The truth about Aloe

If you're Trini then chances are your grandmother gave you a “cleaning” by forcing fresh aloe down your throat which almost instantaneously sent you running to the bathroom. It's no wonder that we were also told that "too much aloe not good."  It causes your blood to thin "they" say and I can go on all day listing the number of old wives tales told about this plant, but with over 150 nutritional ingredients certainly someone needs to defend it and set the record straight.  Without going into too many scientific details and leaving you with a headache of course.

Did you know that there are over 250 types of Aloe Plants but only 5 have medicinal purposes and the white spotted one found in TnT is merely for decoration.

Humans require 22 amino acids, 8 of which we depend on food for as our body does not produce them.  Aloe has all 8.

The main enzymes found in Aloe help break down sugars and starches, stimulate the immune system, are analgesic and anti-inflammatory, they also prevent accumulation of water in the body, aid digestion and metabolism, to name a few.  Aloe is very unique in that it also contains the vitamins needed to fuel the enzymes.

This “miracle” plant contains the vitamins that are responsible for teeth and bone formation and strength, muscle and heart health, maintaining a healthy nervous system, speeding up wound healing, assisting with balancing of blood sugar levels and influencing brain performance.

The minerals in Aloe are important for red blood cells and hair and skin pigment and assist with the body’s PH, they also help with nerve and muscle performance, and the trace minerals involved in cancer research experiments are also found in Aloe.

If all this was not enough, located in the sap of the leaves are compounds that stimulate your bowels and have anti-biotic properties.  These must be taken in small doses only, to avoid purging.

At this point I should point out that anything that has a purging effect on you is not safe. NEVER PURGE, unless of course you are severely constipated, but regular purging as a “cleanse” is very unsafe. This is why I do not recommend simply going outside and consuming the plant unless you are an expert.  Just like other great vitamins, there are professional companies that are qualified in properly removing the qualities of aloe and providing them to us in safe doses.  The key when choosing aloe is ensuring that the aloe is grown organically, the company is reputable and the products are approved by the International Aloe Science Council.

Aloe also has an infinite external uses, which I will list in another blog so be sure to look out for that.   

I hope this has helped clear up the whole issue of Aloe and the importance of having it every day but not just using the one from your backyard.

Yours in health