Aloe Vera Water (Agua de Savila) Recipe
It is likely you've heard of the benefits of aloe vera, especially if you've ever been recovering from a bad sunburn. Many people don't know that the benefits of aloe vera go far beyond the skin. The plant is high in antioxidants and vitamin C and can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. Its qualities can help relieve constipation and heartburn and, as it’s super-hydrating, it is a great hangover remedy and can often help clear skin of acne. To learn more about the potential health benefits of aloe vera, check out this comprehensive article from Herbalife.
Aloe Vera plants are available and do well growing in most climate zones in the warmer seasons of the year. Making aloe vera water is extremely easy and will nourish you on your health journey. If you're using an aloe plant from your own home, your plant will benefit as well, as harvesting the aloe leaves stimulates new growth and helps the aloe concentrate her energy on her new emerging leaves.
If you aren't able to grow aloe in your home or climate region, you can often find individual leaves for sale in grocery stores or find a friend who has a plant and will share a few leaves with you.
All you need is:
a liter of purified water,
one aloe vera leaf,
lime juice (1/2-1 lime, adjust to taste)
a bit of sugar…or spoonfull(s)
may be replaced with honey, stevia, or your preferred sweetener.
You will also need a blender and a strainer.
If you are harvesting the aloe leaf yourself please keep a few things in mind!
A common rule of thumb in harvesting from plants is to approach the action of taking whatever part of the plant you are harvesting (in this case, the leaf) with a sense of gratitude, asking permission and offering thanks to the plant before and after cutting. If that sounds a little loco to you, I encourage you to just try it and over time see how the well-being of yourself and your plants are affected.
With aloe vera, it is always important to cut from the bottom of the plant, where the oldest leaves are. These are the ones that will be next to die, and harvesting them actually helps the aloe direct and concentrate her energy into her new growth (plants have a lot to teach us about letting go). Cut your leaf as close as you can to the bottom and be sure to cut before the attachment to the rest of the plant so as to not harm the whole Aloe in the harvest of the one leaf.
Check in. Remember you are about to work with something precious and medicinal. Give this process your full attention.
How to harvest the aloe from the leaf:
To begin you will want to take a small knife and cut off both the spiky edges of the leaf.
Once the edges are removed, starting from the bottom of the leaf, cut away a few inches section of the peel.
Once the clear, goopy inside of the aloe leaf is exposed, use a spoon or knife to scoop it out, either whole or in smaller pieces.
This will go into the blender along with the water, sweetener, and squeeze of lime juice.
The trick with Aloe Vera juice is to strain it enough times that the viscous element of the plant is strained out and you are left with a transparent juice of the plant.
I find straining the mixture three times is enough to filter out the sliminess of the leaf pulp and get to the light, smooth refreshing aloe water. If you like to have a trace of the unique texture of the aloe in the final drink, you might prefer to strain the beverage just one or two times.
The exact ratio of water to aloe as well as sugar added will be up to your personal preference, depending on if you prefer a stronger or subtler taste of the aloe and if you'd like it more or less sweet. My perfect ratio is one leaf to one liter of water, with two spoonfuls of sugar. Adding two full aloe leaves will give the drink a stronger flavor, but more than two may result in a drink a bit too bitter to enjoy. Like all jungle recipes, each time you prepare this will become easier and clearer how to make it just the way you like.
However you prepare it, you are sure to be refreshed by this simple recipe full of nutrients, perfect for right after yoga or a sunny day in the garden.
*As some of its healthful qualities that we love are particularly potent, (where aloe vera brings the balance to relieve constipation, excess of aloe vera could result in diarrhea), it is recommended to consume no more than one glass of Aloe Vera water per day and to not consume if pregnant or nursing.
