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SHINE BRIGHTER. Our goal is to live better and be better.

Category Archives: Organic


Why You Should Care if Your Juice is Made with High Pressure Processing

Posted on October 10, 2022 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Why You Should Care if Your Juice is Made with High Pressure Processing

high pressure processing

Wonder why our juice tastes fresh and best? Well, we believe in the highest standards in what we do. Down to the disco ball and Honestly Organic ingredients. And our juice is never made with high-pressure processing. 

Craving some super-fresh juice? Order for pick up now!

What is High-Pressure Processing? 

It’s important to know when, where, how and with what your juice is made.  Our cold-pressed juice is made fresh daily, bottled on site and then placed right on the shelf (and never processed). Most of our juice only lasts three days — and you GEMs snatch them up and gulp away before the expiration date comes and goes. Yet, you can find dozens of “fresh,” cold-pressed juices that are good for 30 or more days? That seems strange, doesn’t it? Those long-lasting juices are made using high-pressure processing (HPP), a pasteurization process that preserves and sterilizes food by applying very, very high pressure, instead of heat. 

The Advantages of HPP 

There are advantages, of course: It reduces the level of possible pathogens in the juice — which were there from the beginning but not all of the enzymes and nutrients, like heat pasteurization. The high pressure kills certain microorganisms and enzymes in the food, thereby slowing the food’s deterioration. And it’s the only way juice can be made and sold wholesale (like to a grocery store). Sounds like the perfect solution to having juice last longer, right?  We thought so. Unfortunately, we found a few things we didn’t like about the process. 

Why We Said No to High-Pressure Processing 

  • The juice has to be more acidic. First off, our precious juice recipes that we hold so dear would have to be formulated differently for high-pressure processing. WTF. No way. Many of our super green juices would have to change to be more acidic. We didn’t like being told that. How could we face our GEMs if we had to change the recipes to their favorite organic juice or, worse still, as one consultant recommended, we add minute quantities of citric acid??
  • The taste worsens. Over time, taste changes. And not for the better we decided. Don’t agree? Try some juice that has a shelf-life of 30 days or more. Then try some GEM juice. The last thing we want is the taste of our Radiant Glow not to be, well, radiant.
  • It’s not honest. HPP juice really isn’t “freshly” made or “raw”. It’s pressed and sent to a giant HPP plant, which then treats the juice, dates it and sends it back. In fact, plenty of juice companies have gotten in trouble for calling their juices “fresh” and “raw.” It doesn’t even have to be identified as HPP. So how do you even know if your juice has been processed or it’s truly fresh? By checking the expiration date. HPP can have a shelf life of 30 to 50 days days, 10 to 15 times longer than juice the way nature intended. We think that’s just deceiving. AND, who wants to drink 30-day-old juice?
  • Benefits change. The good bacteria is destroyed. Along with the bad bacteria (that’s a good thing), the process kills good probiotic bacteria that play a role in good nutrition.  Plus, enzymes only live for five to seven days, and HPP can’t change that. The important enzymes that are still alive may be altered and thereby denatured.

Our raw, organic, health-mentoring pledge: We provide the best juices to alkalize the blood and neutralize toxins in the body. That’s also why we never use high-pressure processing and only use 100-percent organic ingredients — a lot of other “organic” juice makers only do organic when it’s convenient; most don’t even try. And being 100 percent Honestly Organic and non-HPP comes at a price to us. But so does our health!

It is our philosophy that truly raw juice can be our medicine, our energizer. BUT: it must be left unprocessed and in its purest (and tastiest) form. We will guide our GEMs daily through an accessible pathway to optimal health.  Therefore, we will NOT use processing of any kind on our juices or produce. We WILL continue to raise the bar at every turn, maintain our organic pledge and continue to create more amazingly healthy and tasty juices, smoothies and green bites. Just. for. you. 


How To Eat Clean At Home with Original G·E·M·S Life

Posted on June 1, 2021 by The GEM and currently has Comments Off on How To Eat Clean At Home with Original G·E·M·S Life

Of course we love EVERYTHING we do here inside the GEM — but we can’t eat here for every meal! And that means some serious at-home recipe innovation to check off our daily EAT CLEAN practice!

