It’s hot right now: Aloe Vera Juice. An ancient drink for those in dry area, aloe is best known for its ability to heal the skin after a sunburn.

Aloe contains a gel-like interior. This gel is rich in bitters, vitamins, electrolytes and minerals. People for thousands of years have eaten and used the gel. The gel of the aloe is one of the safest and best preforming skin conditioners. For damaged skin, it helps promote the healing process. It was used by Cleopatra and she associated her beauty to the plant. It is also one of the most bitter, foul tasting plants out there. The gel usually needs to be strained of the fibers and pulp before drinking. It was usually, and still is mixed with water and sugars to change the taste. Today, the processing of aloe juice makes a very smooth, tasty product, one that has many health benefits and uses.

Aloe Vera Juice vs. Aloe Vera Water

However, companies are using both terms for the same thing. The products being sold are aloe vera juice that has been diluted with a bit of water. Unless your product says it’s aloe vera infused water, you are drinking the juice. Technically, these are two very different things, but they are used for the same product. Aloe vera water is water that has a leaf or a bit of juice in it. Aloe vera juice is the liquid from the leaf. Note: Aloe vera juice is not the same as aloe vera gel. Do not attempt to make your own juice using commercial gel. It contains several other chemicals that are not safe for consumption. The aloe vera gel is what you put on your skin. The water is too dilute to do your skin any external good. The gel is preferable for that. For the gel, you can use commercially prepared gel or remove the gel from the inside of a home grown leaf. Instructions are below on how to obtain your own gel.

The Benefits of Drinking Aloe Vera Juice & What Does Aloe Vera Juice Do?

Is aloe vera juice good for you? The health benefits of aloe vera juice are many. Just be sure to pair the benefits with the cautions we describe in the next section. The juice is loaded with vitamins, nearly all of them in large amounts. When you drink the juice, you get the vitamins. This is often reflected our skin, since our skin shows the first signs of aging. Some people believe aloe juice can reverse skin damage. Aloe vera juice also has mild anti-inflammatory properties. While it won’t stop inflammation or work on its own, as part of a healthy diet, it can aid the body in reducing inflammation. This is especially important for people who have digestive issues, since it works for on the stomach and intestine. It also promotes healing. This can be seen in the skin, but aloe can also help repair the damage to the stomach and intestine. And just like the skin, aloe can help smooth the mucus membrane in the intestine and help repair damage.

Aloe Vera Juice Side Effects

Aloe is not for everyone. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center did research and shows that aloe vera juice can interfere with most of the medications for cancer treatment and recovery. They recommend that anyone taking any medication, and especially cancer medications, not use aloe vera juice.

The juice can also cause severe cramping and diarrhea because of a compound known as anthraquinone. For some people, severe dehydration can occur if you drink aloe vera juice. All aloe vera juice will contain some anthraquinone. Any bottle of aloe vera juice that claims otherwise is lying to you about the effects or actually ingredients. The FDA recommends that people using any hormonal, attention deficit, or mind altering medications avoid aloe vera juice. This includes medications for ADHD, adrenal balancing, depression, mood swings, or mental stability drugs. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center also recommends that people with diabetes, potassium, or water retention issues not use aloe juice. The mix of nutrients can cause unsafe changes in medication. Some medications can be suddenly more potent. A small change in medications that regulate potassium can cause hyperkalemia, a fatal blood issue. Also, pregnancy women should avoid this juice because it may cause miscarriage. This is especially true is any other medication is involved. How to Drink Aloe Vera Juice Daily

Aloe vera juice can be taken anytime, but the best times are when it can work on your system without interference from other foods. The stomach can produce lots of acids to aid digestion. When the aloe juice interacts with the acids in your stomach, it releases the nutrients and makes them more bioavailable. We believe that the best time is to drink aloe juice on an empty stomach. Enjoy it in small quantities and slowly. If you drink too much on an empty stomach, you could have a not so pleasant repeat.

