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Enjoy the Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice

Written by Dr. Group, DC Founder
 
A cup of aloe vera juice. This all natural aloe vera juice helps the immune system and overall wellness.

Most people are aware that aloe vera soothes dry skin, sunburn, and other skin irritations[1], but not many know of the many health benefits the plant offers when it's consumed. For instance, recent studies have shown that aloe vera helps the immune system, encourages normal blood sugar, and reduces redness and swelling. Best of all it’s natural and totally safe! [2]

More and more products are being created to help people consume aloe vera. One of the most popular is aloe vera juice. The benefits are many, and here are some of the most notable:

  • Aids digestion and even relieves occasional constipation [3]
  • Eases stomach ache and acid [4]
  • Increases alkalization and reduces acidity in the body [5]
  • Soothes redness and swelling [6]
  • Encourages normal stomach lining [7]
  • Supports memory, learning, and overall mood [8]

Surprised? There’s actually more. It’s because aloe vera contains a wealth of nutrients, like vitamins A, C, E, and B12, as well as minerals like potassium, zinc, and magnesium. [9] It also provides powerful antioxidants, helps to balance metabolism [10], promotes oral health [11] boosts the immune system [12], and even supports normal circulation and blood pressure [13]. It's been reported to promote heart health. [14] In another study, aloe encouraged normal blood sugar. [15]

Even though aloe vera juice is ingested, it still contains many nutrients that make it great for your skin! It remains a powerful tool for irritated skin due to burns, minor cuts and severe dryness. [16] Even when consumed, many of aloe vera’s properties still pass through the body and ultimately aid the skin in the same ways as aloe vera gels and lotions do when they are applied topically. Now, no one is saying that aloe vera is some magic cure-all, but the plant does contain a wealth of nutrients that benefit those who use it.

Why Should You Drink Aloe Vera Juice?

In addition to its many internal health benefits, drinking aloe vera juice is great because it enables you to ingest the plant’s nutrients without dealing with the unpleasant taste of fresh aloe. It also helps to take the guesswork out of what you should actually consume, as the aloe’s inner and outer leaf properties vary greatly. I should also note that there are over 400 different species of aloe, each with their own chemical composition. If you are looking to consume aloe vera juice or any other product, be sure to verify that you’re looking at things made with aloe vera and not any other species of the plant. There are many products to choose from, so be sure to evaluate them carefully before choosing one to take. Of course, if none of the juices you find quite meet your taste, you do always have the option of making your own.

How to Make Your Own Aloe Vera Juice

It’s not hard to make your own aloe vera juice, but before you start, here are a few points to consider. First, you should only use organic aloe vera leaves and make absolutely sure to find a plant marked as “edible”. You can either buy leaves that are already cut or grow your own full plant. Assuming you are using a whole aloe vera plant, you’ll remove the leaf or leaves you’d like to use from the plant. As long as you’re careful, you won’t harm your aloe. After all, this is a resilient species that has a natural ability to heal itself.

If you are removing the leaves from a plant, you absolutely must use a sharp knife. You want to leave a clean cut so that the plant heals swiftly. Begin by cutting the leaf off near the base of the plant. Focus on removing the desirable inner leaf gel. This will need to be done whether you’ve purchased individual aloe leaves or you have a whole plant. Start by splitting your leaf in half lengthwise. This will reveal the juices inside the leaf. Next, scoop out the gel (and only the gel)! Be sure to avoid the firm yellow areas, as this is what we consider the outer leaf. Remember, this does contain different properties and is not the desirable substance you’re after for your juice.

**Pro-tip: Try to limit damage to the outer leaf or rind, as this could enable compounds like aloin or aloe latex to seep into your inner leaf gel.

Once you’ve separated the inner leaf gel, place it into a blender. Add fresh lemon, lime, orange juice or any other citrus flavor to meet your taste. This is a great opportunity to add more organic fruit to your diet. Before you blend, make sure you have about equal amounts of your aloe vera gel and your citrus component. I recommend 2-3 tablespoons of each.

After you’ve blended your original mixture, add it to a cup of cold water. If you find the taste to be too strong, feel free to add more water to dilute. You might also consider adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to help add even more nutrients and a bit more zip to the taste.

Risks of Consuming Aloe Vera Juice

Even though aloe vera does offer many health benefits, you don’t want to get too carried away with taking it. Everything in moderation, right? For one, aloe vera leaves contain a compound called aloin. Aloin can induce a harsh laxative effect. [17] And when taken too frequently, some compounds in aloe vera can create an electrolyte imbalance. [18]

Other Ways to Enjoy Aloe Vera’s Health Benefits

If aloe vera juice is not for you, you can still enjoy its many health benefits. Today, you can get aloe vera dietary supplements in capsule form. But remember to check out the ingredients before you take anything! Not all aloe vera supplements are created equally. They do not contain the same amount of nutrients, proteins, and plant compounds so each can have a very specific effect on your body. Evaluate the ingredients and use this information to help you choose the supplement best suited to give you the benefits you seek. For the maximum health benefit, look for supplements that feature acemannan, a potent plant chemical found in the inner aloe vera leaf.

