03 Nov Superfood Tuesday – Aloe Vera Juice
This Tuesday, we are talking about…
Aloe Vera Juice!
What it is: Aloe is a plant in the succulent family that grows well in the desert climate. The “juice” that I’m referring to comes from the inner part of the leaf. While “whole leaf aloe juice” can be beneficial for those suffering from constipation, the inner leaf portion is usually a better alternative for every day use. The plant is known to have 212-215 different constituents, that’s a lot of good stuff!
What it does: Aloe has been used in the natural health world for a variety of ailments. It is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. It also has antibiotic activity, is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and has been shown to be effective against candida (the cause of yeast infections) as well as against the bacteria that causes pneumonia.
It’s great for ulcers and to help heal your gut (think about how soothing it is on your skin…it has a similar effect on your insides). It also helps you absorb more nutrients if taken with food. In addition, it has also been shown to support the circulatory system by keeping blood cholesterol levels in check. And finally, it helps support the immune system by helping it to produce more immune cells and increasing the activity of existing cells.
Are you sold on this bad boy yet?
How to use it: Be sure to get a good quality brand like Lily of the Desert and unless you are trying to relieve constipation, be sure to get inner-leaf juice (not whole leaf). You can start with a few teaspoons and work your way up to one ounce, a few times a day. If you aren’t treating anything in particular, a few tablespoons a day may be sufficient.
In my experience: I like to use a few tablespoons of aloe a few times a week in my smoothies as immune support and to ward off any bacteria that may be festering in my gut. It has a mild “leafy” taste that may take some getting used to, but usually I can’t taste it once it’s mixed into a smoothie. If I’m feeling a little under the weather, I’ll take a shot of it with some echinacea and bee propolis (in tincture/liquid form) in a few ounces of water, followed by some bee pollen. If I ever start to feel candida symptoms coming on or my stomach/gut health has been compromised with a bug, I’ll take a few shots of it a day along with some Pau D’arco.
Where to get it: You can usually find it in your local health store like Whole Foods or Sprouts. There are a lot of brands out there but they aren’t all created equal, so the one I trust is “Lily of the Desert.” I actually buy it with the rest of my health foods and supplements at Vitacost, I find they have the best prices on pretty much everything. Click below to get it on Vitacost now.
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