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Aloe vera gel is a natural substance used around the world for a variety of applications including treating sunburn, creating facial masks, and as a dietary supplement. These benefits come most plentifully when the gel is harvested directly from the plant. However, storage after harvesting can be a little bit tricky. There are three main methods used to increase the shelf life of your freshly harvested gel: freezing the gel, mixing the gel with honey, and mixing the gel with vitamin C.
Things You Should Know
- Pure aloe vera gel can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To prolong the shelf life of your aloe vera gel to 1 month in the fridge, blend it with a vitamin C tablet.
- You can also freeze aloe vera gel for up to 1 year.
Steps
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Get an ice cube tray to store your aloe vera gel in. Freezing the gel in an ice cube tray rather than one large block means that you can just take out individual pieces whenever you need them. [1] X Research source
- Using a silicone tray works best as you can turn the tray inside out.
- Small plastic containers also work fine if you do not have an ice cube tray.
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Fill the tray with the aloe vera gel and place it in the freezer. Once your tray is filled, the gel is ready to be frozen. Make sure the tray is flat in the freezer to avoid any of the gel seeping out. [2] X Research sourceAdvertisement -
Freeze the aloe cubes overnight. Leaving the cubes overnight will give them plenty of time to freeze. The cubes need to be totally frozen to be preserved so make sure you give them enough time in the freezer before removing. [3] X Research source
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Transfer the cubes into a sealable plastic bag that's labeled with the date. Store the cubes of aloe vera gel in your freezer for up to a year. [4] X Research source Keeping them in a bag will enable you to have easy access when you decide to use them. You can use your aloe cubes for things like:
- Treating sunburn
- Making homemade soap
- Making smoothies
- Making a refreshing hair gel [5] X Research source
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Pour your aloe vera gel into an airtight plastic container. This container needs to be large enough that you can mix the honey in. [6] X Research source
- Feel free to use smaller containers if it is more convenient for your storage set up.
- The container should also have a lid to keep contaminants out.
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Mix honey in with the gel at a 1:1 ratio. Honey has such a low water content versus a high natural sugar content that it helps preserve the gel for a much longer time than the gel would have naturally.
- This process is similar to the way fruit is often stored in syrup or as a preserve. [7] X Research source
- Using a high-quality honey that is free from preservatives will ensure that the gel lasts as long as possible.
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Store the gel in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 8 months. Be sure to keep the gel away from direct sunlight. Because the aloe vera is now in a gel solution with the honey, it mixes really well into other products. [8] X Research source These options might include:
- Facial scrubs
- Body wash
- Hair products
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Put your aloe vera gel into a blender but don’t blend yet. The gel has a very gelatinous texture in its raw state and this can make it difficult to work with when using the gel for some purposes. [9] X Research source
- Putting the gel through the blender allows it to become separated and liquified. This makes it much easier to work with.
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Add your crushed vitamin C tablet. For every ¼ cup (60ml) of gel, add in 500 milligrams (0.018 oz) of vitamin C to the mixture. This combination will help preserve the gel for up to 8 months in the refrigerator once it has been mixed in. [10] X Research source
- You can buy vitamin C from your local pharmacy or grocery store.
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Blend your gel on high for a few seconds. This will ensure that the vitamin C is mixed in with the aloe vera and that the texture becomes liquefied and broken down. You should be left with an aloe vera juice. [11] X Research source
- The juice should be much more runny and less gelatinous than it was before.
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Transfer the juice to a covered plastic container. There will be a foamy layer on the top of the liquid but this will go away after a few days so there’s no need to worry about it. [12] X Research source
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Move your juice to the refrigerator for storage. The juice is now ready to be used or stored for up to a month. [13] X Research source
- Although you can drink this aloe juice by itself, it combines well with other juices, smoothies, and teas.
- You can also use this juice as a moisturizer, body wash, and hydrating wash for your hair.
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Warnings
- If you are harvesting the aloe vera gel straight from the plant you will need to make sure you let the plant sit vertically in some water after slicing a small portion off the end to allow the aloin to drain out.Thanks
- Aloin is a highly potent laxative and if it isn’t removed it can have some unwanted effects on those who consume aloe vera products.Thanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about storing aloe vera, check out our in-depth interview with Karina Klimtchuk, L.Ac., DACM, Dipl. OM .
References
- ↑ https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/easy-peasy-tips-on-how-to-store-aloe-vera-gel-1856156
- ↑ https://steptohealth.com/store-aloe-vera-gel/
- ↑ http://www.nipnoos.com/how-to-extract-use-and-store-aloe-vera-gel/
- ↑ http://www.simple-remedies.com/health-tips-5/how-to-store-aloe-vera.html
- ↑ http://www.nipnoos.com/how-to-extract-use-and-store-aloe-vera-gel/
- ↑ https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/easy-peasy-tips-on-how-to-store-aloe-vera-gel-1856156
- ↑ https://stayhealthyways.com/how-to-store-aloe-vera/
- ↑ http://www.marecipes.com/honey-aloe-vera-tea/
- ↑ https://steptohealth.com/store-aloe-vera-gel/
About This Article
Article Summary
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The easiest way to store aloe vera gel is by freezing it overnight in ice cube trays, then storing the cubes in the freezer for up to 1 year. Alternatively, you can mix the aloe vera gel with an equal amount of honey and store it at room temperature for up to 8 months. If you want to store your aloe vera as a juice, put 500 milligrams of crushed vitamin C tablets for every ¼ cup of aloe vera gel into your blender and mix it on high for a few seconds. Then, transfer the juice to a covered, plastic container and keep it in your refrigerator for up to 1 month. To learn how to use aloe vera on your hair or skin, keep reading!
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