START. COMMIT. GROW. JOIN ORIGINAL G·E·M·S LIFE!

Eat Clean is our second Original G·E·M·S Life category, which includes our tried-and-true, easy-to-follow food rules that keep your body at its best. By selecting one practice that resonates with you from one or all of all of the four Original G·E·M·S categories (Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, and Shine), and committing to doing it daily for a week, then a month (and eventually forever), you’ll be well on your way to Shining Brighter in all areas of your life!

Keep your body looking and feeling great with these quick-n-easy, healthy snacks for days you just can’t make it in to see us.

9 Easy Ways to Eat Clean at Home

  • VEGGIE DIP SNACK PLATE. Appetizer plate with a dip trio of hummus, vegan spicy ranch, and jalapeño pesto. Serve with cut veggies and gf chips.
  • SCRAMBLE À LA GEM. Add a touch of olive oil and sauté our Arugula Quinoa Salad with a couple of scrambled eggs. *Chef’s Kiss* delicious!
  • DINNER, QUICK! Our version of beans and rice: serve our Lentil Soup on a bed of our Classic Quinoa.
  • STUFFED AVOCADO. Fill half of an avocado with our Pico de Gallo and a vegan ranch dressing of your choice. Shazam!
  • TACO BOUT HEALTHY! Make your tacos even better and even go further by adding our Quinoa to cooked ground beef or turkey, taco seasoning and POW — you’ve got a healthy AND TASTY boost!!!
  • SPARKLING WATER HACK. Pour our Immunity Mix into ice cube trays for an added boost to your tea or sparkling water. Plus, it extends the life of your precious Immunity Shots!
  • AT-HOME CASHEW MILK LATTE. Take home our cold brew coffee and a cashew milk, then pour in a heating frother for an incredible latte on Sunday mornings!
  • SUB BONE BROTH FOR WATER. Make the most incredible rice with our Bone Broth. Use it in place of water — as much or as little as you like. I make mine with half broth, half water. For an exotic flair, use our Immunity Bone broth and add an extra teaspoon of turmeric. It is AWESOME!
  • ORDER AHEAD AT THE GEM. You can use our to-go snacks for meals. Just hit us up on our app!

But of course, if you’re too busy to cook at home or just prefer our in-store menu, pay us a visit for all of your #HonestlyOrganic smoothie, juice and green bites needs! See you in soon.


5 Eat Clean Practices for a Holiday GLOW (Original G·E·M·S Life)

Posted on December 9, 2020 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on 5 Eat Clean Practices for a Holiday GLOW (Original G·E·M·S Life)

Gingerbread cookies and reindeer treats and holiday pies, OH, MY! With the fun traditions of the holidays comes the inevitably tempting seasonal sweet treats and sugary goodies. But our new program, Original G·E·M·S Life, is designed to help you stay on track through the holidays and every day.

ORDER OUR ORGANIC JUICES, SMOOTHIES & GREEN BITES FOR PICKUP OR DELIVERY!

Taking part in Original G·E·M·S Life just requires doing four daily practices, one in each of these categories: Gratitude, Eat Clean, Movement, Shine. Eat Clean practices include our tried-and-true food rules that keep your body at its best.

By adding one of these EAT CLEAN practices to your Original G·E·M·S Life you can rest assured you’re doing right by your body AND enjoy your holidays at the same time.

5 Eat Clean Practices for a Holiday GLOW

  • STAY HYDRATED. Drink 32 ounces of water upon waking every day. Then remember to drink a big glass of water an hour before you sit down to dinner. (If you drink it too close to eating, it dilutes your gastric juices and impedes digestion.) Oftentimes we mistake hunger for thirst. In reality, our bodies are simply dehydrated. 
  • DRINK YOUR DAILY JUICE. You can pick your favorite juice, but make sure you drink it every day. I crave my celery juice in the mornings—and I add parsley and kale for a bigger chlorophyll punch). This ensures I stay hydrated, but also boosts immunity, manages blood sugar levels, and reduces cravings.
  • EXTRA GREENS AT EVERY MEAL. Put in the effort to add some in every meal, every day. Pack them onto your plate or blend them in! Add them to your morning smoothies, blend into sauces, soups and even rice (blend garlic, cilantro, and spinach in your Vitamix with a cup of bone broth, then use it to cook your rice or quinoa!).
  • EAT BEFORE YOU GO-GO. Have a healthy snack before you leave the house every day. Keep nutrient dense foods on hand, like our MVP soup. It is super satisfying and is loaded with veggies and satisfying fiber. It’s a secret weapon for hunger cravings!
  • ENJOY A DAILY INDULGENCE. Don’t deprive yourself. Whatever your treat is, treat yourself every day. Keep your portion small, and don’t eat other indulgences, especially just because they’re there! Make your splurge worth it.

