DIY Aloe Vera Juice & Smoothie

Aloe vera is a great ingredient for your skin as well as overall health. Being rich in nutrients, aloe vera juice is a great health drink that you can easily prepare at home with citrus juice and aloe vera gel. Both the ingredients are rich in essential nutrients. Plus, citrus juices help enhance iron absorption.

Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Plus, it is excellent for the digestive system. In fact, it helps soothe irritation and inflammation in the digestive tract.

It also eliminates toxins from the body and aids weight loss. In addition, it helps reduce arthritis pain and inflammation.

Aloe vera is packed with vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C and E, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, choline and potassium.

It is also high in amino acids and helps alkalize the body. Plus, the polysaccharides and antioxidants in aloe vera provide immune-boosting benefits.

Drinking aloe vera juice is good for your heart, too. It contains a compound called B-sitosterol that prevents the absorption of cholesterol in the body and also reduces triglyceride levels.

Due to its laxative properties, aloe vera juice is considered good for those suffering from constipation. However, it should not be taken in excess as it may cause diarrhea.

How to Make Aloe Vera Juice at Home

Things you will need:

• An aloe vera leaf
• Oranges
• Water (optional)
• A juicer
• A blender
• A knife
• Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

1. Extract the gel from an aloe vera leaf.

2. Put 2 tablespoons of the gel in a blender.

3. Blend it to thin the gel.

4. Extract the juice from a few oranges.

5. Add 1 cup of orange juice to the blender.

6. Optionally, add 1 cup of water.

7. Blend the mixture for about 1 minute.

8. Pour it into a glass.

You can now enjoy your homemade aloe vera juice. You can consume 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel per day.

Note: Consuming aloe vera is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Also, it may interfere with certain medications like diuretics. So, consult your doctor before taking this herb internally.

Now that you have aloe vera juice, consider adding it to your smoothie recipes to enhance their health benefits. Here’s a recipe that you can try.

How to Make an Aloe Vera Smoothie

Things you will need:

• Aloe vera juice
• ½ green apple
• ½ cucumber
• 1 kiwi
• ½ lemon
• Ginger
• Ground flaxseeds
• Water
• A knife
• Measuring cups and spoons
• A blender

Steps

1. Cut ½ green apple into chunks and put the chunks in a blender.

2. Cut ½ cucumber into chunks and add them to the blender.

3. Cut 1 kiwi into chunks and add them to the blender.

4. Add a small piece of ginger.

5. Add ¼ cup of aloe vera juice.

6. Squeeze the juice from ½ lemon into the blender.

7. Add 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds.

8. Add 1 cup of water.

9. Blend the mixture for a few minutes.

10. Pour your smoothie into a glass.

You can now enjoy your healthy aloe vera smoothie. It will boost immunity, aid detoxification, support weight loss and fight inflammation. If you want, you can also add a little honey to it.

Tips

• Do not make aloe vera juice with aloe vera that is not produced for internal use.
• Make sure to wash the aloe vera leaf thoroughly before using it. To get a better idea as to how to extract aloe vera gel, check out this post.
• If you do not have fresh ginger root for the smoothie, use ½ teaspoon of dried ginger, also called sonth.
• Make the aloe vera smoothie healthier by using coconut water instead of plain drinking water.
• You can also replace the flaxseeds with chia seeds soaked in water.