Global Healing's Aloe Vera to the Rescue

There are many products out there and it creates a lot of confusion. I set out to put an end to this once and for all, and the end result is my new, bio-active aloe vera supplement, Global Healing's Aloe Vera. Made with vegan capsules, Global Healing's Aloe Vera is a 100% certified organic product that contains only the inner leaf of the aloe vera plant. It actually delivers the most potent form of aloe vera available in today’s market.

Global Healing's Aloe Vera actually contains the highest levels of acemannan that you will find. In addition to acemannan, Global Healing's Aloe Vera contains important vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes specifically designed to promote your health. It’s also worth noting that there is no aloin. If you are looking to boost your health by adding aloe vera to your diet, Global Healing's Aloe Vera is a convenient and effective solution

References (18)
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  2. Surjushe A, Vasani R, Saple DG. ALOE VERA: A SHORT REVIEW. Indian Journal of Dermatology. 2008;53(4):163-166. doi:10.4103/0019-5154.44785.
  3. Cirillo C1, Capasso R2. Constipation and Botanical Medicines: An Overview. Phytother Res. 2015 Oct;29(10):1488-93. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5410. Epub 2015 Jul 14.
  4. Werawatganon D1, Rakananurak N1, Sallapant S1, Prueksapanich P1, Somanawat K1, Klaikeaw N1, Rerknimitr R1. Aloe vera attenuated gastric injury on indomethacin-induced gastropathy in rats. World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Dec 28;20(48):18330-7. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i48.18330.
  5. Prueksrisakul T, Chantarangsu S, Thunyakitpisal P. Effect of daily drinking of Aloe vera gel extract on plasma total antioxidant capacity and oral pathogenic bacteria in healthy volunteer: a short-term study. J Complement Integr Med. 2015 Jun 1;12(2):159-64. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2014-0060.
  6. Cock IE. The Genus Aloe: Phytochemistry and Therapeutic Uses Including Treatments for Gastrointestinal Conditions and Chronic Inflammation. Prog Drug Res. 2015;70:179-235.
  7. Ranade AN, Ranpise NS, Ramesh C1. Exploring the potential of gastro retentive dosage form in delivery of ellagic acid and aloe vera gel powder for treatment of gastric ulcers. Curr Drug Deliv. 2014;11(2):287-97.
  8. Halder S1, Mehta AK, Mediratta PK. Aloe vera improves memory and reduces depression in mice. Nutr Neurosci. 2013 Nov;16(6):250-4. doi: 10.1179/1476830512Y.0000000050. Epub 2013 Feb 5.
  9. Radha, M. H. & Laxmipriya, N.P. Evaluation of biological properties and clinical effectiveness of Aloe vera: A systematic review. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 5 (1).
  10. Foster, M. et al. Evaluation of the Nutritional and Metabolic Effects of Aloe vera. In I. Benzie & G. Wachtel-Galor (Eds.), Herbal medicine: Biomolecular and clinical aspects (2nd ed.).
  11. Songsiripradubboon S1, Banlunara W, Sangvanich P, Trairatvorakul C, Thunyakitpisal P. Clinical, radiographic, and histologic analysis of the effects of acemannan used in direct pulp capping of human primary teeth: short-term outcomes. Odontology. 2015 Aug 12. [Epub ahead of print].
  12. hokboribal J1, Tachaboonyakiat W2, Sangvanich P3, Ruangpornvisuti V4, Jettanacheawchankit S5, Thunyakitpisal P6. Deacetylation affects the physical properties and bioactivity of acemannan, an extracted polysaccharide from Aloe vera. Carbohydr Polym. 2015 Nov 20;133:556-66. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.07.039. Epub 2015 Jul 17.
  13. Choudhary M, Kochhar A, Sangha J. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect of Aloe vera L. in non-insulin dependent diabetics. J Food Sci Technol. 2014 Jan; 51(1): 90–96. Published online 2011 Jul 16. doi: 10.1007/s13197-011-0459-0.
  14. Agarwal OP. Prevention of atheromatous heart disease. Angiology. 1985 Aug;36(8):485-92.
  15. Devaraj S1, Yimam M, Brownell LA, Jialal I, Singh S, Jia Q. Effects of Aloe vera supplementation in subjects with prediabetes/metabolic syndrome. Metab Syndr Relat Disord. 2013 Feb;11(1):35-40. doi: 10.1089/met.2012.0066. Epub 2012 Oct 4.
  16. Tanaka M1, Misawa E1, Yamauchi K1, Abe F1, Ishizaki C2. Effects of plant sterols derived from Aloe vera gel on human dermal fibroblasts in vitro and on skin condition in Japanese women. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2015 Feb 20;8:95-104. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S75441. eCollection 2015.
  17. Foster, M. et al. Evaluation of the Nutritional and Metabolic Effects of Aloe vera. In I. Benzie & G. Wachtel-Galor (Eds.), Herbal medicine: Biomolecular and clinical aspects (2nd ed.).
  18. Saka WA, Akhigbe RE, Popoola OT, Oyekunle OS. Changes in Serum Electrolytes, Urea, and Creatinine in Aloe Vera-treated Rats. J Young Pharm. 2012 Apr-Jun; 4(2): 78–81. doi: 10.4103/0975-1483.96620.

†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.


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