Don’t let holiday eating take control of your diet. You can take control with these EAT CLEAN practices from Original G·E·M·S Life and come out of the holidays with habits that you keep for a lifetime!

Jump Into Original G·E·M·S Life!

Shine Brighter all the time with an Original G·E·M·S Life, a daily playbook based on The GEM’s founding principles. Jump on our disco train and commit daily to just one practice in each of the categories, Gratitude, Eat Clean, Move, and Shine. Add in more practices and grow with the program when you’re ready and create your own Original G·E·M·S Life! Get started today!

Let us know what practices you love, and share your ideas for other practices on our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook! 


Inside Our Ingredients (And Why ORGANIC Matters!)

Posted on October 22, 2020 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Inside Our Ingredients (And Why ORGANIC Matters!)

Here’s our hot take, GEMs; Living an #HonestlyOrganic lifestyle means choosing only the BEST for your body. No pesticides, no GMOs, no kidding.

ORDER HONESTLY ORGANIC GREEN BITES, JUICES & SMOOTHIES FOR PICKUP & DELIVERY !

Being conscious of where our food comes from offers long-term benefits for both body and mind. When you choose organic, you unleash the superpowers of clean, whole foods that produce a positive environment on our insides AND on our earth. 

We’re committed to providing you with Honestly Organic ingredients to help you on your path toward healthier living. Here’s the lowdown on each of our ingredients inside The GEM. 

THE HEALTHY SCOOP ON OUR HONESTLY ORGANIC INGREDIENTS

  • Almonds: A good source of manganese and copper, and high in health-promoting fats associated with reduced risk of heart disease.
  • Apples: High in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and soluble fiber.  An apple a day… 
  • Bananas: Rich in Vitamin B6 and C, plus a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium. They make our GEM smoothies super rich and creamy!
  • Beets: supports healing and detoxification of the liver and kidneys, and helps stimulate the lymph system, flushing out fatty deposits.
  • Blueberries: An incredible antioxidant cancer-fighting, cardiovascular health-promoting super fruit.
  • Carrots: High in vitamin A, offering optimal immune support and healing properties. stimulates a fat-flushing reaction in your system.
  • Cashews: Great source for healthy dairy alternative, provides a wide array of health benefits and is high in B vitamins, magnesium and copper.
  • Cayenne: This anti-inflammatory spice stimulates circulation, increases metabolism and neutralizes acidity in the body, 
  • Celery: This anti-inflammatory  heals the gut, purifies the blood, strengthens the bones, and lowers blood pressure.
  • Chia Seeds: high in iron, calcium, antioxidants and omega-3s.
  • Chlorophyll:  Boosts the immune system, cleanses the digestive tract, the liver and the blood. Found in all leafy greens. An amazing natural defense against the effects of stress. 
  • Cinnamon: Regulates the body’s blood sugar levels, and rich in trace minerals, iron, calcium, and quality dietary fiber. 
  • Cucumber: A natural diuretic that aids in kidney, liver and pancreatic detoxification, helps regulate blood pressure. Incredibly alkalizing!
  • Coconut Butter: Contains healthy, healing, MCT fats–considered a rare and important building block of every cell in the human body. Boosts immunity, kills bacteria and viruses, protects against cancer, heart disease and promotes calcium absorption. Great for skin radiance.
  • Dates: High in fiber, Vitamin A, magnesium, and antioxidants.
  • Ginger: aids digestion and circulation while reducing inflammation and nausea. It is the ultimate ally in fighting nasty cold and flu symptoms.  Also considered to have anti-cancer properties.
  • Hemp: rich in protein and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins A, E, B-12 and folic acid, and is rich in magnesium, potassium, iron and magnesium. 
  • Kale: contains more readily absorbed calcium than milk. Rich in lutein and beta-carotene, major anti-cancer phytochemicals playing a role against cancer, heart disease, and certain age-related chronic diseases. The detox benefits of chlorophyll alone make this one of the MVPs of kale nutrients.
  • Lemon: stimulates the digestive system, purifies the liver and clears out toxins. a natural antiseptic—clearing bad bacteria out of the system. Incredibly alkalizing. 
  • Maca: Nutritionally dense super-food rich in B vitamins (energy),Beneficial for hormonal problems including PMS, menopause, and hot flashes. Best known for improving libido and sexual function, especially in men. For this reason, it’s earned the nickname “nature’s Viagra.”
  • Mango: Rich in dietary fiber, potassium and antioxidant compounds, and has been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers.
  • Maple Syrup: contains 54 different antioxidants.
  • Orange: rich in Vitamin C, plus plenty of fiber! 
  • Pomegranate: rich phytochemicals that fight certain cancers
  • Sea Salt: Naturally alkalizing with many essential trace minerals your body needs.
  • Spinach: This chlorophyll-rich green is loaded with Calcium, Lutein,  Folic Acid, Vitamin K and Iron. Spinach is also rich in Vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids. Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse.
  • Turmeric: Fights infection, reduces joint inflammation, and treats digestive problems like bloating and gas. Also provides super protection against breast, prostate, skin and colon cancer.

