4 Unique Aloe Vera Juice Recipes for Summer and Health

This common potted plant can now become part of your daily diet. Naomi offers 4 recipes for taking advantage of this healthful plant, which offers more than just sunburn relief. Image via odetothebigsea

Growing up, my mother was always interested in natural remedies to mild health issues, whether it was burns, cuts or the flu. Aloe vera being so versatile was one of her favourites, but as much as we used it externally, aloe vera juice was never on the menu, it turns out that it can be a great addition to your diet.

There are many plants, like roses, which can be used in more than just one way and aloe vera – native to the Mediterranean region where it grows like a weed –  is one of them. We discussed previously some of the uses of aloe vera (like in ice-cream!) however the next step, beyond buying the potted plant, is to be able to make your own aloe vera drink. Granted this doesn’t sound very palatable but the benefits are significant to one’s health.

Your body has the tendency to hang onto food residues, various toxins and bacteria all of which block the intestinal lining of your digestive tract and prevent nutrients from being absorbed properly. Drinking aloe vera juice regularly can help get rid of all the junk your body no longer needs which in turn prevents various digestive problems such as indigestion, colitis, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Some recipes for aloe vera juice: Your aloe vera drink will actually turn out different colours depending on the fruit you use, since the pulp of the plant itself is colourless Image via misocrazy

Recipe 1 – virgin juice

The most effective way to get the medical benefits is to drink the pure juice, so if you are game, this is the recipe for you:

1. You take a few leaves of aloe vera and cut them into pieces of a few centimetres long and put this in a pot to boil.
2. Let it boil for a few minutes, but make sure it doesn’t boil over.
3. Take it off the flame and let it cool for about an hour, sitting in the water.
4. Then take out the plant pieces and drink only the liquid.

If you are looking for something a little tastier, we have some other options:

Recipe 2 – light and lemony

Ingredients:
1 Cucumber
1 Apple
1 Lemon
2 tbsp Aloe vera pulp

Method:
1. Blend the apple and the cucumber
2. Add the lemon juice
3. Cut open an aloe vera leaf and scoop out 2 tbsp of the pulp and add it to the mixture

Recipe 3 – health

Ingredients:
2 Carrots
2 Green apples
1 Orange, peeled
1 tbsp of aloe vera pulp

Method:
1. Cut the apples, carrots and orange into pieces
2. Blend them into a juice
3. Then add the aloe vera

Recipe 4 – exotic aloe vera
For something a little more exotic you can try this one.

Ingredients:
1-2 cup Fresh pineapple
1 Carrot
1 Green apple
1 tbsp Aloe vera pulp
A few tbsp of coconut milk is optional

Method:
Basically blend all the ingredients together, adding the pulp of the aloe vera leaf. The coconut milk more than being a tasty addition, will actually increase the anti-bacterial and anti-viral qualities of this drink.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DTtQaLIJc8[/youtube]

All of these recipes are simple and quick, but remember the same doesn’t apply to the results of drinking aloe vera. Like most things natural, it takes time until you see and feel the benefits of adding this to your diet, but it will be well worth the effort.

Read more on natural health remedies:
Natural Remedies for Late Pregnancy
Feel Better with Herbs of Kedem and Ancient Hebrew Medicine

Author: Naomi Ben-David

Naomi interned at Green Prophet during the summer of 2010. She grew up in Australia with a chiropractor mom who introduced her to various forms of alternative medicine. Her mother was forever pointing out the healthy food choices in the supermarket, or attempted to make it from scratch at home in order to avoid the preservatives and additives in the food. Naomi’s mother’s influence has stayed with her, impacting the food and medical choices she makes to this day. She is currently pursuing a career in writing.

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