A Spring Cleanse Cocktail

If you liked my cucumber-tequila cooler, you may enjoy this refreshing spring cleanse cocktail. Spring cleaning isn’t just for closets. Spring is the season of rejuvenation and renewal. Plants, vegetables, and flowers begin to grow.  Spring comes around just as we are all reaching our wits’ end.  When we can’t take the long, cold days any longer or tolerate another Nor’easter, spring lets us know that warmer, sunnier days lie around the corner.

The thought of springtime helped me come up with this cocktail: a light, refreshing beverage to give a jump-start to this season.  It is a gin-based cocktail with muddled cucumber and just a touch of refreshing aloe vera juice.  Aloe vera is a succulent plant species typically found in tropical climates. Most associate this plant with sunburn relief.  But surprisingly, its gooey elixir–when processed properly and consumed in moderation–may have some health benefits as well. I became curious about aloe juice after repeatedly seeing it in stores. I had to try it.

Aloe vera juice is made by crushing the entire plant leaf followed by filtering and purifying the resulting liquid.  The end product is a mild-flavored drink.  Aloe is considered “water-dense,” meaning it can help keep you hydrated.  And it’s loaded with vitamins B, C, and E as well as a good amount of folic acid.  Although the jury is still out on how much one should consume daily, I thought it was a nice addition to a playful cocktail and a reminder that greener pastures are right around the corner.