There are so many different Aloe Vera drinks that it’s important to choose the one that’s best for you. For example, are you better off with a Gel or a Juice?

Opinions differ on this, as they do on inner leaf versus whole leaf Aloe drinks, so let’s look first at how Gels and Juices differ!

The Gel that I drink comes just from the plant’s inner leaf and was hand-picked and hand-filleted before being stabilized via a unique heat-free patented natural process. So its Aloe content is essentially identical to freshly picked inner leaf Gel.

Oh, and the Aloe (Barbadensis Miller) was grown in an environment free of herbicides and pesticides! Aloe Barbadensis Miller is, incidentally, (out of over 200 Aloe species) the only ‘true Aloe’ entitled to be known as Aloe Vera.

Looking next at whole leaf Aloe Juice, we need to question whether it’s better to use the whole Aloe leaf rather than just its inner Gel. Labeling often strongly suggests that ‘whole leaf’ is best. But is it more effective? Not necessarily! Consider the fact that essentially the leaf has four layers:

Rind (a hard layer 15 cells thick)
Sap (high in anthraquinones – powerful laxatives)
Mucilage (acts as barrier, keeping the inner gel very sterile)
Gel (where the leaf stores all its 75 nutrients)

So, if the area is at all polluted, or if chemicals (herbicides, pesticides etc) have been used on the Aloe plants during the four years they took to mature, which part of the leaf will these have reached?

The two outer layers, at least – and it is in the rind that synthesis of all the Aloe’s nutrients takes place, while the sap is where materials move up to the leaves and down to the roots. So these vital processes could well suffer pollution.

\’Whole leaf Aloe\’ uses all four layers, which are then filtered and often concentrated via a heat process. Is this better, then, than using just the inner (undiluted) Gel – especially if the Gel has been naturally stabilized, without heat treatment or filtering?

It’s useful to remember that, with as little as 15 per cent Aloe Vera content, under some countries’ packaging laws manufacturers are still permitted to claim 100 per cent Aloe Vera Juice – after the addition of water!

However, a Gel must contain more than 90 per cent Aloe Vera …

Try shaking bottles or tubs of Aloe Juice and Aloe Gel simultaneously. You’ll soon have a fair idea of their consistency and tell whether the Juice has been diluted.

But why would you be drawn to Aloe Vera drinks in the first place?

A big attraction for many drinkers is that Aloe is known as a natural anti-inflammatory. So it can help conditions as seemingly diverse as IBS and Arthritis. It is also a useful source of important vitamins, minerals and amino acids and is said to help defend humans and animals against attacks from viruses, while also helping balance our immune systems.

Personally, I drink Aloe Gel daily as a general tonic for good health!

The brand I use comes in four basic forms. There’s the plain, straightforward stabilized inner leaf Aloe Vera Gel with perhaps the most challenging taste but with all the ingredients necessary to maintain a healthy digestive system and healthy energy level.

Then there’s Forever Freedom, with all the Gel’s nutrients combined with glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM – natural elements shown to maintain healthy joint function and flexibility. This is an ideal drink for the more mature who wish to maintain mobility and for sports people.

Aloe Berry Nectar has the Gel’s benefits coupled with a sweet blend of apple and cranberry juice – high in antioxidant vitamins C and A plus potassium and pectin to aid in cleansing the digestive system. Not only does this health drink have a great taste – it can also help maintain a healthy urinary system.

Aloe Bits ‘n Peaches is Aloe Gel plus pure nutritious pieces of Aloe Vera bathed in the flavor of sun-ripened peaches, with added carotenoids which are valuable antioxidants and a source of vitamin A – essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. This natural fruity drink is ideal for children. They especially love it in the form of ice lollies!

It goes without saying that it pays to check the quantity and quality of Aloe in the product before purchasing.

A good way to do this is look for Aloe products that have the International Aloe Science Council\’s Seal of Approval stamped on them – preferably from a company so committed to purity that it also has Kosher Rating and the Islamic and Halal Society\’s approval.

If PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) approve too, then you\’ve truly found an Aloe that could be right for you. Better still if the Aloe Vera drinks you choose come with a 60-day Money Back Guarantee, so that you have absolutely nothing to lose by trying them and perhaps plenty to gain!

Author Bio: Pamela Glynn is the owner of My Aloe Vera, a website offering you a wealth of information about Aloe Vera. Here\’s some more info for you about Aloe Vera drinks. To be kept updated with her latest Aloe news you’re invited to subscribe to Pamela\’s Aloe Vera Blog. FREE Aloe Brochure. FREE online videos.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: aloe vera drinks, drink aloe vera, inner leaf aloe gel, whole leaf aloe