- Healthy, Mature Aloe Leaves - Dora Pete
For thousands of years, there is documented proof that aloe plants, particularly the leaves of the aloe vera plant, have been used for soothing burns, minor skin abrasions and bug stings or bites. Recently, continuing medical research from the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, now shows there might be other uses for the aloe plant as well. Some of these uses include homeopathic and over-the-counter treatment for constipation (aloe latex), digestive issues, skin rashes from herpes or other infections, cold sores, and even for skin dryness. Some research shows a moderate link to aloe helping prevent certain types of lung cancer.
The healing properties of aloe are not fully known, and the efficacy and absorption rates of the products on the market, as well as the way aloe is manufactured, can all change the results received by consuming or using aloe topically. However, if someone is interested in trying aloe as a dietary aid, some commonly believed uses for aloe nutritional supplementation include: digestion ease, treating constipation, help with arthritis inflammation and pain, and also boosting nutrition and phyto-nutrients from plants in the diet, without having to increase calories or bulk.
Picking an Aloe Plant
Making aloe is slightly more difficult than buying it from a retailer, but it's easier to control the amount of aloe in the parts consumed. Aloe plants used to milk or remove the gel and juice from should be mature plants with full, thick leaves. The leaves need not be long for a plant to be mature, but they should have some thicker leaves toward the bottom of the plant, and the base of the outside leaves should be at least about an inch or more in width.
When buying an aloe plant, less mature plants can be purchased, but the leaves should be not used for therapeutic use until they are fully matured.
Cultivating an Aloe Leaf
When choosing which aloe leaf to cut for making aloe gel or liquid, it's best to find a leaf that is nearest the bottom of the plant, with a wide base of at least one inch or wider. Cut at a diagonal to the leaf to remove it. It's important not to pull the leaf off the plant, as this can shock or damage the other leaves around the one being cultivated.
Prepare to Fillet an Aloe Leaf
The best way to milk the insides of an aloe leaf is not, as one might think, to squeeze the juice out of it. While using the aloe plant leaf directly on a burn, it will work to cut the leaf and then rub the wet, juicy end on a burn, but this isn't the best part of the aloe plant or leaf.
Place the cut leaf into a tall bowl, with the cut and wet end inside the bowl. Tilt the leaf against the side of the bowl and let the aloe leaf sit for about 15 minutes. The sap from the layer between the gel and the skin of the leaf will drain. Dispose of this sap, as it has no known health benefits and if taken internally, can cause stomach upset and other health problems.
Fillet the Aloe Leaf
The best way to get to the good stuff of an aloe plant leaf is to fillet the leaf. Simply cut the pointed end off, then slice with a sharp knife to remove the pointed sides. Once the edges are removed, then hold the leaf flat on a cutting board, and slice in half from the tip to the bottom. Using a small spoon, gently scoop the interior of the plant out and set in a bowl.
Be sure not to scrape too much along the skin of the leaf, as doing so could cause the sap left in the skin to get into the gel, and this is not desirable. The part of the aloe plant that is therapeutic and desirable is the clear gel insides of the plant. These insides will liquefy some as well, especially after sitting out for long.
Using a light water and vinegar wash, rinse the gel to remove any sap or sap residue from the gel. Drain the water and vinegar from the gel.
Storing Aloe Gel
Aloe gel will not smell good. Many who have cultivated it themselves are surprised, since manufactured aloe gel is often odorless. Don't worry if the gel smells a bit earthy, as this is normal. Aloe gel also has a slightly bitter and unpleasant taste when not commercially manufactured, so adding something to it, like juice or a sweetener can make it more palatable.
Because oxygen can degrade whole natural aloe gel, it's important to store it in food-safe containers, particularly the amber or cobalt blue containers that help block sunlight, and secure the lids tightly. Do not store aloe in a refrigerator. Unused gel can be stored in the freezer.
However, if at all possible, try to take aloe internally only when it's freshest, as this will provide the absolute best nutritional supplementation. It's better to make small batches of gel daily or every few days than to freeze and save larger batches.
Nutritional Supplementation
It's important to note that aloe vera is a plant, and the gel and juices cultivated from it are nutritional supplementation and not medication. However, like some foods and vitamin supplements, aloe vera might have some homeopathic therapeutic benefits for some people when used with a well-balanced diet and under a health care professional's guidance. Be sure to tell your doctor or health provider all foods, supplements and nutritional support items you consume or use topically, to ensure there are no interactions with health conditions or other medication.
Michelle L Devon - Michelle L. Devon (Michy) is an author, novelist, writer, poet... she's also a professional dreamer. With four published books and two ...
