I Tried It: Aloe Vera Juice (Yes, The Kind You Drink!)

Most of us love aloe vera for its ability to soothe a sunburn naturally. But would you drink the stuff? I know–I had the same reaction. But when I came across a bottle of aloe vera juice (not to be confused with the gel) at Whole Foods recently, I grabbed some for a taste test and decided to look into its health benefits…

****First off, I want to be really clear: The type of aloe you buy in a squeeze tube–the gel–is for topical use only (don’t eat it!). But drinkable, food-grade aloe–in juice form–seems to be gaining some popularity among natural foods enthusiasts.

According to this Whole Foods blog entry, aloe vera juice may have some interesting health benefits: “Digestive and immune support as well as increased nutrient absorption are a few of the important ways aloe vera can support health,” they write. “…[aloe juice] may be soothing to your throat, stomach, and digestive tract.” It was enough to talk me into a taste test.

I opened the little jug and poured a tiny bit of the “tangy Pomegranate Cranberry” flavor over ice. First impression: It looked like ice tea. I’m sorry to say, this is as good as it got for me.

I hesitate to tell you the rest–about me trying to gag down a sip. I tried so hard to like this stuff–really I did!–but in the end, it just tasted too strong/tangy/bitter/tart/everything. It reminded me a little of this horrible glucose drink you have to chug in the third trimester of your pregnancy to test for gestational diabetes. (Anyone ever tried that stuff? It’s bad.) Anyway, this is not to say you won’t love aloe juice–you might. It just wasn’t for me.

But what do health experts think? The jury is still out on whether aloe taken internally is good or not so good. There aren’t really any major studies to refer to, so many mainstream health experts aren’t quick to recommend this to anyone (at least the ones I polled quickly for this post today). Consider talking to your doctor about her personal opinions about aloe if you’re intrigued by the concept of aloe juice.

Would you try this stuff? Have you already tried it? What did you think?

Want to read more posts where I’ve been a Guinea pig?

I tried: raw milk.

I tried: hemp milk.

I tried: a personal oxygen device (think: oxygen bar at your desk).

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Photos: Whole Foods