I am clearly all over the slimy foods this week- not that I am judging them. I like to take things all the way and the okra of yesterday just wasn’t slimy enough and so today I bring you aloe: the queen be of slime.
I have fond (read: not fond at all) childhood memories of my brother and father chasing me with stinky, slimy pulpy aloe leaves. My dad has been an avid user of aloe as he claims it keeps the tan on longer. I claim that aloe smells like arm-pit and I might look prettier with a tan but I smell prettier without aloe all over my me. Needless to say, we all know of aloe as the go-to remedy for sunburns. Did you know, however, that pure, straight from the plant aloe is also an incredible super food with amazing medicinal and healing properties? You couldn’t have! Well… I didn’t.
Like many super foods, aloe runs the list of anti properties- anti viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory. I heart it to bits as this weird gelly-like substance is essentially an energy tonic unto itself- packed to the brim with vitamins A, B12 (holla!), C and E. It’s got a sweet-as-molasses collection of minerals too with sulfur, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and chromium. Vitamin C and E aren’t the only antioxidants, plus throw in the fiber, amino acids (protein), enzymes, sterols, lignins, essential fatty acids and the extra special polysaccharides, and well… Winner!
Another cool tidbit is that the polysaccharides in aloe have a a crush on the joints and you know what happens there- we get a little lubrication. These sugar chains also serve to lube up the brain, nervous system and the skin as well as help our immune system fight back chronic viral, nanobacteria, and fungal infections.
Rumour has it that when you blend aloe up in smoothies you can give a little boost to your lean muscle mass. We want it fresh and we want it whole! Those aloe drinks and other processed aloe foods will simply not do the trick. They have heaps of sugar in them, loads of deodorizers and more often than not, if they don’t contain preservatives they are likely rancid.
The leaves themselves will stay perfectly well at room temperature for a couple weeks. Just cut off what you need as you need it. I slice a bit every morning. I put some into a jug of water and put another chunk into my morning green drink. Check out the video for loads more of the aloe benefits.
Just try it!
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Do you just keep a plant in the house and cut it up as you need it? Does it grow back rapidly?
Ack, I’ve tried countless times to consume aloe, and each one has been worse than the last! As incredible as it’s supposed to be for your health, I think I’ll be sticking with external application…
Meghan, my 9 year old wanted to watch this twice — and he wanted me to tell you, “that is SO cool!” I loved the ending — hilarious!!! My grocery store actuallly has aloe — I’ll check it out next time I’m there. The one time I used aloe in a smoothie, I think I used way too much and it tasted awful. I will give it another try
Your nine year-old and I likely have the same humour when it comes to snot jokes
I use about an inch worth in whole form. The water technique is an easy transitional way to get it in.
That was amazing! Meghan, I have to say, you can get me to try anything, and I’m going to try this one too! Question – what did you put in the smoothie? I couldn’t quite catch the ingredients list you gave, and I watched it a few times! Thanks, as always, you rock!
I used a greens powder (which I will only permit in February/March/April when fresh local greens are unavails), lemon juice, MSM, buffered vitamin C powder, spirulina and the aloe. Not delicious but very effective!
Lol! Aloe…yes! Has been apart of my life since childhood. The women in my family have shared for years the benefits of this amazing plant. Love it!
Aloe is the best, I have a number of plants in my house:)
Mmmm- start chowing down
Thank you! I’ve been trying to figure out how to use my aloe plants forever!
“Rapid evacuations” made me laugh out loud. You’re adorable when you’re trying to nicely talk poop.
We always had aloe plants when I was growing up. My mom used it for burns and cuts. For years on and off she’s recommended aloe juice.
A few years ago I was dating a chef who liked the sugary aloe drink that’s sold in green bottles (it’s basically chewy aloe pulp, water and sugar). He claimed that his cuts from work seemed to heal more quickly when he was consuming more of it. He had me hooked on it for awhile even though it was a bit too sweet for me.
Wowowow! I’m so glad I read this- I have been trying to convince my family and friends that yes, our little aloe plant is edible and has great benefits at that! This is great, and i can’t wait to start drinking mine in water.