Living an #HonestlyOrganic lifestyle means choosing only the BEST for your body. No pesticides, no GMOs, no kidding. Going organic is your best weapon against disease, and the key to living a healthier, happier life. We’re living proof! Questions about our ingredients? Come visit today!


Eight Years In, We’re Shining Brighter Than Ever (And GROWING)!

Posted on February 5, 2020 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 7 Comments on Eight Years In, We’re Shining Brighter Than Ever (And GROWING)!

As we kick off this month celebrating EIGHT AMAZING YEARS of partying under the GEM disco ball, it is so gratifying to reflect on our journey. What started as a simple idea to spread our passion for health has grown and transformed into a powerful GEM community, who are just as excited about sharing the Peace, Happy and the JUICE as we are! We are grateful for each of you who have been part of our journey, and excited to share our plans for growth in the new year. 

IN A HURRY? ORDER YOUR DAILY ORGANIC JUICES, SMOOTHIES AND GREEN BITES ON OUR APP! 

Celebrating 8 Groovy Years of Peace, Happy, and JUICE!

After my cancer diagnosis years ago, I became obsessed with everything related to food and healthy living. This newfound passion and powerful health discovery was the blueprint that became part of our GEM manifesto. MK and I were convinced that our new, intentional lifestyle was an incredible way to not only heal, but stay healthy for a lifetime. But we wanted to create something bigger than just us massaging kale in my kitchen. How would we do that?

Where We’ve Been: As we looked for places to support our newfound lifestyle, we realized there weren’t any that authentically provided the quality or an environment that we loved. So we put our heads together and laid out what we wanted our dream to look like. This channeling of our creativity and passion together is how The Gem came to be—a place to find “Diamonds on Your Inside.” We set out to create a healthy “Cheers,” and a place to share our passion for a GEM-my life with others. 

The GEM is a physical manifestation of who we are—a place to share the habits we’ve lived and learned through our GEM-my journey, where you can change the way you feel, and in doing so change the course of your life as it relates to health (and happiness)! And we’ve LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! 

What We’ve Learned: We knew next to nothing about the restaurant business when we started back in 2012, but we never let that hold us back. We dug in deep—learning, growing, and dancing as we went along. We’ve learned so much about the importance of community. And you, our GEMs, are more health-savvy than ever before! You’ve discovered firsthand the amazing power of clean food, a plant based, anti-inflammatory and an anti-cancer diet. You are as passionate about health and clean eating as we are, and we couldn’t be happier. You feel better and look better, too! Let’s face it—addicted to feeling better is a great addiction to have.

