Awesome Aloe Vera Smoothie Recipe

By Healthy Smoothie HQ | Updated: December 13, 2011

Photo by evelynchu

Aloe vera is a bona fide superfood with a laundry list of health promoting benefits. It’s not the most pleasant tasting substance on its own, but blend it into a smoothie with the right ingredients and you’re left with a tasty, nutrient-dense, super drink.

Aloe vera has a long history of use dating all the way back to 1500 B.C. where the Egyptians recorded using it to treat burns, infections and parasites. Topical uses for aloe vera are more commonly known, but since we’re going to consume it in our smoothies let’s focus on the health benefits from internal use.

Aloe vera gel is made up of water, 20 minerals, 12 vitamins, 18 amino acids, and 200 active plant compounds or phytonutrients. Quite impressive, as are the myriad health benefits attributed to aloe vera.

Health benefits of aloe vera gel:

Boosts immune function
Powerful anti-inflammatory
Great for skin health
Accelerates recovery after exercise
Potent antioxidant
Reduces high blood pressure
Alleviates joint and muscle pain
Boosts physical endurance
Stabilizes blood sugar in diabetics
Helps lower high cholesterol
Excellent for digestion, and been shown to alleviate and even cure acid reflux, ulcers, IBS, Crohn’s and Celiac disease
Eliminates constipation
Anti-cancerous

Do you find aloe to be bitter and not very pleasing to your palate? Here’s a few tips and tricks to evade that bitterness courtesy of Joan who was kind enough to leave this comment below: “I grow my own aloe vera, and have been putting it in smoothies for years. Here’s a few tricks I’ve learned for getting rid of the bitter taste. After I cut a stem/leaf off the plant, I stand it up in a glass and let the yellow sap drain…that’s the bitter part. Also, chill it before you put it in the smoothie. You can either just leave it in the fridge overnight and filet it before adding it to the smoothie, or you can filet it first and freeze the gel part (lay them out on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Sometimes I’ll harvest a whole bunch at once, drain them, filet out the gel centers and freeze them. Then, when I get ready to make a smoothie, I’ll just grab a few out of the freezer and pop them in the blender with the rest of the ingredients!”

The amount of gel you get from filleting fresh aloe leaves will vary. I typically shoot for about 1/2 cup. Feel free to use more or less depending on your preferences. Enjoy!