Review: Jamba Juice - New Fruit & Veggie Smoothies

Jamba Juice is adding vegetables to fruit with three new Fruit & Veggie Smoothies. They're available starting today but I got a free set yesterday courtesy of Jamba Juice for reviewing/tasting purposes. The new smoothies come in three varieties: Berry UpBeet, Apple 'n Green, and Orange Carrot Karma.

A 16-ounce cup normally will cost you $4.25 with an 80 cent upcharge for each successive larger cup size.

I found out from one of the cheerful employees at my local Jamba Juice that in addition to the new smoothies they were replacing most of their baked goods with new items except for the pretzels and twists. I was told this as I was happily munching on a cherry scone that they would no longer carry...

Each of the new smoothies features three full servings of fruits and vegetables in each sixteen size serving; I think that means if you drink two of them, you're covered as far as your daily recommended intake of fruits and vegetables go i.e. I got my daily recommended intake of fruits and veggies.

Apple ‘n Greens features apple-strawberry juice mixed with the juice from dark leafy green vegetables, carrots and lettuce, plus spirulina, peaches, mangos and bananas. Sounds very green, no? It takes mostly like apple with a mix of indistinct flavors underlying the apple. My 18-month old nephew really took to this one and was none to pleased when he saw me drinking it. Kids these days...

Orange Carrot Karma blends carrot juice, orange juice, mangos, bananas and ice. This was the first drink my nephew tried; he made a sour face but later liked it a bit better. The taste is a blend of orange and carrot juice, I didn't really get a sense of mangoes or bananas. To me, carrot juice has always smell really good but tastes a bit plain but pairs well with orange juice.

Berry UpBeet joins strawberries and blueberries with the juices from carrots, beets, broccoli and lettuce.
The taste was mainly of tart berries followed by what I'm guessing is beet. I'm not sure because I don't really eat or drink beets. I liked the berries but did not like the beet-y aftertaste.

Overall, I liked Apple 'n Greens and Orange Carrot Karma equally well; they both provide familiar Jamba flavors but with interesting new flavors from the veggie juices. Berry UpBeet also had an interesting flavor and I guess beet juice is good for you but I found it weird tasting.

To prod you to try the new Fruit & Veggie Smoothies, along with all their other liquid offerings (including Hot Blends and Ideal Meals), they will be available two for $5 between 3/21/11-3/30/11 with a coupon printed from www.jambajuice.com.

Jamba Juice Store Locator

Nutritional Info - Jamba Juice Apple 'n Greens Smoothie (16 oz)
Calories - 220 (from Fat - 10)
Fat - 1g (Saturated Fat - 0g)
Sodium - 115mg
Carbs - 50g (Sugar - 40g)
Protein - 5g

Nutritional Info - Jamba Juice Berry UpBeet Smoothie (16 oz)
Calories - 230 (from Fat - 10)
Fat - 1g (Saturated Fat - 0g)
Sodium - 140mg
Carbs - 50g (Sugar - 38g)
Protein - 3g

Nutritional Info - Jamba Juice Berry UpBeet Smoothie (16 oz)
Calories - 180 (from Fat - 5)
Fat - .5g (Saturated Fat - 0g)
Sodium - 90mg
Carbs - 43g (Sugar - 38g)
Protein - 3g