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Harvesting aloe vera


How to Use Aloe Vera Plant: Benefits, Risks, and More

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Aloe vera is a medicinal plant that’s been used to treat various health conditions for thousands of years. It’s usually safe to use also vera directly from the plant or you can buy it in gel form.

Aloe vera creams, gels, and ointments contain the clear gel found in aloe veraleaves. These products can be applied topically to treat various skin conditions. Aloe is sold in capsule or liquid form to take internally to promote health and well-being.

Read on to learn how to use aloe vera and the potential benefits and risks.

It’s relatively simple to harvest an aloe plant for gel and juice. You’ll need a mature plant that’s at least a few years old. This ensures a higher concentration of the active ingredients.

You’ll also want to wait a few weeks before cutting leaves from the same plant. You may want to have a few plants on rotation if you plan to harvest aloe often.

To harvest your aloe plant for gel and juice:

  1. Remove 3-4 leaves at a time, choosing thick leaves from the outer sections of the plant.
  2. Ensure the leaves are healthy and free of any mold or damage.
  3. Cut them close to the stem. Most of the beneficial nutrients are found at the base of the leaves.
  4. Avoid the roots.
  5. Wash and dry the leaves.
  6. Trim the prickly edges with a knife.
  7. Using a knife or your fingers, separate the interior gel from the outside of the leaf. The interior gel is the part of the aloe that you’ll use.
  8. Allow the yellow sap to drain from the leaf. This is the aloe vera latex. If you plan to use the latex, you can catch this in a container. If you’re not planning to use the latex, you can dispose of it.
  9. Cut the aloe gel into slices or cubes.

If you want smooth aloe gel, after separating the aloe from the exterior part of the leaf, you can put the aloe into a blender and then strain the substance to remove the pulp.

How to use fresh aloe gel

You can apply fresh aloe gel directly to your skin or follow a recipe to make a homemade beauty product. It can also be added to food, smoothies, and drinks.

To make aloe juice, use 1 cup of liquid for every 2 tablespoons of aloe gel. Include any other ingredients, like fruit, and use a blender or food processor to mix up your drink.

If you’re planning to consume the fresh slices of aloe gel, it will keep in the refrigerator for a few days, but its best to consume it as quickly as possible. You can always store aloe vera gel in the freezer if you’re not ready to use it right away.

There are plenty of ways you can use aloe vera, both topically and internally.

1. Heals burns

Due to its soothing, moisturizing, and cooling properties, aloe vera is often used to treat burns.

A 2013 study with 50 participants found that people who used aloe vera gel to treat superficial and partial thickness burns showed better results than the group that used a 1 percent silver sulfadiazine cream.

The aloe vera group showed earlier wound healing and pain relief. Plus, aloe vera had the benefit of being inexpensive.

More research is needed, but the available evidence suggests that aloe gel can be beneficial for burn wound healing.

If you have a sunburn or another mild burn, apply aloe vera a few times a day to the area. If you have a severe burn, seek medical help before applying aloe.

2. Improves digestive health

Consuming aloe vera may benefit your digestive tract and help to soothe and cure stomach ailments, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

A 2018 review looked at three studies with 151 people. Results from the studies showed that aloe vera significantly improved symptoms of IBS when compared to a placebo. No adverse effects were reported, though more research is needed using a larger study size.

Additionally, aloe vera may help inhibit the growth of H. pylori bacteria, which is found in your digestive tract and can lead to ulcers.

Keep in mind that this advice is for aloe vera only. Other aloe plants may be poisonous and should not be taken internally.

3. Promotes oral health

Aloe vera toothpaste and mouthwash are natural options for improving oral hygiene and reducing plaque.

Results of a 2017 study found that people who used an aloe vera toothpaste showed significant improvements to their oral health.

The study included 40 adolescents who were divided into two groups. Each group used either an aloe vera toothpaste or a traditional toothpaste containing triclosan twice daily.

After 30 days, the aloe toothpaste was found to be more effective than the triclosan toothpaste in lowering levels of candida, plaque, and gingivitis.

People who used the aloe vera toothpaste showed better overall oral health without experiencing any adverse effects.

4. Clears acne

Using fresh aloe on your face may help clear up acne. You can also purchase aloe products designed for acne, including cleansers, toners, and creams. These may have the extra benefit of containing other effective ingredients, too.

Acne products made with aloe may be less irritating to the skin than traditional acne treatments.

A small 2014 study found that a cream combining conventional acne medication with aloe vera gel was significantly more effective than acne medication alone or a placebo in treating mild to moderate acne.

In this study, improvements were seen in lower levels of inflammation and fewer lesions in the group who used the combination cream over a period of eight weeks.

5. Relieves anal fissures

If you have anal fissures, applying an aloe vera cream to the affected area several times throughout the day may help promote healing.

A 2014 study found that using a cream containing aloe vera juice powder was effective in treating chronic anal fissures. People used the aloe cream three times a day for six weeks.

