Words by Rebecca Deurlein
Photos by Aruba Tourism Authority
If you’ve ever broken off a piece of an aloe plant and used the gel to cool a kitchen burn, you know that as a home remedy, aloe is a star. But did you know that this plant comes with a laundry list of other medicinal benefits?
The succulent is native to tropical and semi-tropical climates, but with proper care, it can be grown virtually anywhere as a potted houseplant. It’s also easily harvested. Snapping off a piece of the plant releases the sap some refer to as “liquid gold.”
That’s because aloe can benefit your body, both inside and out. It takes the bite out of burns, expedites healing, and cools and moisturizes sunburns and dry skin. Aloe has been known to improve a number of skin conditions, including acne, psoriasis, and even herpes simplex.
BUT, with all good things comes a caveat, and it is this: Not all aloe is created equally. To learn about this gel, I traveled all the way to Aruba, “The Island of Aloes,” and specifically Aruba Aloe, the country’s largest producer of this wonder plant’s products. I joined fellow travelers in an aloe harvesting class and learned how to turn one of their 35,000 plants into a breezy balm I could take home.
The process is surprisingly easy and educational—just run a machete-like blade down the length of a spongy leaf. Once the gel is extracted, you can DIY it in any number of ways, like combining it with sea salt and fragrances to make your own scrub.
Pure aloe can be hard to come by unless you have your own plant, so if you’re like most who buy it by the bottle, you’ll need to know what to look for. Like other farm-to-table products such as olive oil and wine, aloe concentrations can differ widely—and that difference, well, makes all the difference.
The least effective products, and sadly the most common, contain only three to five percent of actual aloe—the rest is water and other additives. For comparison, Aruba Aloe products have between 20 and 67 percent aloe. These higher concentrations bring higher prices, but wellness benefits like healing and hydration double, so you’ll get much more bang for your buck.
Surprisingly, aloe can also be ingested, deliciously so. The benefits are many: better digestion, reduction of acid reflux, settling of achy stomachs, and soothing of mouth sores and gingivitis. Aloe is filled with antioxidants, Vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium, providing resources that boost immunity and relieve muscle aches. Some studies show that it can also alter blood sugar levels, a boon for those with Type 2 diabetes.
Be forewarned: You won’t want to drink straight aloe. It is highly bitter, and its laxative qualities are potent. But juiced and mixed with other ingredients, aloe becomes palatable; in fact, its earthiness shines with the right complementary additions to a frothy shake or smoothie.
Aloe can benefit your body, both inside and out
I had the pleasure of experiencing this firsthand at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, where mixologists blend aloe into delicious cocktails. These concoctions are light and refreshing, perfect for a summer day. You can find aloe juice in grocery stores, drug stores, and online. You can also make your own version by blending shaved and cubed aloe with water. And just like that, happy hour just became healthier!
The mixologists at Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino serve these crafty cocktails at various bars on the property. You can make your own at home – just combine these ingredients in a shaker and add the garnish.
Aloe Cucumber Tini
1.5 oz Aloe Cucumber Gin
1 oz Cucumber Sake
1 oz Aloe Vera Juice
0.5 oz Lime Juice
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
Garnish: Cucumber Ribbon & Mint Leaves
Aruba Mule
1.5 oz Tito’s Vodka
1 oz Aloe Vera Juice
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
Topped with ginger beer
Garnish: Mint Leaves
Aloe Breeze
2 oz Aperol
2 oz Aloe Vera Juice
1 oz Pink Grapefruit
1.5 oz Soda Water
Garnish: cantaloupe
