At a health retreat several years ago, I sipped my first aloe vera drink. It had a mild and unremarkable flavour, but I was struck by its unusual, rubbery texture. I remember thinking at the time, that it was not that different, to the jelly-like squid my husband used to catch on his late night fishing trips.
From that time onwards, I began to hear the terms ‘aloe vera’ and ‘gut health’ used together frequently. I soon learnt that the plant contains unique medicinal properties that are beneficial for wound healing and digestive health. In fact, the late Alexander the Great conquered a small island named Socotra just to secure the aloe vera supply for his army.
After the health retreat, I spent several months sourcing the right type of plant. Yes - I soon found out that Aloes are everywhere - but the medicinal variety Aloe vera barbadensis miller is not so easy to find. A small nursery in Queensland finally returned my calls, and I was sent some ‘pups’ (the aloe vera term for seedlings) so that I could begin to grow my own.
Why Aloe ?
Aloe vera is one of the few plants in nature that contains large amounts of mannose; a vital biological sugar found in glycoproteins and glycolipids that improves cellular function and activity.
Mannose is rare in the modern western diet. Other natural sources in nature include algae, lichen, a few wild varieties of mushrooms and human breast milk (and good luck sourcing that one!)
Aloe at home -
Over the years, I have sampled aloe vera drinks from the shops, but I have never been able to stomach the overwhelming, bitter taste.
Aloe leaves comprise of two parts; the outer leaf with latex yellow sap (from just underneath its skin) and the mucilaginous inner gel (which, from a textural perspective, is not dissimilar to a rubbery freshly-caught squid).
The outer leaf has the bitter, pungent taste. It also contains a key component - aloin, which is a stimulant laxative.
The inner gel has the milder flavour and rubber-like consistency. From a nutritional perspective, it also contains more than 75 potentially active components, including vitamins, minerals, saccharides, amino acids and enzymes which can beneficial for digestive health.
Some companies process aloe vera using the whole leaf, and choose not to separate the two components. This can result in a bitter-tasting juice with some laxative properties.
The drawcard of preparing your own aloe vera at home is that you can separate the outer leaf from the mucilaginous gel-core. You can also avoid the flavourings, preservatives and shelf stabilisers found in many over-the-counter products.
Aloe in the kitchen -
Aloe vera leaves are at their optimum after 2-3 years. That’s not to say that you can’t start harvesting them sooner, but the nutrients will be at their best after this time.
Once the leaves have been harvested (simply twist and pull from the base of the plant) you can then skin them (by removing the outer layer), gently rinse the flesh and preserve it by covering with filtered water in a wide-mouth glass jar. I keep mine in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for longer term use.
Once the aloe vera flesh is preserved in liquid, it can be added to smoothies, drinks, tonics or whatever you like … !
Keep in mind - If you are not able to grow your own plant, try buying the leaves directly from your health food store or aloe vera supplier (they can be sent via post).
Pick-me-up Aloe vera smoothie -
Ingredients:
2 celery stalks with leaves
1 table spoon white chia seeds
2 teaspoons green matcha powder
1 small apple, sliced
1/2 lemon, peeled
3/4 cup aloe vera inner leaf gel + preservation liquid
a few sprigs of fresh mint (optional, but recommended)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients together on high speed, adding additional water as required. Continue until texture is fine.
Pour and drink immediately.
Care to share? Thank you for reading this far! The greatest compliment is a share with a friend!
Kindly, Belle