Aloe juice perfectly cleanses the body and promotes weight loss. It is used to treat wounds, sunburn and problem skin. Recently, this product is becoming more and more popular in the market. Consider the benefits of aloe juice and how to apply it.
Description
Aloe vera is a variety of monocotyledonous succulents and has about 330-400 species. The natural habitat of this plant includes the Arabian Peninsula, Africa and Madagascar. This wonderful looking and always green plant is ideal for growing in the house. Its maintenance requires proper conditions - aloe should not be abundantly and often watered, and the soil in the pot should be sandy and loamy. Under natural conditions, the plant grows to 5 m, however, at home, a flower shoot rarely grows that exceeds 1 m in height.
Aloe refers to succulents, that is, to plants that can accumulate water in the leaves, therefore it tolerates long periods of drought. If you want to use it for medicinal purposes, you should choose plants that are at least 3 years old and their leaves will have a length of about 20 cm. The collected leaves can be processed into gel or made from them juice.
The beneficial properties of aloe juice were appreciated by the ancient Egyptians. Due to the calming effect, they used it for skin irritations and burns. The anti-inflammatory properties of the plant are used in the cosmetic industry. Products containing it have a beneficial effect on acne and support the treatment of psoriasis. Nevertheless, it is used not only externally. Recently, more and more talk about the beneficial properties of aloe vera juice for the body when consumed inside.
Composition
Aloe vera juice is a rich blend of vitamins and minerals. It consists mainly of water, the content of which is about 98.5%. Only a few drinks can boast such an impressive content of valuable nutrients. The most important of them are:
- vitamins: A (beta-carotene), B1, B2, B3, B6, as well as B12, C, E, folic acid and choline;
- fatty acids: four types of plant sterols - cholesterol, lupeol, campesterol and Ξ²-sitosterol;
- amino acids: alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, hydroxyproline, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, threonine, tyrosine and valine;
- enzymes: alkaline phosphatase, amylase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, cyclooxidase, cyclooxygenase, lipase, oxidase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and superoxide dismutase;
- Minerals: calcium, chlorine, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, sodium and zinc.
The plant also contains various phospholipids, tannins, fatty acids and essential amino acids. All in all, this product is one of the most nutritious drinks available on the market.
What are the benefits of aloe juice?
Recently, the popularity of a natural aloe vera drink has increased significantly throughout the world, including in Russia. Recommended as a healthy alternative to many traditional drinks, as well as to maintain good health. Below, we consider what is useful aloe vera juice for the human body:
- Alkalization of the body. For health, the human body must maintain an optimal balance between acidity and alkalinity, and the reaction should be slightly alkaline in the pH range 7.35 - 7.45. Maintaining this balance is primarily influenced by food products that are used every day to prepare drinks and dishes. Many modern nutritionists indicate that the optimal structure of the human diet should consist of approximately 80% alkaline and 20% acidic foods. High consumption of meat, eggs, dairy products and grains makes the diet very acidic. Therefore, in this case, it is worth resorting to products such as aloe juice more often. It will favorably restore balance and optimal pH. Aloe vera juice also helps reduce the symptoms of acidosis in the body.
- Removal of toxins from the body. Aloe drink is ideal for regulating normal bowel movement. This helps prevent the accumulation of toxins and metabolic waste in the colon and throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Aloe vera is rich in numerous vitamins, minerals and enzymes that support the normal functioning of the kidneys. This body is responsible for the detoxification of the body.
- Helps to lose weight faster. Everyone would like to find a wonderful tool that will help you quickly lose weight. Unfortunately, aloe juice is not a magical cure for this kind of problem. However, it allows you to maintain the process of losing weight, including by detoxifying the body, and, above all, helps to keep lower body weight longer. Whether aloe juice is useful in solving this issue can be understood, first of all, by its following advantages: strong antioxidant activity, support of healthy intestinal movement and digestive process, reduction of inflammation in the body, decrease in acidification of the body. All these benefits directly affect how the body copes with weight loss. It should be remembered that without maintaining a healthy digestive process, there is a minimal chance of permanent fat loss. Therefore, aloe juice can be useful for the prevention and reduction of obesity associated with malnutrition.
- Counteracting inflammation. As you know, various factors can cause inflammation in the body, which, in turn, contributes to the emergence of many serious diseases and ailments. They can be caused by trauma or the autoimmune response of the body. In any case, inflammation makes certain parts of the body feel pain, which minimizes daily activity. The beneficial properties of aloe juice in the inflammatory process are due to its content of campesterol, beta-sitosterol, lupeol, gibberellins, bradykinase, salicylic acid, as well as vitamins A, C and E. Therefore, when you get inflammation, just drink some aloe vera juice. The most effective anti-inflammatory compound is beta-sitosterol, which is used by runners to minimize swelling after injury.
- Immune System Support. The human immune system is almost always ready to repel an attack of external factors coming from the environment in which he lives. However, if the pressure is too high, the immune system does not always cope. Aloe drink can help provide the body with polysaccharides that affect macrophage production (a means of protecting against infections). In addition to polysaccharides, plant juice also contains valuable antioxidants that reduce the negative effects of free radicals. Antioxidants help slow down the aging process and cell damage. An important component of aloe is zinc. This compound is also important for maintaining the proper immune function of the body. It helps the body fight diseases, kills bacteria and protects the functioning of cell membranes. Zinc is a key structural component for many receptors and proteins that help maintain the proper function of the immune system.
