Sippin’ On Gel and Juice

by Elizabeth on April 6, 2011

(Photo via aloeveravera.info)

Most people have heard about using aloe vera topically in skin creams or to help soothe sunburn…but did you know that aloe is amazing for your insides too?

I first learned about the wonder that is aloe when I was exploring different natural treatments for digestive ailments.  The plant is a natural alkalizer which can provide relief to the many tummy troubles that result from too much acidity in the body. It also has anti-inflammatory properties (which is why it’s great for burns and skin irritation). See here for a more extensive list of benefits.

You can buy aloe vera supplements in gel form, capsule, juice, or freeze dried powders, but I like to keep a plant right in my kitchen. They’re inexpensive and for all you cramped NYC apartment dwellers, they’re resilient (aka tough to kill.)  So no green thumb necessary 🙂

The gel itself is pretty bitter tasting, so you’re most likely not going to want to eat it on it’s own. I find that adding it to a smoothie or a juice works well so you have something sweet to neutralize the bitterness.

See this video for a quick demo on how to extract the good stuff from your aloe plant

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