Aloe Vera Benefits For Weight Loss (5 Aloe Vera Drink Recipes Included)

Aloe Vera has recently gotten a bit of a cult-like status among health conscious people. Most of us have long associated it with beauty products due to its plethora of magnificent properties that make it a wonder ingredient for the skin. But recently it has gained a lot of popularity as a weight loss agent. Aloe vera benefits for weight loss are undeniable and today we look at how it works. We also provide 5 Aloe Drink Recipes to help you realize just how powerful these aloe vera benefits for weight loss are.

How Does Aloe Vera Work?

Aloe Vera is a plant that has long been associated with herbal medicinal treatments. It produces two substances, aloe vera gel and the aloe vera latex or juice. Both these things can be noticed when an aloe vera leaf is broken.

1. A transparent water-like viscous liquid which is the gel.

2. And a yellow substance found just beneath the skin of the leaf which is the latex or juice.

Aloe vera contain a plethora of useful vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other active components that make it one of the most and widely used herbs in herbal medicine and home treatment.

The gel is mostly used for cosmetic treatment and is known for treating skin conditions like cold sores, rashes, psoriasis and sun burn. It provides overall nourishment to the skin and is an active ingredient in many everyday skin products.

The yellow latex or aloe vera juice is one of the best home remedies for weight loss. It is great for easing constipation. It contains aloin, a compound known for its laxative properties. Aloe latex or aloe juice is mostly associated with weight loss but the whole leaf (including the gel) has properties that can contribute.

Note: Aloe Latex is no longer sold as an over-the-counter product because of its side effects and potential misuse. (See side effects at the end of the article for more details)

Aloe Vera Benefits For Weight Loss

• Increases metabolism rate 
• Lowers cholesterol and blood fats.
• It is a natural laxative which detoxes the body and contributes towards the overall health of the digestive tract
• Stops the body from converting digested carbs and fats into fatty tissue by converting them into energy
• Improves satiety and therefore helps in avoiding overeating
• Triggers the formation of collagen. Collagen is protein that helps in muscle development. The body expends a lot of energy (burns calories) processing this collagen
• A number of vitamins in aloe vera helps in burning fats
• Stabilizes blood sugar level and is great for combating obesity
• Antioxidants help curtail the movement of free radicals in the body

Aloe Drink Recipes For Weight Loss

To realize true aloe vera benefits for weight loss, it is best to consume it in the form of a drink.

Here are a few of our favorite aloe drink recipes that are not just refreshing but can help you in maintaining or losing weight. Please be warned that aloe vera is extremely bitter so eating it directly is not advisable.

1. Raw Aloe Vera Juice

Steps

• Take an aloe vera leaf and peal off the outer skin (green part)
• Put the naked aloe (with aloe latex and gel intact) into a grinder and grind to pulp
• Filter the pulp to extract the juice and throw away the residue
• Store in refrigerator
• 1 teaspoon of this aloe drink must be eaten everyday, 20 minutes before having a meal for best effects
• Do this regularly without missing a day for 3 months
• You can add a natural sweetener like honey to the extract if you find the taste too bitter to swallow on its own

2. Coconut and Fruit Smoothie with Aloe Vera 

Ingredients

• 1 small aloe vera leaf
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 table spoon of desiccated coconut
• 1 cup of your favorite fruits (Our recommendation is blueberries, strawberries and raspberries)
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• Some fresh basil

Steps

• Take all ingredients and put them in your blender
• Blend until you get the right consistency
• Take out and pour into a glass
• Drink once or twice a day for best results

3. Aloe Vera Lemonade

Steps

• Take some aloe vera leaves and peal off their outer skin (the green part) and inner skin (the yellow aloe vera latex)
• Gather the clear aloe vera gel in a small jar
• Take two table spoons of this aloe vera gel into a blender
• Add 1 cup of lemon juice to it
• Blend the juice until both ingredients are completely mixed
• Pour into glass, add ice to it and enjoy the refreshing goodness of Aloe Vera Lemonade

4. Aloe Vera Green Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 medium aloe vera leaf
• 1/2 green apple
• 1/2 peeled cucumber
• 2 peeled celery sticks
• 1 kiwi
• 1/2 lemon
• a small piece of ginger
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup coconut water
• Ice

Steps

• Cut the green apple, kiwi, celery sticks and cucumber into chunks and put it into a blender
• Squeeze the lemon juice from the lemon into the blender
• Add the aloe vera leaf and ginger
• Add the coconut water
• Add Ice
• Blend until completely smooth
• Drink daily not just for aloe vera benefits for weight loss but the overall healthy (and weight loss) qualities of all ingredients

5. Aloe Vera Tropical Delight

Ingredients

• 1 table spoon aloe vera
• 1 small slice of water melon
• 1 small carrot
• 1 apple
• 2 cups pineapple
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 5-6 cubes of Ice

Steps

• Take an aloe vera leaf and peal off its outer skin (the green part) and inner skin (the yellow aloe vera latex)
• Gather the clear aloe vera gel in a small jar
• Take 1 table spoon of this aloe vera gel into a blender
• Cut all fruits into small pieces and add into blender
• Add coconut milk and ice
• Blend until completely smooth
• Drink once a day to enjoy the aloe vera benefits for weight loss with a tropical taste

Before you try an of these drinks, it is advisable to make sure you are not allergic to aloe vera. If you are allergic to garlic or onions, there is a good chance you might be allergic to aloe vera as well.

Medicinal Research on Aloe Vera Products

There are numerous aloe vera benefits for weight loss and numerous products out there that offer weight loss solutions using aloe vera as the main ingredient. A lot of them use aloe vera concentrate, aloe vera juice (aloe latex) or aloe vera gel.

Aloe vera has long been associated with herbal medicine and weight loss. People swear by it and its effectiveness. Most pro-natural medicine advocates have loads and loads of examples that prove that the stuff works. I have myself come across many people who say that aloe vera worked for them.

That being said, aloe vera has not yet been clinically verified to be effective for weight loss. While a few studies have shown promising results, lack of in-depth research means that medicinal doctors will not recommend it. In fact, other than the uses of aloe vera on face and its potency as a laxative, its benefits are pretty much unverified.

So if you’re a stickler for traditional medicine maybe aloe vera isn’t for you.

Side Effects Of Aloe Vera For Weight Loss

Taking aloe vera is not harmful as long as its intake is controlled. Too much consumption can lead to severe side effects and even death.

Aloe vera is extremely risky during pregnancy, for beast feeding mothers, for young children and consumption should be avoided altogether in such cases.

Side effects of aloe vera can vary depending on which part is used. Aloe vera latex has more harmful side effects compared to the gel. For Aloe drinks prepared from whole aloe leaves or aloe latex, you need to be specially careful.

Aloe latex is a natural laxative. Like all other laxatives, drinking too much of aloe vera juice use can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, etc.

When you’re desperate to lose weight sometimes you can forget how important it is to be informed about what you’re doing. The aloe vera benefits for weight loss are unquestionable and all herbal therapists stand by it.

But there is no harm in being careful with its use. It’s always best to keep an open mind about things. If drinking aloe juice doesn’t suit you and you feel discomfort, its best to stop and look for other natural remedies for weight loss.