Hawkins Holistic

As a holistic nutritionist, I spend a lot of time in health food and supplement stores (*heaven*). I’ve seen aloe vera juice in the aisles and always wondered about it. If it’s so good for healing & nourishment when applied topically, can it heal our insides in the same way? Is aloe vera juice the internal healing supplement that some claim it is? After conducting some research on the topic, I found that the answer is not so cut & dried.

Here are some common questions about aloe vera juice:

• Does it taste good?
  • The undiluted, pure juice is bitter. Think of it like taking a shot of hard alcohol. Without the buzz.
• Is it safe to drink?
  • If you were hoping for a clear answer, unfortunately I cannot provide one. In fact, the issue is quite controversial and the research is ongoing. The FDA has not deemed this product safe for human consumption. Most alarming is that one part of the leaf contains the carcinogen aloin, and when non-decolorized whole-leaf extract of aloe vera juice was given to rats, it caused tumors to develop in the large intestine. Yes this is unsettling (poor rats!!) but this effect has not been seen in humans. And there is a way to avoid alion: buy decolorized juice made from the inner leaf; it is void of alion. Also, if you are taking other medications, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor about possible drug interactions.
• What’s the consistency?
  • It’s like that of any juice, and not at all the same consistency as the aloe vera gel we apply topically. Totally different product.
• How important is it that I drink organic aloe vera juice?
  • Always choose organically produced and manufactured aloe vera juice. The safety of the product is already in question so if you choose to consume it, best go with the pure, uncontaminated product that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals or grown in a GMO environment.
• Are there are known side-effects?
  • Aloe vera juice may be laxative in nature, causing diarrhea.
• What are the health benefits?
  • As it is laxative in nature, it can be helpful for constipation relief. It’s also said to be effective for diabetes (improving blood sugar levels) and heart disease (reduction in total cholesterol levels, while HDL, the “good cholesterol”, increased). As with the topical version, aloe vera juice has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. According to the Ayurvedic tradition, aloe vera juice is cooling to the liver and gallbladder (good for those with a Pitta dosha.. find your dosha here http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/).
• How much should I drink?
  • Follow the recommendations on the bottle, but I do not think it’s necessary to consume the pure product daily for benefits.

I hope this article provided you with some consumer knowledge about aloe vera juice. If you have any further questions, I’d be happy to answer them! Contact me at hawkinsholistic@gmail.com.

Naturally yours.

Sarah Hawkins, R.H.N.