Why one registered dietitian adds fermented aloe vera into her lattes

Almost everyone has slathered some aloe vera gel—which comes from the spiky-looking succulent plant—over a red, painful sunburn to get some relief. And people have been sipping on juice from the succulent’s inner leaf for years, and it’s been touted as a way to do everything from clear up blemishes to fight off inflammation. But aloe also comes in fermented form—and one registered dietitian is touting it as a latte add-on with some impressive digestion benefits.

Lisa Hayim, RD, the blogger behind The Well Necessities, likes to use a powdered version of the plant from New Chapter, which she says keeps her gut health in check because it’s fermented with the same strains of bacteria you’ll see in your favorite probiotics. “Aloe works to gently detox your body and aids in digestion,” she says.

When Hayim is ready to drink up, her latte mix is simple. After heating 2 cups of coconut milk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon fermented aloe powder, and 1 to 2 drops of vanilla extract, she adds the steamy liquid into a blender, which makes it nice and frothy. After pouring it into a mug and sprinkling on some extra cinnamon, let the digestion-bettering magic begin.

This DIY aloe vera mask helps tame inflammation. Or check out the aloe vera tattoo you’ll want to get ASAP.