So, What Is Aloe Vera Juice Good for? There are many reasons to drink aloe vera juice. Aloe Vera Juice for Hair

Also aloe vera juice doesn’t work directly on your hair, like for your skin, it works through providing proper nutrition to the body and the body produces healthy hair. Strong hair starts from within. However, many people have seen great benefits immediately after starting to drink the juice. It’s because the skin and scalp are improving and that makes the hair look and feel better. Aloe Vera Juice for Weight Loss

Since aloe is a laxative, it can help keep food from being properly digested. This means you eat the same and absorb less. Not the greatest combo. The juice provides many nutrients. Because your body has more nutrients, it will call for less food. By eating less you weigh less. If you include aloe as part of a healthy diet, you can lose weight effectively, but it’s not because of the aloe. Aloe Vera Juice for Constipation

Here’s the laxative again! Aloe vera juice won’t cure constipation. It will help mild constipation issues by providing more water and the anthraquinone that is the direct stimulant. Drinking several pints of juice will not be a cure for constipation, even if it works once. You need to solve the real problem, the juice just puts a bandage over it. If you aren’t constipated, you may find your bowels moving faster. This is natural. Different companies produce the product different, so if one is making you visit the toilet more often, try a different brand. Aloe Vera Juice for Skin Conditions

The juice doesn’t make your skin softer or brighter. The topical gel is better for that. The gel will directly hydrate and nourish your skin, as well as promote healing. The juice will provide your body with more nutrients that can create beauty from the inside out. When your body is properly hydrated, it is plump and soft. When you have the nutrients you need, your body is able to fight the aging processes and oxidative stresses easier. Still, many people have seen instant benefits from drinking aloe vera water. And aloe is one of the best plants for your skin. We just think using the gel will gain you better results. Aloe Vera Juice for Acid Reflux

Yes, aloe can help reduce and eliminate acid reflux. 2-3 ounces of aloe vera juice can help reduce symptoms of acid reflux. It can help rebalance the acids in the stomach and improve the condition of the stomach and intestine walls. Since aloe is anti-inflammatory, it can reduce the swelling in the esophagus and stomach. Aloe Vera Juice for IBS

Drinking the juice can reduce the inflammation in your digestive track. This can help you reduce the irritation from IBS. Aloe also helps encourage the mucus membranes to produce more mucus, which acts as a protect coat from the acids, caustic juices and biles. Some researchers have attributed the changes not to the juice, but a better diet. The research shows that when you change your diet to more fruits and vegetables and add aloe vera juice, the recovery rate of your digestive system increases nearly 300%. Is Aloe Vera Juice a Laxative?

Technically, yes, aloe vera juice is a laxative. If you drink enough of it, it will cause you to use the bathroom uncontrollably. However, most people won’t be drinking that much. There are many compounds in aloe that cause a laxative effect. Most of them are in the bitter pulp that is strained out of the juice. Once these bitters are removed, it takes much more juice to cause the laxative effect. Is Aloe Vera Juice Safe for Pregnancy

For many people, drinking the juice will have no effect. However, for some women, it could cause serious problems all the way up to and including a miscarriage. Aloe vera is a known uterine constrictor. When a woman is not pregnant, this effect doesn’t take place. When a woman is pregnant, and the hormones and blood supply are focused around the uterus, this effect takes place. Drinking aloe vera juice can cause cramping, discharge, miscarriage. It can also cause dangerous drops in blood sugar that can result in hospitalization for the mother. We do not recommend drinking aloe vera juice during pregnancy. The use of aloe vera gel on the skin, especially for stretch marks is considered safe by pediatricians. How to Make Your Own Aloe Vera Juice There are several ways to make your own aloe vera juice.







Here’s one big tip: Never, ever use the gel meant for sunburns. It’s not pure gel, there are many other chemicals in there that are not safe to eat. There are two main ways to make your own juice. First, obtain some commercial aloe vera gel that is meant for drinking. Several companies sell this in large containers. You then follow the instructions to dilute the gel in water. Normally, it’s one cup of gel to one gallon of water. Second, is grow your own. Just know it takes many regular sized leaves or a really big aloe vera leaf to produce one cup of juice. And, if you are going this route, you need to make sure you are getting a proper aloe plant. There are over 800 species of aloe and less than 100 are suited to make juice. Once you have enough leaves, you need to split the leaf and scrape out the gel. The gel then needs to be strained to remove any lingering pulp and fiber. This pulp and fiber tastes very bitter.