Courtesy of tjmwatson on flickr
Aloe Vera juice is used by many to help the internal functioning of the body. It can be harmful if not taken correctly, but many enjoy drinking Aloe Vera juice. With a little knowledge, you can make your own at home.
Your Own Plants
Start off with your own plants. If you don’t have any, find someone who is willing to part with a few mature leaves. You don’t want to use leaves from plants that less 4 years old. Aloe-vera.org recommends that you use the Aloe Barbadensis Miller plant.
The key is to have healthy mature plants that are ready to use. Once you have those, you need to understand the anatomy of the Aloe Vera plant.
The Anatomy
The Aloe Vera plant grows from the inside out. This means that the leaves develop from the center of the plant with the more mature leaves on the outside. It is these leaves that you want as they are more developed and possess more of the nutritional and healing properties.
It is also, not the whole leave that you want. Parts of the plant can be harmful if ingested. What you want from the plant is the gel and only the gel. The yellow section between the rind and the gel should be avoided completely as well as the rind.
Also, note that the gel in the leaves reacts quickly when exposed to the air. Oxidation occurs rapidly so the gel needs to be used immediately. If you aren’t ready to use it, leave the leaves on the plant until you are.
The Process
Remove an outer leave from the plant. Slice it open. Remove the gel. Do not remove the yellow substance between the gel and the rind.
At this point, you put the gel inside a blender or food processor. Pure Aloe Vera juice is processed gel. Because of the oxidation process, it is usually processed with a few cups of juice or milk and then ingested. Pure Aloe Vera juice is not generally stored as it needs preservatives to slow down or prevent oxidation. This is very hard to do, and few have been successful.
Caution
You need to be aware of the dangers Aloe Vera juice can have. If it is not done right, it can cause severe gastrointestinal discomfort that could lead to a stay in the hospital. This is not something to mess around with if you are not sure what you are doing. Talk to a gardener or herbalist who is familiar with handling Aloe Vera plants. You want to make the most of your herbs in a healthy and safe manner.
Note: Never begin taking herbs internally without consulting a professional. Many herbs can be deadly. Treat your herbs with the respect due to them and you will enjoy a life with herbs.