Improvements were shown in pain, hemorrhaging upon defection, and wound healing. These results were significantly different from those of the control group. While this research is promising, further studies are needed to expand upon this research.

It’s safe for most people to use aloe vera topically for minor skin care concerns. Generally, it’s well tolerated, though skin irritations and allergic reactions are possible. Never use aloe vera or any severe cuts or burns.

Pay attention to how your body reacts to aloe. Notice if you experience any sensitivities or adverse reactions. Don’t use aloe if you’re allergic to garlic, onions, or tulips. Avoid taking aloe vera within two weeks of any scheduled surgery.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and children under the age of 12, should avoid the oral use of aloe vera.

Carefully follow the dosage information when taking aloe vera gel or latex internally. Limit your use to small periods of time. After a few weeks of use, take a break for at least one week. Always buy from a reputable brand to ensure safety and quality.

The laxative effect of aloe vera latex has the potential to cause diarrhea and abdominal cramps. These effects could inhibit the absorption of oral drugs and reduce their effectiveness.

Do not take aloe vera internally if you have the following conditions:

Possible side effects of aloe vera include:

Talk to your doctor before using aloe vera if you are also taking the following medications, because aloe vera may interact with them:

You can find aloe plants at garden centers, floral shops, and even online. They are usually fairly easy to grow provided they have enough sunlight and warmth.

Aloe plants need about six to eight hours of sunlight per day. Younger plants need less direct sunlight than more mature plants. Typically, aloe plants are grown in warmer climates, but they can be grown indoors during colder months.

Water your aloe plant when the soil is dry for about two inches below the surface. You can use your finger to determine how dry the soil is.

Depending on your climate, you may need to water once a week or even less. Always err on the side of less to avoid overwatering, which can cause the tips of the aloe leaves to brown.

Make sure your plant pot has drain holes on the bottom to allow any excess water to run out.

Keep your eye on your plant’s health so you can notice any issues that arise and treat them accordingly.

Aloe vera plants are relatively easy to care for and process, and there are many possible uses for the plant.

Aloe is generally safe for most people, but if you have an underlying health condition or take medicines or use herbs, talk to your doctor before using aloe as it could react with other medications and substances.

Aloe Harvesting - How And When To Harvest An Aloe Vera Plant

Home › Houseplants › Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera

By: Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist

Image by lzf

The health benefits of aloe vera have been known for centuries. As a topical agent, it is effective in treating cuts and burns. As an ingested supplement, the plant has potential digestive benefits. Growing your own aloe plants and harvesting aloe leaves for smoothies and other consumables allows you to get the freshest supply of this amazing succulent. Knowing how to harvest aloe vera will help preserve the health of the plant and allow you to experience the flesh at its peak.

Picking Aloe Vera

Juices and smoothies are all the rage with suggestions of supplements and additives to enhance their healthful properties. Aloe has many healthful benefits, but you should be cautious when ingesting it. Even a small dose can cause diarrhea, nausea, dry mouth, and other complications in sensitive individuals. For stouter people, aloe harvesting can provide a ready source of the nutritious and healthful aloe gel.

It is best to pick aloe from mature plants, preferably those planted in the ground. When the tips of the leaves attain a rosy tinge, the leaf is ripe and ready to harvest. The plant is fairly slow growing, so be cautious when aloe harvesting not to take too many leaves in a condensed period. Additionally, avoid removing the lower smaller leaves and focus on the larger upper foliage.

Choose a thick, smooth, large leaf and use a clean, sharp knife to cut it as close to the trunk as possible. A knife is the best way to harvest the leaves, as hand picking aloe vera may cause tissue damage to the leaf and the plant. Unblemished leaves are the best tasting and contain the most aloe gel.

How to Harvest Aloe Vera

Harvesting aloe leaves extends past the acquisition stage and into the preparation stage. Just getting a healthy leaf will get you nowhere if you don’t know how to prepare it properly. Aloe leaves contain a yellowish sap, called aloin, which can be very bitter and cause stomach upset in some individuals.

After you harvest an aloe vera plant, hold the cut end down so the aloin can run out. This will keep the gel from tasting so bitter. Wash the leaf then lay it flat on the table and cut off the serrated edges. Start on one side and filet off the skin, much like you take the skin off a fish. Continue removing the skin on all sides, including the yellowish layer, until a clear to white, translucent flesh is exposed. This is the good stuff and is ready to use after a quick rinse.

How to Use the Aloe Gel

Aloe in its purest form can be pureed with a fruit smoothie or juiced with other vegetables and fruit. It can also be cut into cubes and preserved by freezing for a month. The jury is still out in the scientific community as to the health benefits, but many users feel the plant is useful as a digestive health supplement. Either way, the live plant juices are a good nutritional supplement just as any leafy green, and the texture adds interest to juices.

In addition to harvesting aloe for its nutritional benefits, you can pick the leaves as needed for the treatment of minor burns or scrapes. Just squeeze the juicy sap onto the affected area for instant relief.

