The Secret of Aojiru: Japan’s Nutrient-Packed Super Drink

When it comes to health beverages, Japan is king! From green tea to fruit juices, the country is known for dishing out tasty and nutritious food of all kinds. One of the best of these Japanese beverages is aojiru, a vegetable-based drink that may have been around for centuries. Surprisingly, it’s only now gaining fame in Western countries.

Read our ultimate Aojiru guide to learn how the drink is made, its origins, health benefits, modern adaptations, and cultural significance. Let’s get started!

What is Aojiru? The Origins of Japan’s Green Juice

Aojiru is a traditional Japanese health drink made by extracting juices from certain green or yellow vegetables. The most common plants for making aojiru are kale, young barley grass, ashitaba leaves, and komatsuna leaves, each one producing juice with a unique taste and nutritional value.

The term “aojiru” directly translates to “green juice” or “green drink” in English. Filled with nutrients, it’s a staple food supplement and health drink in Japan. As you may have guessed, aojiru is not the sweetest drink around. Some might describe it as an acquired taste.

The extract from the plant leaves can be dried and stored in powdered form. To enjoy aojiru, people simply rehydrate this powder in a liquid. Japan is home to dozens of aojiru manufacturers who sell it as a supplement in powder, tablet, frozen, or freeze-dried form.

There is a running theory that claims that aojiru originated in Japan during the Heian Period (794–1185). This theory sprung from old Japanese medical documents that mention the method of drinking juices made from plants.

Officially, aojiru was created in 1943, during World War II, by an army doctor named Dr. Niro Endo. He wanted to supplement his family’s poor diet, so he experimented with juice extracts from different vegetables, eventually settling on kale as the ultimate plant for making the beverage.

The Nutritional Powerhouse of Aojiru

The nutrient profile of a glass of aojiru varies with the type of ingredient used. However, certain vitamins and minerals are common across the various versions of the drink. Aojiru is rich in vitamins A, C, and K. It’s also a rich source of phosphorus and potassium. The beverage is high in antioxidants and fiber but low in calories and cholesterol.

Health Benefits of Aojiru: Why It’s Called the “Green Elixir”

Next, we’ll explore the various health benefits of aojiru and how this useful supplement can help you live longer and happier. Please note that despite Dr. Niro Endo’s claims that his invention helped cure his son of pneumonia and his wife of nephritis, aojiru is better used as a nutritional supplement than a medical remedy. Do so, and you may get the following amazing health benefits:

• Blood pressure regulation: Aojiru can help to prevent diseases that affect the cardiovascular system by lowering blood pressure. It’s a useful supplement to take if you suffer from hypertension.

• Stronger immune system: The vegetable juice boosts NK (natural killer cell) activity in the body, thereby improving resistance to certain illnesses, such as the common cold.

• Anti-aging benefits: The drinks support smooth, radiant, and clear skin, thereby slowing down the aging process. Hence, it plays a crucial role in the cosmetic industry.

• Prevention of constipation: The fiber-rich nature of the beverage offers improved metabolism, which helps to promote healthy digestion. This will help to prevent health issues related to constipation.

Traditional vs. Modern Aojiru: What’s Inside the Glass?

Traditional recipes of aojiru are different from modern versions due to their composition. Traditionally, aojiru is made almost entirely of leafy vegetables, which are derived from kale, barley grass, or other plants. It rarely includes fruits or other ingredients. Modern versions tend to contain additional ingredients. They are often infused with fruits such as apples, citrus, and grapes. These fruits add extra flavor, richness, and nutrients to the resulting aojiru beverage. Some modern variants are mixed with probiotics, like Bifidobacterium, which help to improve their health benefits.

No matter the overall composition, authentic aojiru’s flavor and nutrition are heavily impacted by their base ingredients.

