Updated date:

Feb 14, 2018

How to Use Homegrown Aloe Vera: Gel and Juice

Author:: Justin Choo

I like to share information that makes life more joyful and meaningful. My main interests are health and general wellness in body and mind.

Aloe vera in my garden.
Photo by author Good Guy

What Are the Benefits of Aloe Vera?

I've been trying to resist writing about aloe vera, but it's such an amazing plant that I can't help myself! I enjoy using aloe vera that's cut fresh from my own garden. It's the "mother of all herbal plants" that inspires me to share my personal adventure with it.

Aloe vera does many great things, including the following:

Soothes and heals minor skin problems like cuts, burns, and rashes.
Helps to maintain a healthy digestive system.
Promotes skin repair, treats acne, eczema, and oily skin.
Promotes healthy teeth and gums.
Stabilizes body weight and improves energy levels.
Enhances the immune system.
Maintains healthy skin.
Provides much-needed essential vitamins and minerals.

How to Use Aloe Vera

I have ready stock of fresh aloe vera in my garden. That way, I don't have to pay a lot of money for commercial products and can use the freshest aloe vera you can find! The purest form of aloe vera is the whitish gel found underneath the green skin. This is what you want to use.

How to Use the Gel:

After cutting a stalk from the plant, slice off the green outer skin.
Now you have the thick, slimy, and translucent flesh that is my elixir of life. This is commonly known as aloe vera gel.
Be careful slicing off the skin because there will be a thick, yellowish liquid just between the skin and the gel. This sticky liquid can upset your stomach if consumed. In fact, it is used as a laxative.
Use only the whitish gel. You must also use the gel immediately as it is subject to oxidation, thereby losing much of its nutrients and healing properties.

I use the aloe vera gel in two ways: external application and oral consumption.

Aloe Vera Gel: External Application

Slice off the thorny edges, leaving the green skin intact. This makes it easier to hold onto the stalk.
To apply, hold the stalk firmly and brush the slimy edge onto your arms, legs, face, and whatever parts of the body you choose.
Once you brush it onto your skin, the end will lose its sliminess. When this happens, you need to slice the tip off a bit to make the new cut ooze out the gel.
Aloe vera gel is good for the scalp.
After applying the gel, prepare the remaining gel for oral consumption.

Aloe Vera Juice
"Gelaloevera" by neorpheus is licensed under CC BY SA-3.0

Aloe Vera Gel: Oral Consumption

Aloe vera gel is quite tasteless, so it can be quite palatable as is. If you do this, all you have to do is cut the gel into small pieces and swallow them. If you want to turn it into a juice, just follow these simple steps:

Cut the gel into smaller pieces.
Put them in the blender and add a bit of water.
Blend it together with fruits of your choice.
Add honey for a little sweetness.

If you want aloe vera in your drink but don't want to wash out a blender, just add the chunks to your fruit juice. I always go with this method.

Additional Benefits of Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is perhaps the oldest and most universal herbal plant the world has ever known. This plant spread across cultures and nations. The Chinese call it the "harmonious remedy;" the ancient Egyptians, the "herb of immortality;" and the Russians, the "elixir of youth."

Aloe vera contains the following:

20 minerals (including calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, and selenium)
12 vitamins (including A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, and E)
Niacin
Folic acid
20 amino acids
200+ active components (including enzymes and polysaccharides)

This being said, aloe vera contains ingredients that are both therapeutic and rejuvenating. It can be used to protect your body from ailments and keep it refreshed.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.

Comments

Michael Ward from Texas on March 07, 2018:

Uh be careful ingesting Aloe Vera. It's not just useful medicinally and as a food it's also toxic if you eat too much. The Aloin inside of it can cause severe liver damage.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on August 02, 2017:

Hi Jesse,

Maybe it is of a different variety.

Jesse on August 01, 2017:

I have been using aloe vera for mosquito bites... I was wondering if the color of gel had different healing properties. I bought aloeleaves adult length and they were purple and pink inside.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on July 16, 2017:

Hi Eva, I am not sure whether it will be sticky. You can always try.

Eva on July 16, 2017:

To improve healthy teeth .can you brush your teeth with it also

Tobias on April 07, 2017:

what a useful article. I miss a lot from this miracle plant

Ola Holloman on March 22, 2015:

I didn't know aloe Vera , can grow outside. Mine are inside, winter here will kill them.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on November 28, 2014:

Hi peachpurple,

Now you can make good use of them. Thanks for visiting and comment.

peachy from Home Sweet Home on November 28, 2014:

i have two potted plants of these aloe vera trees but never made good use of them. thanks

Siobhan on July 01, 2014:

Good article, thanks for sharing. That is one of the healthiest aloe vera plant I have ever seen. :)

Felisa Daskeo from Manila, Philippines on March 15, 2014:

Since I discovered aloe vera I began to love it. At first it was only for external use in cuts and burns. It is very effective but a friend told me that she is eating the gel. I tried it and it's good so that is what I do now.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on November 21, 2013:

Good evening Herbal Hills,

Thanks for the compliments.