If you are lucky enough to have large specimens, go out and harvest an aloe plant and see for yourself what the fuss is all about.

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"Grandma's" recipes: how to prepare medicines from aloe

When medicines become more expensive, it's worth remembering "grandmother's" recipes.

Recently, in the "Garden and Garden" section, we told you how to grow a home pharmacy on your windowsill (see "RG-Nedelya" N14) - aloe, kalanchoe, golden mustache - powerful natural biostimulants that effectively help with many diseases. Today we will talk about how to prepare medicines from these plants.

1 For colds. Take 300 g of aloe leaves, 3 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of medical alcohol. Pass aloe leaves through a meat grinder, mix the resulting mass thoroughly with honey and alcohol. Take one teaspoon 3 times a day before meals. nine0005

2 For a cold. Dilute fresh aloe juice with boiled water in a ratio of 1:10. Bury drops in each nostril 2-3 times a day until the condition improves.

Rinse the nose with a decoction of the golden whisker, instilling 3-4 times a day with a full pipette.

Dilute Kalanchoe juice 1:2 with boiled water and inhale the solution through the nose. Or drip three to five drops of juice from a fresh Kalanchoe leaf.

3 For sinusitis. Mix in equal parts by volume aloe juice, celandine herb decoction and honey. Bury 3-5 times a day from 5 to 10 drops of the mixture in each nostril. Spit the mixture. nine0005

4 When coughing. Mix half a glass of aloe juice, 3 tablespoons of honey and 50 g of butter (unsalted) butter. Take the mixture in a tablespoon 2 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is at least a week.

5 For sore throat. The juice of the Kalanchoe plant is mixed in half with water and gargled several times a day - and the pain will quickly stop.

6 For inflammation of the ears. Drip 1-2 drops of Kalanchoe juice into the affected ear 3-4 times a day. nine0005

You can moisten a cotton swab with freshly squeezed golden mustache juice and place it in the ear for 20 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times a day for 3-4 days.

7 For barley. Grind one medium leaf of aloe (5 g) and insist in a glass of cold boiled water for 6-8 hours. Strain. Make lotions to barley in front of your eyes.

8 For inflammation of the eyelids. For those who work a lot on the computer, the eyes and eyelids turn red, there is a feeling of irritation, heaviness, and sometimes a foreign body. Kalanchoe juice helps - drip 1-2 drops 3-4 times a day. nine0005

9 For wounds. Cut an aloe leaf and glue the cut side to the wound with a band-aid. After a few hours, the wound will begin to heal. Leaves are changed several times a day.

Apply 2-3 drops of Kalanchoe juice several times a day to the affected parts of the body, the wound heals quickly and disappears. The course of treatment is 5-6 days.

10 For burns. Pour cut aloe leaves with honey, insist in a dark, cool place for 30 days. Then grind the leaves, mix again with honey and strain. Apply in the form of compresses. nine0005

Prepare juice from fresh aloe leaves. To do this, cut off the lower leaves of aloe and squeeze the juice out of them. The juice is impregnated with gauze swabs and applied to the affected areas of the skin.

50 g of Kalanchoe leaves are passed through a meat grinder, the slurry is placed on gauze folded in half and applied to the burnt (frostbite) area of ​​the skin. The bandage is changed every 8-10 hours. Kalanchoe juice is mixed with egg white and smeared on the affected areas.

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Organic Aloe Vera - Direct Importer of AMAZONAS Organic Natural Products

Production Process

Organic Aloe Vera - growing in accordance with our controlled organic plants.

Organic Aloe Vera - Harvesting / Processing

After harvesting, which is done by hand, the aloe leaves are first washed in a water bath. Then, with a special knife, the lower part of the base of the leaf, the extreme tip of the leaf and short, pointed spikes on the edges of the leaf are removed. In the next operation, the top layer of leaves is carefully removed, without damaging the plant containers, from the top and bottom of the leaf and discarded. While many large farms have switched to mechanized methods, this time-consuming filleting process is still done by hand in our facility. This ensures that all leaf components that may contain the bitter substance aloin are indeed completely removed. The inner part of the sheet containing the aloin gel is laid out on the working surface and sorted. Only the best parts make it into the state of the art stainless steel juicing press. nine0005

Organic aloe vera - further processing heat up to 80 °C for a few seconds. Since the juice is very alkaline, and in such an environment microorganisms multiply very quickly, citric acid (less than 1%) is added to stabilize the pH.

Organic Aloe Vera - one of the oldest medicinal plants known

Whole body wellness

Aloe vera, lat. aloe barbadensis Miller, in appearance resembles a cactus, but belongs to the lily family. It is one of the oldest known medicinal plants, native to dry and semi-arid regions of Africa, Central and South America. The gel-like interior of the leaves, which retains water and nutrients during long periods of thirst, was used by advanced cultures thousands of years ago to maintain beauty and well-being.

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