Aloja
A homemade fruit or herb cooler sweetened with cane syrup: a summer tonic.
What it is
In Paraguay, aloja is not the fermented carob drink of other regions but a non-alcoholic cooler: juice of apepu (bitter orange), orange, lemon, grapefruit or mandarin, or crushed parsley with lemon, diluted in water, sweetened with cane syrup and served over plenty of ice. There are versions with pakuri, menta'i and agrial. It is refreshing and said to aid digestion. It is rarely sold in the city: it’s something made at home.
Ingredients
History
It dates from a time when cane syrup was the sweetener everyone could afford. Elsewhere in South America, “aloja” refers to fermented drinks, such as the carob aloja of the Gran Chaco, whose unfermented version is called añapa.
Did you know…?
Alojas were once also made from agrial and ka'apiky, now all but forgotten.
When
Summer and year-end holidays.
Where
Family homes; some fairs and traditional restaurants (ask).
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 3 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.