Our Future Is Looking BRIGHT! We have been learning and growing so much these past eight years, and we want to keep spreading our GEM lifestyle to more corners of Dallas. That’s why we are excited to announce that The GEM will be opening a third location in the coming year! Keep up with our news and subscribe to our email list for more updates and to keep up with our progress. 

Our ultimate goal has always been to make people feel better leaving the GEM than when they walked in. And most days, I think we far exceed our goal to make that happen. The quote by Hippocrates on the wall inside The Gem says, “Let Food Be Thy Medicine”. We live by this mantra daily. We never tell you a certain diet to follow, because each of your beautiful bodies are different. We encourage you to know your bodies, applying certain broad GEM principles to your life to open the path towards more health, happiness and healing. That intuitive eating has made you more confident in your health and your choices, and you still choose to come see us each day. This is our story. You’ve made it all possible. 

Much much gratitude and admiration,

Leslie & MK


The Gratitude of 10 Years Cancer-Free

Posted on November 1, 2019 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 16 Comments on The Gratitude of 10 Years Cancer-Free

Today was graduation day for me. At my 16th boob check-up, I got the news: another beautifully clear, cancer-free scan — marking 10 years cancer free. Complete remission. 

My oncology surgeon — the truly brilliant, and amazingly badass Dr. Marilyn Leitch, announced, “This is your 10 YEAR anniversary. This is a big deal, and a long time coming! How are you going to celebrate?”

The truth is, I won’t. Not in a typical way with balloons and confetti anyway. 

What I will do is celebrate this anniversary with intense gratitude for what the disease brought into my life, just as I celebrate every day. I am thankful for the beauty that emerged in the darkness. The disease revealed an amazing community of GEMs. AND, above all else, it brought me humility for the beauty of Life. For better or worse, I learned I am not ultimately in control of what life brings my way.

These three things are gifts that take my breath away each day.

  • Gratitude. An appreciation for my health and a better perspective on life are at the forefront of the gifts I am forever grateful for. Survival brought me the ability to see my children grow into amazing teenagers. I’ve taken breathtaking trips with my husband. I’ve learned how to be a better friend, parent, human. I’m grateful for the gift of a new career path that allows us to help others by sharing a positive lifestyle — inside and out. Without my cancer journey, I would not have known the POWER of food on my physical and mental health. The disease propelled me into the GEM — the manifestation of my new view on all that nourishes me — and into this amazing community of GEM-my people. 
  • A GEM-my Community. Little did my soul-sister Mary Kathryn and I know, our new-found passion rooted in this journey would evolve into a community of GEM lovers. You whole-heartedly dove into this GEM-inspired life, turning it into a disco-filled movement I couldn’t even have dreamt of. 
  • Humility. The greatest gift I received from this journey is humility. Yes, I worked hard to get myself cancer-free, but so many others have done the same work with a far different outcome. What’s humbling and so very apparent, is that ultimately, I wasn’t in charge of what disease did or didn’t do. My remission was decided not just by medical treatments and lifestyle changes, it was also decided by something much more powerful than you or me. A Higher Power. While I did everything within my control to get healthy, ultimately, it was in the hands of something greater. 

Celebrate Others

So, in “celebration” of my 10 year cancer-versary, I humbly commit to honor my beautiful friends who are no longer with us by spreading authentic goodness and healing opportunities, inside and outside the GEM each day. Sadly, there are many.  For my sweet friend Kristin, for Charlotte, Chris, Chad, Brandice, Chuck, Bobby, Michael, Genia, Polly: We know your stories. We miss your life forces. Your smiles.

And to those who are still fighting. Jennifer, Jessica, Marjorie, Padgett, Andrea, Sally, and so many others…keep your eye on the prize of healing. You have amazing support teams around you — and all of us at The GEM are part of that band of warriors. 

The beauty of your life is humbling — look for it. I hope you’ll share this gratitude with someone else: a friend, a family member or a stranger. You never know how much your kindness could turn the dark into the dawn. 

“Even in darkness, blossoms will bloom.”  