- Improving digestion and reducing irritation. Aloe Vera natural drink helps improve digestive health and reduce irritation. This plant will alleviate the effects of acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome, helps the body get rid of parasites. Studies have shown that aloe vera has antibacterial properties against sensitive and resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori. This discovery may affect the antibiotic resistance of this type of bacteria.
- Elimination of constipation. Consuming an aloe vera drink can effectively prevent constipation and diarrhea. It contains about 20 substances called anthraquinones, which have a laxative effect. The strongest are aloin and emodin.
- Lowering high cholesterol. Aloe juice contains a substance called beta-sitosterol. Studies have shown that it can maintain control of high blood cholesterol. This compound is a type of sterol that stops the absorption of cholesterol, helps lower its overall level in the body and, thus, supports the health of the entire cardiovascular system.
- Stabilization of blood sugar. Scientific studies have verified the benefits of aloe juice in high blood sugar. There are three compounds in a plant that are responsible for such an effect - lectins, mannans and anthraquinones. Several experiments have confirmed that regular use of aloe juice with water has a positive effect on maintaining proper blood glucose levels.
- Healing effects for gums and the entire mouth. The ability of plant juice to reduce inflammation and eliminate harmful bacteria is used in the prevention of gum disease. Aloe contains several active substances that are responsible for these benefits, and the most important of them are aloin, emodin and lupeol. There is evidence that aloe vera can stop gum bleeding and even cure mouth ulcers.
Aloe juice - what is beneficial for facial skin?
Aloe juice can be applied locally for various skin problems. In the field of cosmetology, it exhibits excellent protective properties, and most importantly:
- acts as a natural moisturizer;
- It has anti-aging properties, as it contains antioxidants that keep the skin young and fresh.
Aloe vera extract is a natural and very effective product that improves skin hydration. This is probably due to the mechanism of moisture retention, so it can be an excellent component of moisturizing cosmetics.
Plant juice can be a safe and beneficial alternative to antihistamines and topical corticosteroids. This is especially true for patients with chronic atopic dermatitis.
Help for skin prone to rashes
Many people know the benefits of aloe juice for the face when acne and acne appear on it. Organic compounds contained in it have a protective and anti-inflammatory effect on the epidermis. Rubbing the face with a cotton swab dipped in the juice of the plant helps to reduce the secretion of sebum and fight skin imperfections. You can keep a small bottle with a spray bottle filled with aloe juice in the refrigerator and use it as a tonic when there are problems with complexion.
Ally in the fight against dandruff
Consider the benefits of aloe juice for the scalp. This is an excellent tool that helps get rid of dandruff. To obtain a therapeutic effect, approximately 1/2 cup of juice should be massaged in the scalp and left for 15 minutes. After that, rinse with a mild shampoo. When carrying out the procedure twice a week for some time, you can achieve really good results.
How to make aloe juice?
There are several ways to make a drink from the leaves of a plant at home. To prepare it, you will need fresh aloe leaves, honey (for storing juice) or citrus juice when you plan to drink it for a week.
Before preparing a drink, you should not water this plant for about 2 weeks. Aloe leaves for making juice from them must be older than two years, but younger than five. Gardeners recommend buying plants with a height of about 30 cm, then the lower leaves are suitable for use. The cut leaves should be washed, wrapped tightly in paper and refrigerated for 14 days. After this time, it is necessary to squeeze the juice out of them using a juicer or a meat grinder. The resulting mixture must be filtered through gauze. Use 2-3 times a day for 1 teaspoon.
Thus obtained drink has been used to treat diseases of the skin and digestive system for millennia. It has a very beneficial effect on the whole body. It can be used orally or directly on the skin and hair.
Aloe Juice with Citrus
Aloe leaf should be refrigerated for 2 weeks. After trimming the edges with spikes and hollow flesh. Put in a wide jug and add 1/2 liter of citrus juice (orange, grapefruit, lemon), and then mix. The juice thus obtained can be wiped through a sieve, poured into a dark glass bottle and refrigerated. Juice can be stored for a week.
Aloe juice with honey
Leaves cut from the whole plant should be kept in the refrigerator for 10-12 days. Then roll them through a meat grinder or put them in a juicer. Pass the juice through a sieve. Add a tablespoon of honey to it and mix. Pour into a dark glass bottle. Keep refrigerated. Aloe juice should be taken 2-3 times a day for a teaspoon, alone or mixed with other juice, such as citrus.
Feasible side effects
Prolonged use or overdose of concentrated aloe juice can lead to colon atony and diarrhea with excessive loss of water and electrolytes, mainly potassium.
Concentrated juice (alona) obtained from aloe, used in higher doses, can cause flushing of the colon and pelvic organs, as well as contribute to miscarriage in women.
Contraindications
In addition to the listed beneficial properties of aloe juice and contraindications, plants should not be left without attention. Drugs with it should not be used:
- people with intestinal obstruction;
- patients with acute enteritis;
- with abdominal pain of unknown etiology;
- children under 12 years old;
- pregnant and women during lactation.
Now you know how aloe juice is useful and how to apply it.