Aloe Vera is a wonder medicinal plant that has a range of therapeutic benefits. The sticky transparent pulp of the aloe Vera plant is commercially available in the form of gel, latex or juice. The aloe vera pulp is almost 99% water and the remaining 1% includes more than 75 nutrients that contribute to various health benefits. In this article, we would discuss about the benefits of aloe vera for weight loss.

Various therapeutic benefits of Aloe vera

External application- Soothes burns, wounds and various dermatological issues like dry skin, psoriasis, eczema and rashes.

Oral consumption- Relieves bowel inflammation, constipation, promotes digestion and act as a weight loss remedy.

What it contains

Vitamins- Vitamins A, B complex, C, E and folic acid

Minerals- Sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese and chromium. These body enzymes use these minerals for optimum body functioning.

Amino acids- Human body needs 20 amino acids out of which 8 are essential ones. Your body can’t synthesize these essential amino acids and you need to rely on external dietary sources to add them. Aloe vera can provide 7 out of these 8 essential acids and overall, it provides 18 out of 20 amino acids.

Enzymes- Enzymes play a vital role in maintaining optimum gut flora (gut bacteria balance) for healthy digestive health and to curb inflammation.

Polyphenols- Polyphenols are naturally occurring chemicals in aloe vera having pharmacological actions. Beta-sitosterol, flavonoids and saponins- to name a few. These have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

Aloe Vera for weight loss

In general, obesity is a lifestyle disorder. In today’s hectic lifestyle, obesity has become a new normal. With every passing day, more and more people are known to succumb to the same and complain of being overweight. Unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, chronic stress and anxiety- all these factors are responsible for this global epidemic.

Let us discuss how aloe vera is going to help combat obesity and maintain healthy body weight:

Cleansing of the digestive tract- Aloe vera is gelatinous in nature. In the digestive tract, it would absorb water to turn into a bulky gel. This bulky gel would move downward binding various toxins- undigested food, bad microbes, cholesterol, trans fats, saturated fats- along to make your digestive tract clean and toxins free.

Suppresses the appetite- The gelatinous bulky gel of aloe Vera would provide the feeling of fullness to make sure that you don’t overeat.

Aloe vera is a mild laxative- Consumption of aloe vera on a regular basis is known to act as a laxative. It relieves constipation and ensure smooth bowel movements to detoxify and hasten the digestion process as a whole.

Improves digestion- Aloe vera is a prebiotic- it acts as food for the probiotics (healthy bacteria) in your gut for growth and development. These probiotics are essential for proper breakdown of complex foods such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats for their smooth processing.

Speed up the body metabolism- Aloe Vera accelerates the body metabolism by increasing the energy expenditure rate. It implies a higher calorie burning rate and less accumulation of body fats. Additionally, consumption of aloe vera stimulates the collagen production in human body. Collagen is a kind of protein that aids the muscles growth and build up by boosting the boost metabolism. It ensures that the lower intestine does not store food in it for a longer period.

Reduces inflammation- Chronic cellular inflammation makes a person obese and aloe vera relieves inflammation. Hence, aloe vera does possess anti-obesity activity.

Maintains the blood sugar levels- A spike in blood sugar level can make you eat a lot of snacks and calorie filled processed foods to worsen obesity symptoms. Aloe vera reduces such tendencies by normalizing the blood sugar level.

Low-calorie dietary supplement- Aloe vera is low in calorie and rich in vital nutrients. Hence, it makes a perfect dietary supplement to be included in your weight loss regimen so that you can shed a few pounds without compromising on nutrients intake.

How to consume Aloe Vera for Weight Loss

Oral consumption of aloe vera includes drinking aloe vera juice (aloe vera pulp mixed with water) alone or with other additives depending upon the taste and convenience. Here are certain aloe vera recipes that you can consume first thing in the morning- before breakfast- to derive maximum benefit out of it.

Concoction 1: Aloe Vera with Fruit Juice: Cut the aloe vera leaf into 2 parts and scoop out the aloe gel inside. Mix it with the fruit juice of your choice for a nutritious and fresh concoction.

Concoction 2: Plain Aloe Vera Juice: Ensure you clean the aloe vera leaf thoroughly before peeling off the skin. Mix with water and blend it well to make the plain aloe juice. You can sieve it through to ensure that there are no lumps in it. Store it in the refrigerator, so that you can consume it daily. To get maximum benefit out of it drink this concoction in the morning and before meals.

Concoction 3: Aloe vera juice and lemon: Clean the aloe vera leaf before cutting it lengthwise. Take freshly squeezed lemon juice and add the aloe gel, water and sugar in it and stir for 3 minutes.

Concoction 4: Aloe Vera and honey: You can do the same concoction as the one mentioned above only replace the sugar with honey. Honey is not only nutritious but also takes more energy to digest which in turn aids in weight loss.

Concoction 5: Aloe Vera and Kale: Make a healthy and fresh smoothie with aloe vera pulp and kale. For flavor, you can add plums, ginger, salt and any fruit pf your choice. Make this in the morning in large quantity and keep on sipping them all day long.

Concoction 6: Aloe Vera and coconut smoothie: Take aloe vera pulp, coconut milk, any fresh berry, mango, pure coconut oil, maple syrup and basil for this smoothie. You can add coconut flakes and flax seeds to make it crunchy and flavored. Blend them all into a smooth paste and keep drinking them all day long.

Precautionary measures and useful tips

While you derive maximum benefit from the fresh aloe vera plant, one can also consume aloe vera capsules after meals to aid weight loss.

For best results, ensure that you combine aloe vera consumption with regular exercise and workout. Do a mix and match of cardio, muscle building, toning and so on to get the desired result.

Compliment aloe vera intake with a high fiber, low sugar and low calorie diet to enhance the anti-obesity effect.

Take small doses of aloe vera initially to ensure that you are not allergic to it.

After consumption of aloe vera if you see any rash or allergy discontinue at the earliest and consult a physician.

Do consult your physician before consuming aloe vera if you suffer from any chronic disease.

The same rule is applied in case of pregnant women and nursing ladies.

In greed of faster weight loss results, do not take large doses of aloe vera as that may lead to diarrhea, dehydration and stomach cramp.

Ideal dose of aloe vera is 2- 8 ounce everyday for a period of 3-4 months. Start with least quantity and gradually increase as per your comfort.

Compliment intake of aloe vera with at least 8 to 10 glasses of water per day.

Use of aloe vera for weight loss is a safe and promising idea when coupled with a healthy diet and positive lifestyle. Not only weight loss, but, regular consumption of this healing plant food would improve your overall well being and fitness.

Author Bio

This blog post is submitted by Ashish Agarwal. Check the blog- Health Melody to know about yoga mudra for body detox and weight loss.

 References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92765/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/117/1/220

Source:
courtesy of NATURALNEWS

by Ashish684

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