Harvest your own aloe vera plants to make a healthy and healing juice.
The health benefits of aloe vera go far beyond soothing a sunburned back. The earliest mention of aloe vera being used for medicinal purposes dates back to the 16th century B.C.E. in ancient Egypt. The plant, which contains over 20 beneficial amino acids, is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. Aloe vera juice, which is made from the gel inside the leaves of a mature plant, is used primarily to treat a host of intestinal and digestion problems such as heartburn, colitis, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome.
Instructions
1. Harvest a leaf from the outer edges of your aloe plant. These are the most mature leaves and contain the most antioxidants. Cut the leaf off on a diagonal.
2. Set the leaves in a bowl with the tips facing upward and the cut edges facing downward. Let the brown juices drip out of the plant for 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the brown juices.
3. Cut off the spiky edges of the leaf by scraping the sides with a paring knife.
4. Fillet the leaf, cutting it in half so that you can see the insides.
5. Scrape out the clear aloe gel from inside the leaf using a small teaspoon or butter knife. Be careful not to take out the yellow part of the leaf, which is found just under the green rind. This yellow membrane is called the latex and can cause severe cramping and diarrhea.
6. Mix together 2 tbsp. vinegar with 1 cup water.
7. Place the pieces of aloe vera gel at the bottom of a strainer. Rinse the aloe vera with the vinegar solution gently, turning over the pieces of gel to ensure that all sides have been rinsed. Doing so will wash away any extra latex that may be sticking to the gel.
8. Add 2 tbsp. aloe vera gel and 6 oz. of citrus juice (such as grapefruit, lemon, orange or pineapple) to a blender. Blend until the aloe vera and juice are fully incorporated.
9. Store your aloe vera juice in an airtight food storage container in your refrigerator. The juice should be consumed within two to three days.
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