Different Types of Base Ingredients in Aojiru

There are dozens of potential ingredients that can be used to make aojiru. Let’s take a look at the main ones:

• Kale: This is arguably the best leafy vegetable for making aojiru. It has high nutrient density and is packed with vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. Kale also offers melatonin, a hormone that facilitates sleep. It gives most aojiru drinks their deep green color and bitter taste.

• Barley: Young, tender leaves can be harvested from the barley plant before it grows its berries and used to make green juice. Like kale, young barley leaves are also rich in vitamins, minerals, and other essential ingredients. They are harvested early to ensure high nutrient content. The leaves also enrich aojiru with helpful enzymes and fiber.

• Ashitaba: This celery plant is native to Japan and can often be found in medical supplements. The ashitaba leaves used in aojiru serve as a healthy source of antioxidants as well as flavonoids like chalcone and coumarin. These properties help to reduce inflammation and slow aging in humans.

• Euglena: This is an algae found in water bodies. It’s known globally as a superfood, but the highest-quality version can be found on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa. It gives green juice an infusion of about 60 different essential nutrients.

• Komatsuna: Also known as Japanese mustard spinach, this plant is a low-calorie and low-fat addition to aojiru. Hence, it makes the perfect beverage for people looking to manage their weight.

• Moroheiya: This is a popular leafy vegetable used to make green juice. It’s rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and essential minerals. It also offers a bunch of health benefits, including lower blood pressure, better circulation, and improved overall well-being.

The Taste of Aojiru: Acquired or Appreciated?

There’s no mild way to put it. Aojiru has a notoriously bitter flavor. Its taste is so unpleasant that manufacturing companies have been known to mention it in their commercials. There are several Japanese TV shows in which participants are made to drink a glass of bitter aojiru as punishment. This penalty (batsu) angle is a common theme in Japanese owarai (TV comedy) shows and real-life pranks among friends. Aojiru’s bitter taste is a result of its composition, which is essentially leafy green vegetables.

Despite aojiru’s bitterness, Japanese people have developed a taste for it. While some don’t mind drinking 100% vegetable-based green juice, others have found ways to sweeten the drink without ruining its nutritional value.

Some mix in fruits in their store-bought aojiru or add the fruits to their homemade recipes. Those steps help to balance the taste of the beverage and make it more appealing to a wider range of consumers.

Creative Ways to Enjoy Aojiru Beyond the Traditional Drink

Who says the green elixir can’t be something much more? Let’s reveal tips on incorporating aojiru into other foods.

• Green smoothie: Mix fruits like apple, banana, kiwi fruits, pineapples, and oranges with an equal portion of aojiru to make a green juice similar to a smoothie.

• Mixed juice: Simply add powdered aojiru to a jug of blended juice of any kind. It allows you to easily mask the bitterness of the green drink.

• Dessert: You can top yogurt, honey, and oatmeal with a sprinkle of aojiru.

• Salads: Add some green juice to your salad dressing to make your meals more nutritious.

Aojiru in Japanese Daily Life: A Wellness Ritual

Aojiru represents healthy food practices, which are an integral part of Japanese culture. People of different age groups enjoy it as a dietary supplement by drinking it on its own or alongside water or milk. The health benefits associated with aojiru make it even more appealing to people in such a health-conscious country. Top aojiru products in Japan include Green Green, Routine Aojiru, and Kin no Aojiru.

Making Aojiru at Home: A Guide to Crafting Your Own Green Juice

Here’s how to create homemade aojiru from scratch:

• Gather base ingredients like kale and barley grass and additional ingredients such as matcha and fruits.

• Cut all of the ingredients into small pieces.

• Place them all in a blender and process until you get a smooth liquid.

• Pour the blended liquid into a glass and enjoy.

Aojiru: The Future of Japan’s Green Health Drink

Aojiru is already super popular in Japan but hasn’t yet reached the same levels of fame in the United States and Europe. However, as it continues to evolve as a super drink, more foreigners are becoming aware of this fantastic beverage. Tell someone you love about aojiru today.

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