There’s nothing quite like grabbing a post-workout smoothie or a fresh shot of wheatgrass before heading home. The health benefits alone of proper smoothies – no not the shakes with ice-creams and complex sugars – and cold pressed juices are reason enough to make the Bluezone Juice Bar a regular pit-stop. With fridges stocked with their cold pressed concoctions at several Sultan Centers, you really have no excuse. The real treat though, lies within the walls of the Sultan Center in Shaab. Also known as home to the Bluezone Juice Bar, this is where certified Health Coach Khalidah Al Essa blends some of her favorite combos for you to enjoy.
Khalidah’s dedication to coaching Kuwait back to prime health is what motivated her to start this juice bar. “I love helping people, and I found that this was the most effective way of doing so,” Khalidah laughed, “People come in for a smoothie and talk to me about ailments and I try to help them as much as I can.” Completely in her element, Khalidah believes that she’s found her passion amidst all the juices, foods and her customers. “Everything we serve is fresh and organic, we make everything here,” Khalidah explained, “from our cakes to our juice mixes, we can mix absolutely anything you’d need to fit your requirements and taste.”
The Bluezone Juice Bar is the ideal place to go to get a meal supplement and healthy snacks. With everything made in-house, even the nut-milks and coconut milk are made fresh and bottled for later use, you’re guaranteed absolutely no preservatives or harmful additives. Fresh and chemical-free offerings are what makes Bluezone Juices special. Even their protein shakes lack the processed protein powders found in most places! “We add natural proteins to our smoothies,” Khalidah added. From chia seeds to nut-butters and tahini, Khalidah ensures that nothing processed goes into the making of their smoothies, cakes and energy balls.
“People in this day and age aren’t eating enough, nor are they eating the right foods,” Khalidah elaborated, “such as fibers, good fats and carbs.” This is where Bluezone’s smoothies come in. Measured precisely to provide the consumer with all the benefits needed for a healthy lifestyle, the smoothies are packed with nutrients. What their cold-pressed juices lack in fiber, they make up for in vitamins and nutritious benefits instead. A prime example to that is their Turmeric Shots.The fun-sized jar can make two servings depending on your taste-buds, which you can drink on its own or add to your favorite smoothie or juice mix. Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, can help keep your immune system in tip-top condition, when consumed daily and over a period of time of course.
Catering to anyone interested in a healthier lifestyle, Khalidah loves receiving feedback from her customers. Keeping everyone’s taste in mind, Khalidah created smoothies to suit all palates, from children to all the chocoholics out there, while making sure that everyone gets a healthy dose of superfoods. All the sweeteners added are all natural and unprocessed like dates, raw and manuka honey, maple syrup, nut butters and bee pollen. “Naturally, for our bites we use coconut and date sugars,” Khalidah smiled. Their bites are highly nutritious and super yummy at the same time. Bluezone Juice Bar’s snacks are all dairy, gluten and processed-sugar free, offering granolas and trail mixes along with protein bars and superfood bars as well as muffins. This makes for guilt-free snacking for every nutritional requirement! Did we mention that most of her snacks and bites are raw? With the exception of loaves and muffins, her protein and superfood bars are entirely raw as well as the trail mixes, aiding in the conservation of the snacks’ nutritional values.
“Every smoothie and snack we offer at Bluezone has been consumed by my family and I time and time again,” Khalidah explained reassuringly, “Nothing here is new to me, I make it a point to add things I’m one hundred percent sure of.” Khalidah also samples the leftover smoothies in the blender when a customer asks for a special combo, “I’m always curious about my customers’ creations and I like to know what flavors they like.” Khalidah even samples her own creations regularly to ensure the quality and consistency, “I sometimes find myself having to alter some ingredients due to the seasonal offerings and the actual flavor the produce has at certain times of the year.”
She even prepares some of the fresh fruit to freeze in order to add a thicker consistency to some of the smoothies and to give the illusion of added ice to the smoothie. “I don’t add any ice to the smoothies,” Khalidah laughed, “I add some frozen fruit instead!” But the question on everyone’s mind regards the name. Why bluezone? Named after the five regions of the world that are known as longevity hotspots, Okinawa, Sardinia, Nicoya, Icaria and a group of people living in Loma Linda, California, Khalidah hopes to bring good health and longevity to Kuwait through her juice bar.
While you can use your Sultan Card at the Bluezone Juice Bar, keep your eyes peeled for their cute ‘To-Go’ mason jar related offers as well as their own loyalty card!
The Bluezone Juice Bar is located past the fresh produce section at the Sultan Center in Shaab. Bluezone juices can be purchased at the Sultan Center in Sharq, Shaab, Hawalli and Salmiya. Follow them on Instagram and SnapChat @BlueZoneKW for more information and offerings!
