myself of essential nutrients and chugging spicy brown liquid.
What is Kaeng Raeng?
“Kaeng Raeng is an all natural detox meal replacement designed to help you lose weight, remove toxins, bolster your immune system, and improve digestive health.” The meal replacement is in the form of a powder and contains soy or pea protein, freeze dried fruit powder, vitamins, probiotics and vegetable fiber. There are no added sweeteners, stimulants, fillers or preservatives and is mixed by shaking in a blender bottle or in a blender. Click here to see complete nutrition facts.
The Taste
I have become accustomed to having almost daily (mostly vegetable) smoothie, so the taste wasn’t too much of a shock. My first smoothie was one packet of Kaeng Raeng with about 28 ounces of water, between 24 and 32 are recommended (it yielded two glasses, shown above). The taste was not as vibrant as my own smoothies but more importantly it didn’t taste like chalk or tree bark, which has been my experience with vegan protein based meal replacements. I drank the second of the two glasses, about 40 minutes after the first and discovered it was thicker and creamier than the first. My guess is that allowing the smoothie to rest gave the water time to re-hydrate the pea protein. For my second and all subsequent mixes I added a cup of fruit, which is recommended, and let the smoothie sit for about 30 to 40 minutes. This improved the taste and consistency.
How I Felt While Using Kaeng Raeng
Day one was the most challenging. By dinner time I wanted to chew something. Anything. I wasn’t really hungry I simply wanted to eat. I didn’t have a headache or experience any nausea, I just had a craving…mostly for fried chicken (but that’s nothing new). I stuck it out and by the end of the third day I felt great. I wasn’t overly gassy and definitely wasn’t constipated. I did, however, pee quite a bit. This is due to the large volume of water I drank, something that is recommended to help flush out the toxins.
Would I Recommend It?
I’m obviously not a doctor or dietician but I believe that moderation is the key to sustaining most diet changes, even something like a short term detox or cleanse. Kaeng Raeng is a complete meal that contains protein to help curb hunger and includes the option of blending in fresh organic fruit and/or vegetables with either of the three pre-packaged flavors. The 200 calorie pre-measured packets are convenient because you can grab a blender bottle and easily mix on the go. For these reasons, I would recommend it to anyone wanting to detox or cleanse their body of toxins or get a jump start on a healthier diet. Even if you don’t want to detox, there are health benefits to eating vegan for one day per week.
TIP: If you plan to detox and you are a coffee drinker, have half of what you usually have and gradually decrease as you progress. There is really no need to torture yourself. I’m a huge proponent of taking things slow. Don’t take all or nothing approach….do what feels right and listen to your body.
To learn more about Kaeng Raeng visit their website, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Have You Tried a Detox or Cleanse? What Were Your results?
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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kaeng Raeng. While I was compensated to write a post about Kaeng Raeng, all opinions are my own and this post was not reviewed or approved by Kaeng Raeng before publishing.
