Review: TropicAloe Aloe Vera drinks

Aloe Vera drinks are one of my favourite things, but they can be fairly hard to come by and I’m yet to see them readily available in my local shop. Whenever I see them I like to stock up my fridge and I’ve been known to buy up all the shop has in stock when I see them. I’m pleased to see that Poundland have started stocking TropicAloe Aloe Vera drinks, which taste just as good as any other Aloe Vera drink I’ve had, but are available at a fraction of the price.

Review: TropicAloe Aloe Vera Drink - new to Poundland

There are three flavours of TropicAloe available at Poundland; original, strawberry and orange. I’m a bit of a sucker for the original flavour, which is delicately flavoured with grape juice. It’s really refreshing and light, especially if served ice cold on a hot day.

TropicAloe does contain pulp, so first time drinkers should not be alarmed. The pulp is quite chunky but the benefit of that is you feel quite full when you’ve finished drinking, which is great for filling those hungry gaps between meals.

These new TropicAloe drinks contain no artificial preservatives, no artificial colours and are made from fresh Aloe Vera, not the powdered stuff. Each 500ml bottle contains two servings (250ml each). They contain 32 calories per 100mls (or 160 calories per bottle) and are Vegetarian Society approved.

Review: TropicAloe Aloe Vera Drink - new to Poundland

Aloe Vera drinks are known to contain essential vitamins and minerals like vitamins B, C, E, and folic acid and it’s great for your skin, hair and for maintaining regular bowel movements. Aloe vera is one of the only plant based sources of vitamin B12, making it excellent for vegetarians and vegans.

These TropicAloe drinks are really hydrating and refreshing. I think they’d be great frozen into ice lollies for really hot days. They are currently available from Poundland stores for 2 for £1 which is an absolute bargain.

We were sent these TropicAloe Aloe Vera drinks for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.

What are Just Drink Basil Seed Drinks like?

Basil Seed drinks have always been popular across Southeast Asia and India. Many people will have encountered the drink on their travels to Thailand or Vietnam. Basil seeds are similar to chia seeds in that they are packed with nutrients and have a number of health benefits. I’ve been sampling the new Just Drink Basil Seed Drinks and finding out more about the health benefits of this unusual drink.

What are Just Drink Basil Seed Drinks like?

Basil seeds are low in calories and are cholesterol free. They contain high levels of beta carotene and Vitamins A, C and K; as well as minerals including potassium, manganese, copper, calcium and magnesium. Basil seeds are also an excellent source of iron and have a number of antioxidant benefits.

Basil seeds apparently have a cooling effect on your body, so they’re great in the summer mixed into cold drinks. They are also good for maintaining healthy skin, for digestion and bowel regulation, sore throats, colds and respiratory disorders and they are known for being a good mood food.

Basil seeds, especially in drinks like the Just Drink Basil Seed Drinks, are also said to be good for weight loss. I have to say, I feel very full after I’ve had a glass of the basil seed drink, and the full feeling lasts for a while. I think that’s a big selling point for me, they make me feel full and as a result I’m less prone to snacking.

What are Just Drink Basil Seed Drinks like?

The Just Drink Basil Seed Drinks are available in three different flavours, strawberry, peach and pineapple. The drinks come in 350ml bottles and there’s probably enough for two or three glasses in the bottle. I wouldn’t suggest drinking it all in one go as you will feel very full and you might need a nap.

I’m no stranger to unusually textured drinks and these basil seed drinks are no exception. Aloe Vera drinks have clear, fleshy pieces of Aloe Vera in them, and these are in a way similar. The drink is a normal fruit juice based drink and the basil seeds are suspended in a sphere of something like jelly, a bit like bubble tea.

You can swallow the seeds whole, but if you bite into them the jelly yields easily and you can crunch on the seed if you want. I feel very full when I’ve had a glass of one of the basil seed drinks, and they are quite sweet, but I find them very refreshing especially when they’re nicely chilled.

