How to Extract Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe, a member of the lily family that more closely resembles a cactus in appearance and habitat, has been used in natural medicine for thousands of years. Today, we value it chiefly for its "aloe vera," a gel scraped from the inside of its fleshy spiked leaves, that can be used as a salve to relieve burned or irritated skin. There is more to this ancient plant, however, than the mucilaginous gel that is used to soothe skin. Many people maintain that the use of aloe "juice" has digestive benefits, too.

Instructions

1

Grow your plants outside in sandy soil. This "lily of the desert" loves hot weather and doesn't mind dry conditions but cannot tolerate freezing temperatures. Indoor plants do not produce gel of the same potency. Every spring, your plants will produce offsets that can be planted to make new plants. If you separate and start each of these "babies" in its own space or pot each spring, you'll have a steady supply of aloe plants.

2

Choose plants that are two to three years old to use for your aloe vera juice. Mature plants have been producing the enzymes and proteins that make up the interior of the leaves for some time. Also, mature plants can stand to lose some leaves with little damage to the plant. Harvest ten to twelve leaves from the bottoms of mature plants three to four hours after watering. Wash the leaves with warm water or water and vinegar.

3

With a sharp knife, slice the spiny sides off each leaf. Work quickly with the leaves once you've cut them to conserve the liquid that will drain out as you work. Cut or scrape one side of the leaf off and cut the exposed gel into sections and cut away from the remaining leaf surface, being careful not to take any of the lining of the tough green leaf away with the colorless gel. The gel should be tasteless, not bitter.

4

Put your gel in a juicer or a cheesecloth-lined colander in a bowl. Process the gel in the juicer or crush it through the strainer into the bowl to get your ale juice. Add up to a gallon of water or fruit juice to thin for drinking. Refrigerate immediately. Don't make too much at a time--aloe potency fades quickly, so the juice must be consumed within a few days.