Eating and buying healthy food isn’t always easy and can be confusing. However, one Topeka shop makes it foolproof by serving nothing but healthy menu items to its customers.

The Juice Garden, located at 5618 S.W. 29th St. in the Barrington Village Shopping Center, opened its doors in March and they’re dedicated to helping people achieve health and well-being because they are a “one-stop-shop for overall health.”

One reason that many people have a hard time eating healthy is because they are misinformed. Some might think that eating a salad for lunch automatically qualifies as a healthy meal, but if that salad contains fried chicken tenders, cheese, bacon bits, croutons and fattening Ranch dressing, then it’s likely they would be better off ordering almost anything else.

Even smoothies can be unhealthy if the wrong ingredients are used. Many people automatically associate the word “smoothie” with a drink that’s healthy, but some smoothies contain culprits such as ice cream or sherbet, store bought fruit juices that are high in sugar and chocolate syrups. There are even smoothies out there that come near the 1000-calorie mark,which is not exactly a healthy substitute for a meal.

That’s why certified nutrition counselor, Jane Tetuan, who is also the co-owner of The Juice Garden, says they only serve dairy free “Blendies” (what they call smoothies) that are not only tasty, but most importantly, they’re healthy.

“One thing for us is that we’re all natural, all organic. There are no syrups in it, no MSG, no aspartame, nothing like that. So, you’ve got all natural, whole food products,” says Tetuan. “You’re getting loads and loads of nutrients.”

The Juice Garden even has nutritional additions that customers may add to the Blendies, such as hemp seed protein powder, probiotics, vitamins, BarleyMax and more. They also offer post-workout Blendies that are perfect after a rigorous workout, and “Breakfast Blendies,” which are a great way to start the day. However, for all the coffee and tea lovers, the Juice Garden has caffeine-free Celestial herbal teas and Teeccino coffees, which are non-acidic.

For lunch, The Juice Garden has weekly specials such as soups and salads, and they also have dessert options like Raw Pies, and Dreamy Creamies, which are frozen fruits that are turned into an ice-cream-like consistency.

Of course, a place named the Juice Garden doesn’t get its name without selling some fresh fruit and vegetable juice, which is vastly different from the bottled, store bought stuff. These juices provide some health benefits.

“Our juices of course are made from vegetables and go through our juicer, which actually keep the enzymes intact so they go straight to the cellular level and build the cells up,” says Tetuan. “Once the cells are healthy the immune system is healthy, your body gets alkalinized and your body can’t get sick.”

Some of the juices are named after certain ailments that they may be able to help with.Examples include the “Lower Cholesterol,” “Diabetes Delight” and the “Candida Cure” to name a few.

One customer, Tess Cuevas, a stylist in Topeka, says that the juices are a big draw for her.

“I love getting juice when I’m in KC with my sister, and its nice to finally have a place to go here in town,” says Cuevas.

The Juice Garden lets customers call in orders ahead of time, so that it’s ready when they arrive. Customers may also make themselves feel at home while they wait and read up on some of the many other health programs and classes that the Juice Garden has to offer.

Cuevas doesn’t mind a short wait; because she knows her body will thank her.

“I always feel awesome after I have a juice from there. Fresh juice gives you great energy!”