8 Aloe Recipes to Try This Summer
Updated: Jun 21, 2022
Aloe Vera is a popular houseplant that has been used for thousands of years for its health benefits and healing properties. It was referred to as the "elixir of youth" in ancient Chinese cultures and the "plant of immortality" during biblical times. Hindus believed Aloe came from the Garden of Eden, while the Ancient Egyptians believed it to be a sacred plant that could protect you from evil.
Benefits of Aloe Vera
This succulent is known for its pointy green leaves. Inside each leaf holds a slippery gel-like substance that contains water, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants. This healing sap also has antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic properties.
As you can see, Aloe Vera is more than a pretty houseplant. In fact, it's one of nature's simplest first aid kits. Aloe can help to:
Relieve minor burns, including sunburn
Heal wounds and skin injuries
Soothe heartburn and aid in digestion
Keep fruits and veggies fresh
Reduce dental plaque
Heal mouth ulcers and canker sores
Lower blood sugar
Soothe pain and inflammation
Hydrate and moisturize the skin and hair
Act as a natural laxative and ease constipation
Increase collagen and skin elasticity (anti-aging)
Of course, this sacred plant has energetic properties as well. For example, it can help with sacred protection by protecting and cleansing your home from evil Spirits and entities. Aloe can help to absorb and transform negative or dense energies. It also helps to invite a strong sense of calm and equilibrium into your environment.
The word "Aloe" in Sanskrit means "Goddess." It is considered a plant that holds the frequency of Divine feminine energies: beauty, grace, patience, compassion, love. And, because it has such deep and powerful roots, it's often used to assist in healing the Root Chakra. Keeping an Aloe plant next to you can help to realign your chakras and calm your mood.
Harvesting Aloe Gel
Aloe Vera is an easy-to-grow, no-fuss plant to keep around the house. All it needs is bright, indirect sunlight and water about every 2-3 weeks. Aloe plants are easy to find at your local greenery, but you can also order them online.
To harvest Aloe gel, simply remove a mature, thick leaf from the plant and cut it open lengthwise. You can squeeze the gel out with your fingers, or gently scrape it with a spoon or small paring knife.
You can collect your Aloe Vera gel in a jar or glass. Use it immediately after collecting or store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. Fresh Aloe gel, without preservatives, is only good in the fridge for about a week. So, it's best to harvest it in small batches and only use what you need. However, if you plan on keeping it longer, I recommend adding powdered Vitamin C or E to it, as these ingredients will naturally preserve your gel.
If you do happen to collect too much Aloe gel, you can freeze it for later. The best way that I've found to do this is to pour it into ice cube trays. Once it's frozen you can pop the Aloe cubes out and store them in freezer bags.
Aloe Gel versus Aloe Juice
Aloe Vera juice and gel are both made up of the same, oozy ingredient found in the leaves. The only difference is that Aloe juice has been crushed and pressed to form a liquid, juicy substance. Sometimes, distilled water is added to make an even thinner consistency. You can, of course, make your own Aloe juice by simply putting it in a blender and adding water to thin it out.
Store bought Aloe gels usually have thickening agents and preservatives added to them. When shopping for either of these ingredients, be sure that they contain 90% or more of Aloe as the main ingredient. Also, be careful, as most store-bought Aloes contain toxic additives such as dyes or fragrances.
For small recipes, I simply use the Aloe from my own houseplants. But, for bigger needs, my favorite Aloe Vera Gel to purchase is from Mountain Rose Herbs.
A good rule of thumb is that Aloe Vera Gel is usually designed for topical application on the skin, while Aloe juice is better for oral consumption. The juice can be ingested in very small doses. But do be careful, as too much could cause nausea or diarrhea. For this reason, you also want to keep the plant out of reach from your pets and small children.