I would say, if you spot this in your local shop or supermarket it’s worth buying and trying. It is unusual, there’s no getting away from that, but I have enjoyed trying the drink and I like that when I have some I don’t feel the need to snack. I also think (and I’m just free-styling here) it might be nice in prosecco or cava, I think the bubbles with the seeds in will bob up and down in the glass and be a bit of a talking point.

So what are Just Drink Basil Seed Drinks like? Well they’re fruity, filling and a little bit weird, but weird in a good way. Give them a try!

Read my review of Just Drink Aloe here.

Note: I was sent the Just Drink Basil Seed drinks to try for review purposes, all images and opinions are my own. I genuinely think they are weirdly good.

Review: What is Just Drink Aloe like?

I’ve never been one for New Year resolutions, or falling for that ‘New Year – New You’ nonsense. But I think after the heavy duty gorging over Christmas, it’s natural to want to eat things which may contain traces of salad. I was feeling a bit run down and cream filled after the festivities, so a few healthy changes were required. Fortuitously I was sent some Aloe Vera juice from Just Drink Aloe to review. So what did I think?

Just Drink Aloe sent me the mango, strawberry and lychee flavours, though they also make pomegranate, passion-fruit and original flavoured juices. Each bottle contains 500ml and a serving is 100ml. I decided to drink one serving of Just Drink Aloe a day to see how I’d get on.

Just Drink Aloe

To the uninitiated Aloe Vera juice can seem a bit alien. It’s a clear-ish juice with bits of Aloe pulp in it. It’s hard to describe, but my best advice would be try it a few times before making your mind up, because it might take a bit of getting used to.

I started with the mango flavour, it didn’t have a strong smell and it tasted nicely of mango but was not overpowering. It was a refreshing way to wake up in the morning. I suspect the Just Drink Aloe mango flavour would make a nice ice lolly.

The strawberry flavour was the one I was least looking forward to. I don’t like strawberries (yes I know I’m weird). This had a stronger smell than the mango and unsurprisingly it tasted like strawberry juice, it was quite delicate. I could drink it for the five days but it wasn’t for me, I just can’t get along with strawberries. If you love strawberries though you’ll probably like this.

My favourite flavour was the lychee. I wasn’t sure what to expect really, but what I got was a lovely delicate, almost rose flavoured drink. I literally couldn’t keep my hands off it. Every time I went near the fridge I’d be sloshing a bit in a glass. Sweet but not too sweet, the lychee did not last the five days it was supposed to which was entirely my fault. Oops.

Just Drink Aloe

Update 2017: Just Drink Aloe have added two new flavours to their range Hawaiian Pineapple & Coconut and Tropical Passion Fruit, Mango & Orange. These are a interesting addition to the range and I was especially fond of the Tropical Passion Fruit, Mango & Orange, whereas my husband preferred the Hawaiian Pineapple & Coconut. Both are true to the brand, fruity, sweet and packed with Aloe Vera pieces, which personally is something I enjoy.

Review: What is Just Drink Aloe like?

Just Drink Aloe drinks have no artificial preservatives, no artificial colours or flavours and are made from fresh juice and pulp, not powder. They contain just 27 calories per 100ml serving and are apparently an excellent source of vitamin C. Aloe Vera juice has long been associated with a range of health benefits including balancing the immune system, encouraging a healthy (and regular) gut and digestive system, improving the condition of skin and hair, healthy joints and lots more.

It’s difficult to gauge in just two weeks the effect of drinking Just Drink Aloe juice on me. But my digestive system wasn’t as sluggish as usual and my skin looked a bit brighter too. I felt that if I continued drinking 100mls a day over a period of time then I’d see a bigger difference. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals, so I’d much rather have a slug of aloe juice every morning than a handful of vitamin tablets, especially with the other benefits which aloe gives you in terms of digestion etc.

I’ll be keeping an eye out for their lychee flavour (I’m addicted now). So if you spot any, do let me know!