Aloe vera is not only a decorative ornamental plant, but also an ancient medicinal plant. It is still used today for skin care and to treat skin injuries and diseases. Aloe vera gel freezes well.
Aloe vera is easy to freeze
Aloe vera is now grown extensively in monoculture around the world. The plant, to which all kinds of healing powers are ascribed, has played a major role in the manufacture of cosmetics as well as food and dietary supplements for a few decades.
In Germany, the heat-loving aloe vera can only be grown as a houseplant. Indoor aloe vera leaves can be used to obtain gel suitable for external and internal use.
Win aloe vera gel
The leaves of a healthy aloe vera can be harvested regularly without harm to the plant. The large outer leaves are used for this. When harvesting, proceed as follows:
- cut the leaf with a sharp knife as close as possible to the base,
- stand the leaf up vertically and let the yellow, bitter-tasting juice drain completely,
- then cut the leaf into pieces,
- halve individual leaf pieces lengthwise,
- scrape out the gel with a spoon.
Store aloe vera gel
Basically it is recommended - as with fruit and vegetables - to use the dissolved gel of the aloe vera fresh. Nevertheless, the amount obtained from a single leaf is usually too large for immediate consumption, so that the question of how to preserve it is unavoidable.
Conveniently, both the leaves and the gel of the aloe vera can be frozen without any significant loss of the valuable active ingredients. The frozen leaf pieces are removed individually and used immediately or thawed. The frozen gel is pleasantly cooling on the skin, especially when it is sunburned or itchy. The dissolved gel can also be preserved in the form of ice cubes, if necessary with the addition of a few drops of citric acid for better durability.
tips
The fresh or frozen aloe vera gel can be stirred into drinks, yoghurt or smoothies for internal use. 1-3 tablespoons a day are sufficient to have a good effect on digestion, for example.
The garden journal freshness ABC
How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?
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