It might still be a hard sell to the fam- given the odour. A little essential oil though would kill that.
Aloe smuggling! I love it. Just love that you smuggled aloe in your suitcase. Awesome.
Regarding aloe, does it have to be the large flat leaves with the stickers on the sides? I have a rapidly growing aloe that is the smooth green with white spots type, can that be ingested?
I’m not sure- I would suggest doing more research into that.
[...] don’t call them superfoods for nothing. They really are amazing. The coconuts and the aloe, the goji and the spirulina. Now I’ll be the first to admit that I am not ready to give up my [...]
My aunt has been drinking the pulp of Aloe Vera in her water for years now…
this is where I first heard about it.
She is from Jamaica and this drink is a known beauty secret there to keep your skin young.
I have to admit it is an aquired taste but you get used to it after a while.
The brand Lily of the Desert is an excellent brand to use available at most health food stores.
You want to look on the label for the following: gel (or inner fillet) of the leaf and not aloe vera leaf as this also contians the green part which is bitter.
Incidently, you should have warm water with lemon first thing in the morning to help your liver remove the toxins from your system (which it did while you were sleeping) and Aloe Vera in water at night to help add in the restoration of your cells while you sleep.
good luck ladies…!
Thanks Meghan! Inspiring ingredient. You rock.
Jenn
Just a side note: in David Wolfe’s Superfoods book he says that pregnant women and small children shouldn’t consume aloe because of it’s strong liver-cleansing properties. I’m pregnant and have a huge leaf that I don’t know what to do with now. I suppose I’ll start smearing it all over my ever-expanding belly.
That’s a good use- and great point. Being preggers is no time to cleanse! However, a few slices in water if suffering from a cold or any kind of mucous congestion is definitely safer than any pharma type product to clear it out.
[...] are very rich in fibre, plus they have that boogery mucilage component to them. As with okra and aloe, that slime factor is incredibly nourishing to the cells that line our intestinal tract. They feed [...]
[...] Aloe [...]
[...] us to cope with stress and support the nervous system. I use less fruit, more veggies, add in some fresh aloe, some chaga and usually a bit of MSM for extra liver cleansing. I also tend to use a wheat grass [...]
I just tried some in my green smoothie for the first time this morning. I didn’t notice any difference in the taste, so I’ll be using it every morning from now on. Thanks for yet another healthy food tip. You now have me putting aloe, hemp, chia, ground flax and coconut oil (I use the one that also has some coconut meat in it) into my already healthy kale, almond milk and fruit green smoothies!
Another victory!
[...] easy. Its a huge thick plant with inner gel that you have to extract in order to use it. Check out this post from Making Love in the Kitchen for a video tutorial. I’m a little intimidated to attempt [...]
[...] easy. Its a huge thick plant with inner gel that you have to extract in order to use it. Check out this post from Making Love in the Kitchen for a video tutorial. I’m a little intimidated to attempt [...]
[...] favourite snotty food? An awful question to be sure but you know I go crazy for Okra and a chunk of aloe in my morning smoothie makes everything run, well, smoothly. It’s the slime factor. Ever blend up chia seeds? How about [...]
[...] favourite slimy food? An awful question to be sure but you know I go crazy for Okra and a chunk of aloe in my morning smoothie makes everything run, well, smoothly. It’s the slime factor. Ever blend up chia seeds? How about [...]
You’re first on the following search. Thought you’d like to know
google.com/#q=my+armpits+smell+like+aloe+vera
Wow, I just discovered you blog a few days ago via this Aloe article! What a great blog you’ve got!
I’ve always wanted to try aloe, and have had it recommended to me on several occasions. I was so inspired by your post, my husband and I bought a leaf this morning and tried it in water with some lime. Definitely going to have to add this into our daily routine!
[...] Continue Reading… [...]
Hi! I have an aloe plant which has been in my house for years.
My concern is if plants clear toxins from the air, do you think it woul be a bad idea to consume aloe that is your house plant?
Thanks,
~Tina
I don’t. Plans clear stuff from the outside air too… we eat those.
[...] Or read more here. [...]
[...] Or read more here. [...]