Aloe vera is used for skincare and is a common ingredient to skincare products. Most people are familiar with aloe in that form. You may even tend your own aloe plant at home just for this reason. You’ve probably felt that smooth, soothing, cool quality of aloe vera on your skin to treat sunburn or other skin issues. If you haven’t, you ought to try fresh aloe, it feels great.
Drinking the juice is a different story, though. Is it worth it?
Is Aloe Vera Juice Good for Me?
Aloe vera juice doesn’t taste quite as good as you might think. At best, it’s “mild” and “tolerable,” but at worst, it’s not “tolerable” at all. We won’t spoil the taste by trying to describe it, so you’ll have to find out for yourself.
Before we get into the health benefits of drinking aloe vera juice, first, you probably shouldn’t eat aloe vera in its plant form. You can, but it’s not entirely recommended. That’s because the aloe vera leaf contains natural latex — that’s the precursor to making rubber. While it’s entirely natural in the aloe plant, it may be harmful, especially to pregnant women or those with diabetes.
But what about the juice? Is it good for you? We mention the presence of latex in aloe because if you’re going to buy the juice, you’ll need to look for these words on the label: purified and decolorized. If it hasn’t been decolorized and purified, you might be drinking trace amounts of latex or other natural but still toxic ingredients.
If you have the decolorized, purified version of aloe vera juice, yes, there are some health benefits. Aloe vera juice is very hydrating. Post-workout, the juice can be an excellent addition to a smoothie. The taste of the juice alone isn’t to everyone’s taste, so you may want to add it to something else.
Aloe vera juice also contains vitamins C, A, and E as well as B12. It’s likely good for your gut biome. Plus, it has no sugar, so indulge away.
Is Aloe Vera Juice Bad for Me?
If you buy the organic, decolorized, and purified version, it’s considered safe. However, if you’re pregnant or on mediation, you should consult a doctor before drinking it.
Besides latex, there’s another potentially harmful natural ingredient to aloe named anthraquinone. It’s this compound that’s still present in aloe vera juice, which hasn’t been purified. It’s considered toxic, and you should avoid it.
Just be sure to buy your aloe vera juice from a reputable source and check the label before adding it to your healthy drinks list.
