How to make your own aloe vera gel at home
Here is how you can remove the poison from aloe vera and reap the many health benefits of the plant.
You might have seen aloe vera feature as an ingredient in many beauty products, health drinks, and as a treatment for various health conditions.
Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties and is packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants.
According to Medical News Today, aloe vera has an estimated annual market value of $13-billion globally.
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Some of the benefits include:
- Aloe vera has been used to help accelerate wound healing and to treat sores, burns, and sunburn.
- The gel is effective in reducing dental plaque and healing mouth ulcers. It is reportedly effective in killing the plaque-producing bacterium Streptococcus mutans in the mouth, as well as the yeast Candida albicans.
- People who suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes use aloe vera as complementary therapy apart from taking medication and living a healthy lifestyle.
- Aloe vera does wonders for the skin, from helping to treat acne to giving the skin moisture and fight skin ageing.
- Drinking aloe vera may boost metabolism which in turn enables the body to burn fat. This will help you lose weight.
With all these benefits, let's look at how to prepare this incredible plant for consumption:
The aloe vera plant has three layers; the inner gel, the middle layer made up of latex, and the fibrous green outer part of the leaf.
The yellow liquid from aloe vera is poisonous, so you have to be careful not to consume it.
Let's look at how to prepare the plant to extract the gel.
- Cut the aloe vera leaf in half.
- Use a knife to remove all the skin. Leaving only the aloe gel centre.
- Place the aloe gel in a bowl and pour water over it.
- Rinse the aloe gel to remove some of the bitterness. You can leave the aloe gel in water for at least 15 minutes to remove all the yellow latex.
Your aloe gel will be ready to use.
Remember, aloe vera has a very bitter, acrid sort of taste, and many people prefer to mix it with water. 20ml should be mixed with a glass of water.
For the skin, apply aloe vera generously to your face in place of a cleanser, leave overnight and wash it off in the morning.
For the hair, rub the gel directly into the scalp and let it sit for an hour, then wash off using a mild shampoo.
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Disclaimer: Health-related information provided in this article is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems. It is always advisable to consult with your doctor on any health-related issues.
Image courtesy of iStock/ @mescioglu