1. What is Aloe Vera?
Aloe vera is a type of cactus-like plant called a succulent, from the Liliaceae family. Originally from Africa, aloe plants generally thrive in poor soil and are drought tolerant because they can store water in their leaves. While there are at least 420 species of aloe vera, the species most commonly used for consumption is called Aloe barbadensis Miller.
Aloe Vera leaves have a long history of use in alternative medicine like Ayurveda & Homeopathy.
2. Benefits of Aloe Vera
In Ayurveda, it is used to manage arthritis, joint pains, stomach ulcers & to regulate menstruation.
The most commonly known benefit of make aloe vera juice is its use in treating skin maladies. When used as a complement to other medical methods, aloe vera helps maintain skin moisture and integrity. Studies have shown it can be used to help treat burn, chronic, and postoperative wounds, psoriasis, herpes, and cracked nipples, as well as prevent skin ulcers.
Aloe vera is also rich in antioxidants and possess many healthful plant compounds including vitamins, minerals, amino acids & bioactive substances. It is also used to treat digestive troubles like heart burn and GERD.
Aloe latex contains a compound called aloin or barbaloin, which has laxative properties. While it has been used to treat constipation in the past, the safety of its frequent use has been called into question.
3. About Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera juice is simply aloe gel blended with some liquid like water or juice, to make it more palatable. You can make your own aloe vera juice at home in many flavors. Simply choose your favorite fruit juice like Watermelon Juice, Mango Juice, Orange Juice or a lemonade & blend your homemade aloe gel with it.
You will be surprised at how delicious it tastes. No slime! No bitter taste! Other liquids like coconut water or plain water also works well.
4. Choosing an Aloe Leaf
To prepare Make Aloe Vera Juice or juice, you’ll first need to find an aloe vera leaf. Many supermarkets and health food stores now sell whole aloe vera leaves. Look for an organic leaf.
If you are growing your own, make sure to use a mature plant and pull out your aloe vera leaf, close to the trunk with a sharp knife. Choose aloe vera leaf that is large, smooth, thick, and have a rosy tinge at the tip. Don’t harvest too many at a time, or you may kill the plant!
Alternately if you want to use aloe vera from the live plant every time, you may cut out 2 inch portion of a leaf from the live plant and discard it. Then cut down another 2 inch portion for use. This is how I have seen my mom use it always. For your next use, you can cut out another 3 inch piece from the same leaf. For the subsequent times you have to discard about half inch piece.
5. How to Prepare Aloe Vera Leaf
Spray some vinegar and scrub the leaf well with a brush. Rinse this very well under running water & pat dry. Be sure to wash your hands to make sure you don’t contaminate it. Some people are sensitive to aloe latex. It can irritate the skin and cause rashes & itch. So please wear gloves.
Lay the leaf flat on a cutting board and trim off the bottom thick white part as shown in the picture below.
Either hold the cut side down over a bowl or place the cut side down in a tall container, so the aloe leaf is in an upright position. This allows the aloin, which appears as a yellowish sap, to drain. Removing the aloin gets rid of possible bitter flavors and prevents stomach upset.
Leave it for 10 mins in the upright position. Later wipe off with a clean kitchen tissue.
6. How to Make Aloe Vera Juice
I prefer to juice fresh every time to minimize oxidization & it only takes 5 mins. So I add 2 inches portion of aloe gel along with ¼ cup chilled water or juice to a blender to Make Aloe Vera Juice with servings. If you prefer to make the gel at one time and store it, you may blend all of the gel at one time and store it. More in the Pro tips section below.
Blend only for a 30 to 60 seconds until the aloe vera gel is fully crushed. Do not over do as we don’t want to rise the temperature of the gel.
Strain this and run a spoon all around to let much of the gel pass through the strainer. You will need some more water or juice at this stage so most of the gel passes through. Sometimes you may see some very thin green particles in the strainer simply discard it.
Divide the aloe vera juice to 2 serving cups and top with more juice or with water. If you use water, add some lemon juice. To sweeten it add some honey or any other sweetener.
You can make this aloe vera juice in many flavors. I poured some aloe gel to serving cups. Then poured orange juice to one serving and added some frozen mango puree cubes to another and topped with some cold water. Add what you like to make it delicious.
7. Pro Tips
Identify aloe vera juice: There are many varieties of aloe vera and it is very important to identify the correct one for consumption. Choosing the wrong kind can be extremely toxic to the body. If you do not know how to choose the leaf yourself then please buy the leaf from a trusted source.
Test first : Many people may be allergic to aloe vera. A lot of times we don’t know what we are allergic to. So it is very important to consult your physician or Ayurvedic expert before you consume it. Then do a test by consuming only half a teaspoon of the extracted gel. Repeat this for 2 to 3 days. You shouldn’t be having any symptoms in the next few days.
8. Side Effects of Aloe Vera
Make Aloe Vera Juice is generally considered safe, especially for topical use–though there have been occasional reports of issues like eczema, burning, and itching. There are a few exceptions for oral use. Some reports state that long-term oral aloe vera use can cause liver damage, while the latex can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and cramps due to laxative effects.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in the United States has also mentioned a correlation between oral consumption of aloe vera leaf extract and gastrointestinal cancer in mice and rats.
Though these side effects are for the commercial extracts and supplements, care should be taken not to include aloe latex in your juice.
Always talk to your doctor before adding new supplements or complementary care to your health routine.
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