1st Product Review: Live Vegetable Beverages by Zukay (+ Virgin Fizzy Mary)

I recently found a delicious beverage at the Bowery Whole Foods in New York: Zukay’s   Vegetable Medley Raw & Live Beverage. It had a light and refreshing fizzy texture and a cleansing and slightly sour taste. A few days later, while at Lifethyme in the village, I bought another flavor from the same line, Raw Beet, which had a gorgeous vibrant purple color, a slightly sweeter taste, and perfect for an early autumn day. Given how great the first two flavors were, I look forward to trying the Ginger-Beet bottle and others.

Zukay fermented vegetable drinks were created by Scott and Cathy Gryzbek in a land known for its natural farming methods (rural Eastern Pennsylvania). The couple is committed to decrease the carbon footprint and help the family farm by using as much local products as possible when they make theirs drinks, dressings, and salsas, as well as “to bringing you product that we’d eat here on our little farmstead.” (Zukay.com)

The lovely beverages (as with other Zukay products) contain absolutely no sweeteners or preservatives. For those who are weight conscious, one 12oz bottle only adds up to 30 calories (2g protein, 2g fiber, 4g sugars, 0g fat). The live active cultures present in those drinks help with digestion among other health benefits.

They’re great to drink if you’re losing steam while wanting to stay light, or with a salad.


You can check the Zukay site for questions and to see other products: http://www.zukay.com

...And for those who like Bloody Marys, here’s a new non-alcoholic version:

Bloody Mary with a Fizz

Ingredients (for 2)
1 12 oz bottle Zukay’s Vegetable Medley Beverage
12 oz tomato juice
1/2 celery stalk
1 pinch Aji Amarillo powder (of chili powder)
1 pinch Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon maca powder
1 pinch shilajit
The juice of half a lemon

Blend tomato juice, celery, aji Amarillo, maca, shilajit and salt. Add Vegetable Medley Beverage and stir well. Serve cold in 2 glasses with a lemon quarter on the rim (you can add that lemon is you like a sour taste). Great for brunch, especially with corn and avocado treats.