A friend of mine posted the health benefits of Aloe Vera on Facebook last night. My first thought was how much aloe I have growing outside and how little I use it, even when I have a cut. Actually, the real wound I carry probably scarred me from drinking aloe again after the first time I made an attempt. Six or so years ago I made the horrendous mistake of putting a chunk of it into a smoothie and expected it to taste good. It hurt. It was bitter and awful. I think I even tried taking a second sip because I figured it was supposed to be gnarly. It’s not. Take my word for it. This morning I went outside and cut 2 large chunks off the plant and began dissecting.
This is the only thing that separates disgusting aloe (which is actually toxic and will hurt your stomach) from delicious healthy and detoxifying aloe. Aloe needs to be skinned and filleted. Kinda like a fish but less stinky. Just using a little sharp knife will help to discard the gel from the inside and leave you with the gooey innard that you’ll use to blend with other ingredients (should you choose).
If there’s any yellowish tinge lingering from the plant, just rinse in cold water and it will wash away. This is what I had after my lab work:Lastly, I took the aloe and put in my Vitamix with a few sprigs of mint and about 3 limes squeezed. I added 1 packet of stevia for a bit of sweet and blended on high. Then I added about 3 cups of water and blended again. You can use any citrus or melon, any herb and any sweetener. Aloe doesn’t care how you drink her, she’ll always perform so long as you prepare her properly. Don’t strain – just funnel into your drinking vessel and drink now or chill for later.