Arm Yourself Against Cancer: The #HonestlyOrganic Way

Posted on October 16, 2019 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 1 Comment on Arm Yourself Against Cancer: The #HonestlyOrganic Way

This one’s for you, Cancer. My fight against cancer for the REAL family jewels (the breasts) led MK and me to create the ONLY organic juice bar in Dallas. My multi-prong, cancer-free plan of attack included eating only whole, CLEAN, organic foods — pesticides, toxins and processed artificial ingredients HAD TO GO.

At the GEM, we know firsthand: This nasty disease is no joke. One more cancer sufferer is one too many. So we’ve made it our mission to provide only the BEST organic juices, smoothies and green bites with no compromise to help protect YOUR family jewels (prostate, breast, and colon) — and give you diamonds on the inside, too! 

Order your #HonestlyOrganic green bites and juices, on our app!

From the first diagnosis of breast cancer, I made a conscious decision to learn and do everything within my power to keep me cancer free. One of the first things I changed? My diet. Being scared into EATING straight is a real thing, people! This meant whole, CLEAN (organic) foods — no more artificial or processed junk, and absolutely no more pesticide-ridden fruits and veggies. 

But eating organic is only the first step to living a cancer-free life. Keep the treasures safe with these essential lifestyle changes:

10 Ways to Keep Your Family Jewels Cancer Free

  • MOVE TO A WHOLE FOODS, PLANT-BASED DIET. Eat fewer things that have feet (ie, animal protein) and eat more green plants. Read The China Study. Mind-blowing research about cancer and animal protein. 
  • ELIMINATE PRESERVATIVES AND CHEMICALS from your food. We can’t say it enough! That includes artificial sweeteners, flavorings and colors, nitrates, MSG, and more. And while we’re at it, replace those vegetable based oils (like canola, corn and soy) with healthier and whole avocado, olive and coconut oil. Fats are good for you, but only when they come from healthy, clean sources. By the way, did you know, there are no vegetables in vegetable oil? True story.
  • FIGHT THE SUGAR DRAGON: Not only is this ingredient highly addictive, it’s also known to increase cancer-causing inflammation! You can find added sugar snuck into almost everything: Corn syrup, rice syrup, dextrose, sucrose, lactose…the list goes on. 
  • READ YOUR INGREDIENTS: You’d be surprised at what you’ll find in some foods — even an innocent bottle of salad dressing. Hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, nitrates, artificial colors and more. 
  • DRINK YOUR GREEN TEA. The active ingredient in green tea – antioxidant compounds called catechins – reduces cancer occurrences. Our Forever Young Green Tea and Matcha Latte hit it head on! 
  • RELAX. Daily breathing exercises, meditation, and more decrease stress hormones released into your system, preventing cancer-causing inflammation. This stuff WORKS. 
  • ORGANIC BERRIES. Delicious, delicious berries contain significant antioxidants that help reduce cancer risk AND contain ellagic acid, which has been shown to slow the growth of some tumors (insert twig and berries joke here!).  
  • #SHINEBRIGHT WITH VITAMIN D. From safe exposure to sunshine, D3 supplements and leafy greens, Vitamin D suppresses the formation of new blood vessels that nourish the growth of tumors. The rates of breast, prostate, and colon cancer are lower in climates that have the most sunshine. Bring on the Hawaiian Tropic! 
  • TURMERIC & SELENIUM. Curcumin (active component) has been shown to interrupt the normal progression of cancer cells. Also great for arthritis/joint pain. Turmeric Lattes or straight shots of pressed turmeric — just do it. Selenium is a potent antioxidant or scavenger of carcinogenic free radicals. It is HUGE as an anti-prostate cancer warrior. Our GEM Remix has you covered.  
  • GET PHYSICAL. By adding energizing, stress-busting exercise to your daily routine, you can lower the levels of estrogen and insulin in your body — hormones which can increase cancer development and progression if left unchecked.  
  • STAY BOOZE-FREE. Women who had 4-5 drinks per WEEK had a 38% percent higher risk of breast cancer recurrence. THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS. Leave the competitive drinking games in college where they belong! NO EXCUSES! Try replacing your daily glass of wine with meditation, exercise, a dose of Natural Calm or a cozy Turmeric Latte. Alcohol is full of sugar and calories as empty as a Big Mac. 