Herbal Hills on November 21, 2013:

Great Blog!! Aloe Vera is really good for health. Your thought processing is wonderful. The way you tell the thing is awesome.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on November 09, 2013:

Good afternoon Fearkiller93,

I don't think there is any hard rule concerning this. Just use your discretion. If I were to do it, I think 15 minutes should do.

Fearkiller93 on November 09, 2013:

hi ! :) ,... i wanted to know that how long should i wear aloe vera on my face? im confused T___T ,.... lolol xI :)

aarthi on June 21, 2012:

hi..tiz is aarth.i hope that it vl be very useful

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on June 09, 2012:

Hi Val,

"You have to be careful slicing off the skin because there will be a thick yellowish liquid just between the skin and the gel. This sticky liquid can cause stomach upset if consumed. In fact it is used as a laxative. So unless you want this laxative for your bowels, you got to ensure that only the whitish transparent gel is used. You must also use the gel immediately as it is subject to oxidation, thereby losing much of its nutrients and healing properties."

val on June 09, 2012:

I wash it, cut it up with the green part, boil it, put it in a contanter with a top. I put it in the fridge and put it in my coffee maker when I make my coffee in the mornings.

chris on April 14, 2012:

Hi,

I have another way to use Aloe. My grandma in Dominican Rep used it for cough and congestion as a remedy. In a glass bottle she would include aloe, honey,small red salad radishes and scallions(cebollin) using only the white part that looks like and onion. My Aunt use to give me a little like 2 tsp of coffee with aloe,no sugar.

jahangeer on April 09, 2012:

Thank you Very-much i am suffering from hair loss ill use this gel.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on April 05, 2012:

Hi Indi,

Unless you have certain allergies not compatible with aloe vera, drinking the juice daily will certainly help in maintaining good health.

As for me, I always do things in moderation.

indi on April 04, 2012:

hi if i drink alovera daily....it is good for health?

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on November 30, 2011:

Hi Josephine,

So far I've only seen the same type. On the average the matured leaf is about 1 1/2 feet long.

The photo on top right was taken in my garden.

JOSEPHINE on November 30, 2011:

GOOD GUY,

I HAVE SEEN SO MANY TYPES OF ALOE VERA PLANTS. I AM NOW CONFUSED, ARE ALL TYPES OF ALOE VERA PLANTS HAVE MEDICAL

BENEFITS?????

Get Rid Of Headaches Fast on May 03, 2011:

I remember my mother always kept an aloe vera plant in the kitchen in case she ever got burned when cooking. It truly has so many benefits with health issues.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on March 27, 2011:

Hi evilia_lim,

Promoting hair growth is not that easy as you have been led to believe in commercial advertisements. It's like trying to gain back your youth when you are past 60!! This is the reality of life that some things cannot be controlled. It's nature's way and we need to accept this fact.

Be that as it may, of course some have hair problem even at a young age. Then maybe there is a chance of success in the correct treatment that happens to suit them. Different people respond differently although using the same treatment. So there it goes.

Sorry to be long-winded. Got carried way.

Personally, I don't think aloe vera can promote hair growth. If this is possible then many people will be rich by now with aloe vera plants in their garden, including me!!(LOL) Hahaha!!!

Of course, you can always try. No harm trying. If aloe vera is going to be effective, then use fresh aloe vera. No matter how convincing the commercial advertisers portray their aloe vera products, they cannot deny that the best one is fresh from the garden. So use fresh aloe vera and rub the jel on your scalp, as I have described in my article above.

Hope you are successful with it. And please let me know if it works for you.

evilia_lim from Jakarta, Indonesia on March 27, 2011:

Hi good guy :) A very nice hub of yours. I want to ask some questions, how to use aloe vera effectively to promote the hair growth, please? I believe there are many kinds of aloe vera, which one is good for scalp, and how to recognize it. Thank you.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on March 14, 2011:

Hi venuspop,

Thanks for reading and commenting. Hope now you can make use of your aloe vera.

venuspop on March 14, 2011:

Thanks Good Guy. The information was very useful.

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on June 23, 2010:

Dr irum,

Nothing compare with your esteemed profession. I just like to share the things I do, hopefully beneficial till the end.

Thanks for reading.

Dr irum on June 22, 2010:

Awesome and informative hub ,i did enjoyed reading related to this important and useful plant .Thanks

Justin Choo (author) from Malaysia on June 18, 2010: