A Thorough Comparison of Different “Aojiru” Vegetable Drinks, Extolled as Super Healthy Juice!

Hi! I’m a writer for Payke.

In Japan, where many people pay particular attention to their health, one drink that is popular as a health product is “aojiru”.
Aojiru is a beverage that is made by pressing green leafy vegetables, particularly kale.
I tasted several different kinds of aojiru, and will review them in this article!

Isn’t aojiru a bit old-fashioned?

When one thinks of aojiru, though it is good for you, it had a reputation for not tasting very nice (to the extent that it would be used as a forfeit in various games).
However, the aojiru products that can be bought nowadays have become very easy to drink, and even younger people have begun to willingly take it up as just one more healthy habit!

It is known that there are various benefits to drinking aojiru.
It contains many nutrients while being low in calories, so drinking it as a substitute for breakfast makes it ideal if you are dieting!
What’s more, aojiru cleanses the body of toxins, meaning it has a detox effect!
This detox effect is also effective in promoting beautiful skin, and the dietary fiber contained within aojiru also has the merit of keeping your digestive system in order!

Many different varieties now fill store shelves, but what are the inherent characteristics of Japanese aojiru products?
If you are someone who is interested in trying aojiru, but don’t which ones are best, or if you don’t know what aojiru is but would like to find out more, I have rounded up a selection of products that receive a lot of attention and praise, which I will introduce below!

There is a lot of variation in aojiru products!

Product 1: Yuwa Super Gold Aojiru, Made From 100% Young Barley Leaves (25 sachets)

Price: ¥400
Price per cup: ¥16
Available to purchase from: Sun Drug

Nutritional information
Vitamin C: 0.3mg
Vitamin B: 0.04mg
Potassium: 36mg
Dietary fiber: 1.62g

This aojiru doesn’t have the associated “freshly mowed lawn” smell that is often disliked, but the powder didn’t dissolve easily, and I felt the texture was a little powdery. Young barley leaves have a flavor that is similar to matcha green tea, and you can taste it in this product, so I think it would be great for people who like matcha green tea, as it would suit their palate.

Product 2: Orihiro Veitch’s Bamboo Aojiro (14 sachets)

Price: ¥950
Price per cup: ¥67
Available to purchase from: Aeon

Nutritional information
Dietary fiber: 2.14g

Veitch’s bamboo is a species of bamboo grass. The Veitch’s bamboo used in this aojiru grows in the harsh environment of Hokkaido. I felt it was very close to drinking green tea. It was nether too bitter, nor did it have any of the “freshly mowed lawn” smell, so it was very easy to drink! Out of the three products I reviewed, this one contained the most dietary fiber, so this aojiru can be said to be very good for your digestive health.

Product 3: Yamamoto Kanpo Aojiru, Made From 100% Powdered Kale (22 sachets)

Price: ¥908
Price per cup: ¥41
Available to purchase from: Matsumoto Tokiyoshi

Nutritional information
Vitamin C: 2.4mg
Vitamin B: 0.098mg
Potassium: 111mg
Dietary fiber: 1.1g

This has a flavor of green leafy vegetables that causes one to think it is the epitome of aojiru. My feeling when I tasted it was that it was like drinking unsweetened vegetable juice. There may be some people who are not keen on the raw vegetable smell, but this particular aojiru contains no additives, and it has high nutritional value since only kale is used to make it. Yamamoto Kanpo, who sell this product, have been the top-selling manufacturer of aojiru for 8 consecutive years.

For those of you who still don’t think you like aojiru even after reading this:

For this review, I dissolved the three different types of aojiru in water to drink them. However, if you still find it hard to drink, or are concerned about the smell or the taste, I recommend dissolving it in milk. That way, you can enjoy the benefits with ease, as though enjoying a matcha au lait. What’s more, by using milk, you’re able to get some calcium in the process!

What do you think?
So there we have it, did any of the aojiru products that I reviewed seem like they might fit your needs? The key to obtaining the health and beauty benefits of aojiru lies in continuing to drink it. If I think that it’s for my health, I feel I would have the persistence to continue to drink it.

If you purchase some in Japan, I highly recommend drinking aojiru as a morning habit for your health and beauty!