Wearing pink, purchasing yogurt with a ribbon on it and regular screening just won’t cut it anymore. TAKE CONTROL. We are the sum of all of our tiny little decisions — good and bad.

Go on, be a GEM and give a big squeeze of love to your family and your family jewels. But above all else, remember to surround yourself with shiny, happy people and places that lift you up. See you inside The GEM! 



When Your Real Life Can’t Be #HonestlyOrganic

Posted on October 2, 2019 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 1 Comment on When Your Real Life Can’t Be #HonestlyOrganic


We don’t mess around at The GEM about the importance of organic. It’s the best thing you can do for your overall health. But real life is busy, and organic may not be convenient or available! Believe us, we know. We have gone to seriously GREAT LENGTHS to stay organic, and when you’ve got a full schedule, job, and/or family, driving all over Texas (or even to another Whole Foods) for organic cucumbers isn’t always possible.

Get your #HonestlyOrganic juices and smoothies, on our app!

Of course, if you’d like to eat organic GEM goodies all the time, we won’t stop you! But if you have to brave the conventional produce aisle under real world circumstances, here’s some info to light the way.

Most of the world’s food supply is riddled with pesticides that are not only ON our food, but actually scientifically engineered inside (YIKES!). Luckily for us healthy-loving GEMs, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts out a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce every year. It tells you which organic fruits and veggies aren’t optional, and which ones are safe even when traditionally grown.

Updated annually, EWG’s guide ranks pesticide contamination on 48 popular fruits and vegetables. It also offers shorter The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists. Super handy and helpful. Need an even shorter list? We’ve got you.

Dirty DON’Ts
These fruits and veggies are badass ingredients in your daily juice and smoothies—and a hard NO when not organic:

  • SPINACH & KALE. In your salads, in your juices, these leafy greens made it to the top 12 after a decade of being clean.
  • CELERY. Your daily celery juice has amazing benefits, but make sure it is organic!
  • STRAWBERRIES. Number 1 on the list for four straight years!
  • APPLES. Not only do organic apples actually TASTE better, but they are relatively inexpensive compared to their conventionally grown counterparts. Apples often stay in storage longer than a year. Shoot for organic apples in season that don’t sport a waxy surface to really get the most out of their delicious nutrients. SCORE!

MEAN AND CLEAN
When it comes to eating clean for you and your family, you can skip the organic-only aisle for:

  • Avocados. Only 1% of conventional ones showed any detectable pesticides. Save!
  • Pineapples. Sweet and ready to eat!
  • Broccoli. It’s better to eat broccoli that may have been exposed to pesticides than to not eat broccoli at all. Fun fact!
  • Mushrooms. Did you know that even one mushroom a day can have a significant reduction in cancer occurrences?

Let these lists be your guide to eating organically on a budget. Print them out and remember them. Don’t worry about every morsel you eat at a restaurant or at a friend’s home. Just make sure that IF you can, you are buying organic where it matters most. And most importantly, rest easy knowing that your food inside The GEM is healthy, safe, and, honestly organic. Always. Because we dance to the disco beat of organic, green goodness every day.


Why We Live #HonestlyOrganic

Posted on September 12, 2019 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has 4 Comments on Why We Live #HonestlyOrganic

Organic or non-organic: why does it matter? More than a lifestyle, honestly organic is a way of thinking and a commitment to your health. Here’s the serious side of non-organic: PESTICIDES + GMOs = CHRONIC DISEASE & INFLAMMATION. You heard right (and there is science to back this up). Truly organic food, grown without harmful pesticides and non-GMO, is a major weapon in your arsenal to maintain health and well being.

Order your #HonestlyOrganic breakfast or lunch, on our app!

Organic is NOT a trend, a fad, or a when-convenient habit. A nutrient dense, ORGANIC (read: clean), plant-based diet is THE way to eat and live. (P.S. This doesn’t include trendy organic super-processed junk food. We mean WHOLE FOOD). Staying organic when it’s not convenient is hard and why so many businesses aren’t able to do it 100 percent of the time. But YOU ARE worth it. 

