The first, really detailed discussion on the benefits of aloe vera is found in the Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian medical papyrus of herbal knowledge dating to around 1550 BC. Since then, various aloe vera benefits have been heralded by civilizations from every corner of the globe, from Persia to Greece to India.
And we’re still talking about it. Seriously, what is it about this plant?
Well, you already know that there is a crazy diverse range of aloe vera uses. And how could there not be – considering this lush green, plump aloe vera plant is filled with a lovely gel that contains over 75 nutrients, 20 minerals, 12 vitamins, 18 amino acids, and 200 active enzymes.
So of course, you don’t just want to put in on your skin, hair, and ahem, other body parts – you also want to be drinking aloe vera juice! In case you want specific reasons why, we got you covered!
Note: Aloe vera – like all whole foods – is best when prepared fresh. But who has the time? If you don’t, get it in bulk – here’s the best deal.
9 Delicious Benefits from Drinking Aloe Vera Juice
Why sip aloe vera juice? Apart from being gel-y and yummy, it comes a truckload of extra benefits that you obviously can’t get from applying it topically. Here are some you’ll want for yourself…
1. Boost Digestion and Gut Health
This has got to be one of the best aloe vera benefits, especially if you struggle with a less-than-stellar digestive system. Aloe vera gel is chock full of helpful enzymes, minerals and nutrients that combine together to make a digestive tract-cleaning task force. This helps to dispel some of the useless waste that clogs up our digestive tracts and throws a spanner into the works. And that’s great news for your skin, since we all know how crucial a healthy gut is for skin health!
But aloe vera doesn’t just stop there – it also helps increase stomach mucosal production, making it a super helpful super food for ulcers. In 2004, a group of UK researchers found that after ingesting aloe vera gel twice a day for four weeks, people with ulcerative colitis saw significant improvement and remission of ulcerative colitis while experiencing no negative side effects.
2. Improve Your Immune System
Having such an impressive nutritional profile- vitamin A, C, B12, and E, zinc, calcium, magnesium, essential fatty acids, amino acids, etc.- means that aloe vera can give your body most of what it needs to function properly. These minerals and nutrients are also essential for the proper running of your immune system, so aloe vera boosts your natural immunity a great deal.
To top that off – a primary component of aloe vera gel, acemannan, has been shown to have immunostimulant, antiviral, antineoplastic (anti-cancer), and gastrointestinal properties (considering as a possible therapy for Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD).
3. Detoxify Your Body
More than just cleansing the digestive system, aloe vera works as a detoxifying agent for the whole body. Not only can it get rid of unusable waste from your system, but by supplying the body with essential minerals it gives a huge boost to the organs already taking on the job of detoxifying e.g our liver and kidneys.
4. Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels
Studies have shown that aloe vera can be used as an effective way of decreasing sky-rocketing blood sugar levels. We don’t know exactly what’s causing the effect quite yet, but we do have a good amount of studies done where participants were found to have lower blood sugar levels at the end.
5. Alkalize Your Body
Nowadays, our diet is filled with far too many acidic things, but aloe vera might be just the thing to clearing up that acid build-up. With a pH similar to our own bodies, aloe vera can set the balance straight, as well as clearing out all that acidic gunk through its cleansing properties. Remember – disease cannot live in an alkaline body!
6. Treatment for Acid Reflux
Not dissimilar to the point above, aloe vera is also really effective at treating acid reflux. Acid reflux is often caused by excess acid in the body moving up from the entrance of your stomach to your esophagus- where it pops up uninvited at the back of your throat and makes you feel awful. Aloe vera can sort this out by getting rid of the extra acidic toxins in your stomach and reducing the risk of it flowing to your esophagus.
7. Lower Cholesterol
Aloe vera can also be used for lowering cholesterol the way it does blood sugar. Just 5-15ml doses taken twice daily is enough to lower cholesterol significantly, according to Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health.
8. Give Your Weight Loss Efforts a Boost
You’ll also find aloe vera in a lot of weight loss diets nowadays. Because of its detoxifying potential as well as its ability to speed up metabolism, a lot of people have used it to shed off those extra few stubborn pounds.
9. Stop Constipation
Aloe vera provides a laxative effect. It makes sure that the large intestine is doing its job properly, which makes it a lot easier to go to the toilet. In getting rid of some of the extra waste through detoxification, it makes your stools a lot softer in the process.
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