Not Eating Food Helped Matthew Odam Appreciate Food

JuiceLand owner Matt Shook talked his buddy Matthew Odam, food critic for the Austin American-Statesman, into doing a juice cleanse. Odam was "suspicious of Shook's evangelism," but persevered to give the world 1,605 words on what happens when a guy who really likes "salt, sugar and fat" decides to ditch solid food for a week.

Highlights of the $250 five-day cleanse: a half-hour Epsom salts bath during a midnight detox battle, a splitting headache and a mid-week craving for roasted Brussels sprouts. Nearing the end of the five days, Odam writes that he lost 10 pounds and "played 18 holes of golf in 97-degree heat and felt wonderful." His first meal after a week of juicing? "A wonderful raw salad from Beets Living Café," then an "epic sushi splurge" at Uchi and oysters at Parkside.

The cleanse, writes Odam, gave him a "deeper appreciation for the vibrant flavors and freshness" of his meals.

· Critic puts down the fork and knife for a five-day juice cleanse [Statesman]
· All JuiceLand Coverage on Eater Austin [-EATX-]

[Photo: JuiceLand/Facebook]