When you choose organic, you unleash the superpowers of clean, whole foods that produce a positive environment on our insides and on our earth. These foods kick start your body’s natural defenses against illness, inflammation, disease and almost every health issue.

Want to DISCO your way into a whole new lifestyle? Here are 5 more reasons why choosing organic is oh-so-critical to your overall health: 

SHE’S A BRICK HOUSE. Organic boasts more nutrients per square inch. Non-organic agriculture results in larger crops with lower nutrients — it’s known as the dilution effect. Organic methods improve soil and that leads to healthier plants—and healthier humans.

STAYIN’ ALIVE. REDUCE YOUR TOXIC LOAD. Toxins are cumulative—stored in our fat and liver cells, compounding on each other every time we consume them. Certain conventional foods contain these types of pesticides . So why keep adding toxins to your body?

Le FREAK. THINK ANTI-CANCER. Organic means non-GMO. Genetically Modified Organism. It sounds like a creepy science experiment, because it IS a creepy science experiment. GMOs often have cancer-causing toxins like glyphosate sprayed on and injected into the DNA of the plant—and hence, into yours.

BOOGIE WONDERLAND. IT’S WHERE WE LIVE. Choosing organic is MUCH better for the environment. Less toxic runoff, more healthy water and soil. When we choose organic, we are also choosing to love Mother Earth.

ROCK YOUR BABY…AND PROTECT YOUR KIDS. Feeding our children organic, whole foods is VERY important. The American Academy of Pediatrics says “Children have unique susceptibilities to the potential toxicity of pesticides…and chronic health implications from exposure continue to emerge.” Our kids have enough to worry about as it is. Help them live their best HEALTHY lives by choosing organic.

In brief, all of us—adults AND children—should be eating organic as much as possible to promote health and longevity. There’s a quote on the wall at The Gem by Hippocrates that we live by every day: “Let Food Be Thy Medicine.” We’ve lived by it from the beginning…and our story doesn’t veer from this principle.


Be a GEM! Go Strawless This Earth Week!

Posted on April 21, 2019 by diamondsonyourinside and currently has Comments Off on Be a GEM! Go Strawless This Earth Week!

It’s one of our favorite days — the world-wide celebration of Earth Day on April 22! With that, it is time to renew our commitment to being a GEM in every way.

Order your Earth-friendly green drinks today for pick up or delivery, straight from our app!

Since our opening 7 years ago, The GEM’s love of the earth and the environment has formed the basis of our creed.

THE GEM’S CREED: REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE.

You can’t believe in the value of organic produce and not respect the health of the soil and water supply it comes from. Everything in our world is connected! We know that the BEST organic produce is only made possible through supporting environmentally-friendly farming and soil practices and by helping reduce water waste and pollution.

Living clean and being green is a way of life.

Serving super-green plant-based soups, salads, juices and smoothies is what The GEM is best known for, but did you also know the ideals The GEM follows?

  • SERVE ONLY ORGANIC PRODUCE. The amazing farms that supply us share our commitment to keeping chemicals out of our soil and fresh food.
  • COMPOST. We’ve sent all our food waste out to compost since the day we opened. And in the last 7 years we’ve diverted 150 tons to the Texas Worm Ranch to help create a healthy planet through healthy soil!
  • REUSE. Our kitchen and staff use repurposed glass bottles. Anything we can repurpose, we DO! And we encourage regular GEM customers to return brown bags, glass shot bottles, and juice/smoothie holders for reuse.
  • RECYCLE. Any paper and plastic we can recycle goes to the recycler. Remember to rinse out yours at home before recycling!
  • PURIFY. We use carbon water filtration systems for food and juice production to keep impurities out!

Being green and living clean means more than honestly organic goodies.

GO STRAWLESS WITH US! Go GREEN with The GEM! We’ve written a lot about how to help us help the Earth. This week, we’re asking that you Shine Brighter with us by going strawless with your daily juices, iced tea and smoothies April 22 to 27.

An estimated 500 million straws are used every single day in the United States — producing enough waste to encircle the Earth 2.5 times. As many as 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the world’s beaches.

We’re working hard on developing straw alternatives, but until that day, be brave and go strawless with us!