So, you want to engage in being health conscious? A Feature on Sugarleaf

Ever since I got a little crazy being health-conscious and all, I’ve been stuffing nutritional facts into my head that, in this post, it got a little difficult to summarize into three (or so lines) what I needed to say because everything just had to be explained! Most especially that we’re now bombarded with these fad diets telling us, “lose weight in 30 days” or “get skinny and eat all the carbs that you want”; as well as when many of us are misinformed of particular health terms that we neglect those that are even important for our well-being.  Consequently, eating healthy doesn’t mean counting calories and totally staying away from what’s fatty from your diet but consciously striving hard to eat what’s really healthy and combining it with regular exercise. Then again, the diet I’m referring to here isn’t essentially about those fad ones and instead, that of a healthy but natural one. Furthermore, losing weight wasn’t my primary goal in keeping myself healthy, when I finally decided to be healthy and staying away from fast food restaurants, but I really wanted to distance myself away from ailments that kept me from my daily activities. However, when I eat out, I tend to order a plate of salad or something healthy that even unconsciously I restrain myself from going to a fast food restaurant counter.

Mr. Angelo Songco, co-owner of Sugarleaf, believed that being healthy isn’t merely eating what’s “organic” or “nourishing” and be literally bitter about it. It had to, as well, satisfy the taste and be delectable for the people’s taste especially for kids who are not so much in good terms with eating vegetables for starters. Furthermore, Sugarleaf is more of an organic restaurant rather than your usual "ay gulay lang?" vegetarian restaurant. 

At Sugarleaf, as our restaurant and store offerings are as organic and natural as possible, food is naturally weight-reducing, detoxifying, anti-oxidising (make you look and feel young) and energy boosting.  We ensure that food choices taste great so it appeals to all people dispelling the misconception that healthy organic food is bland, tasteless and boring.

With glee that Mr. Songco entertained my request to feature Sugarleaf here in this blog, I immediately set a date for a visit to their branch at Greenhills, San Juan. On that day, I haven't had the slightest clue on what to order so I waited for him instead to introduce to us some of the best of Sugarleaf. Together with my friend, Chris, we had a health-scrumptious brunch while having a good health "pep talk" with Sir Angelo that day!

AROUND THE STORE

When I got there, I had the opportunity to browse through the restaurant first. Displayed on the shelves were   sets of products jampacked with nutritional value!

Sugarleaf is a seller of Matstone Low Speed Multi-Purpose Juicer

Another good thing about this Sugarleaf was that in addition to the edible goodness that they provide, the people behind them surely took beauty and wellness to a greater height by selling facial and body products. 

HEALTHY PICKS, HEALTHY SWEETS

Beside the counter is where they had their small-packaged treats from a subsidiary brand, Healthy Picks, like nuts and dried fruits. They had organic desserts, too... organic carrot cake, sansrival and different cookie flavors with which Sir Angelo shared to us that they use raw sugar than refined in making these delicacies.

Meanwhile, just on the other side of Health Cube Ground Floor and in front of Sugarleaf's main entrance, was the actual store for Healthy Picks wherein it was filled with organic choices from vegetables to frozen goods to chocolates to your pasta needs!

THE MENU

 See a bigger size here

Now, the question is, how did they form the menu? Ms. Jeren Cabral, one of the co-owners of Sugarleaf was actually a graduate of food technology and experimenting with food mixtures, I thought, was a really good venture that it's made up of what you studied for while putting up a business that's primarily attributed to health consciousness.

We sell directly and give accreditation to those who believe on its purpose for health and promoting a balance healthy lifestyle. We sell directly and encourage customers to check out our products’ authenticity (flavour and value) versus those who sell through syndicated schemes.

THIS IS IT!

Okay, I know you're well-anticipating for these. The actual brunch that happened. While we were oriented on kefir, a fermented type of milk which consists of a good number of bacteria that's excellent for the stomach but with really low sugar, and that their food consists of organic products, the ate behind the counter prepared our meal. Although giddy and excited inside, I still couldn't hide the fact that I'm learning new health-related stuff that day! Believe me, knowing these made me more health-conscious and it's never been better!

Everything was served with whole wheat which was really good since it's both filling and delicious combined with vegetables and a one-of-a-kind-yet-nutritional dressing --- let's go, Goody Kefir!

Iberico Joselito Belota chorizo
Low in cholesterol pork sausage mildly spiced with paprika and enjoyed simply on olive oil-­‐lime toast with lettuce, and alfalfa sprouts

Free-range chicken sandwich

Organic-­fed chicken chunks with basil, white onion, green apple & sour cream-­‐lime mayonnaise dressing served in wheat bagel

Crabstick and mango 

Light, fresh & fruity inspired by Japanese maki. This became my favorite once I had a bite and it's a must that you top it with a kefir dressing (the bottle filled with pesto-like dressing).

Sugarleaf's Garden Greens Salad

When you take a look at it, you'll probably go, "uh, normal salad?" However, what makes it a whole lot different from others was their dressing as it's homemade and you're sure that there aren't any preservatives added to it. Vegetables include lettuce, beetroot, carrot and cucumber which are really good for the skin and the body in general. 

Mango-banana and strawberry Goody kefir-chia milkshake smoothies

Capping off our main meal with these awesome milkshake treats (just couldn't get enough of the kefir!) was having two goodies in one --- drink and dessert! 

Organic Carrot Cake

I originally wanted (really) to have their kefir cheesecake which looked really uplifting on their menu but then, it wasn't available so I had this organic carrot cake instead. I'm not really a fan of too-sweet types of cake so I was glad the cake was just right for my taste buds and I immediately devoured it after I ordered! 

With Mr. Angelo Songco.

It was truly splendid to have brunch with one of the co-owners of Sugarleaf!

Overall, the experience which I thereby call "The Sugarleaf Experience" --- from their cozy interiors that went well with a perfect good morning feel to the scrumptious healthy goodness without having to sacrifice other essential nutritional benefits --- was one of the best so far! You definitely have to try it out! 

Sugarleaf: Foods that nourish

G/F Health Cube Building

226 Wilson Street, West Greenhills, San Juan

Official Website

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