Yes! But.. to realize maximum benefit from Aloe Vera you are doing really need to understand it's structure and contents. Once you understand this, you are able to chose your merchandise carefully and discover how best to take them so those important ingredients are still there. You can then feel the great benefits that this plant can give.
I guarantee you have seen the advertising slogan 'With Aloe Vera' on a lot of things we buy!
However, please think before you buy you waste your cash if seeing this for the label will be your reason for investing in a certain product. I'm afraid that in most high street products there exists usually so little Aloe in them and it's of these questionable quality, that it will almost certainly not help your quality of life.
Firstly...in regards to the plant
There are over 200 hundred types of Aloe but it is only Aloe Barbadensis that has the potency that sees great outcomes. Aloe Vera appears like a cactus yet it's actually a person in the onion and garlic familiy (it's not a surprise that these have medicinal qualities too!).
Aloe Vera Plant(foreveraloes.eu)
The Species grows in warm climates but yet cannot tolerate frost, but in colder climates it could be grown around the window sill of the warm sunny room, however, it is unlikely that it'll grow to full maturity.
In it's ideal location in hot countries it can grow between 2 and 3 feet (up to 90cm) and grows in a rosette like formation with it's leaves. The plant carries a life span of around 12 a few years at between three or four years the outer leaves may be carefully cut personally from the base 2 - 3 times annually to extact the inner mucilage layer and gel.
This is when all the good ingredients are stored. (listed below)
How the leaves are harvested is essential to maintain it's full potency and therefore maximum health benefit, and avoid the substances present in the rind and sap.
Aloe Vera leaf, Structure of Aloe Vera Leaf
The Structure with the leaf is essentially made up of:
The Rind - which can be the tough outer layer and is the place the synthesis and production of each of the nutients in Aloe Vera takes place
The Sap - that is bitter possesses anthraquinones (which we're going to look at below)
The Mucilage layer - this is rich in long chain sugars called polysaccharides (which we'll look at as wel)
The Inner Leaf Gel - this Gel is sterile and may be used immeadiately possesses a nearly all of nutrients inside the Aloe Vera plant
So... simply what does the plant contain?
Lets commence with the sap layer of the plant.
There are 12 anthraquinones found within the sap layer. Traditionally, these happen to be thought to be powerful laxatives and in high concentrations that can be the case.
However, when just using the gel from a hand harvested leaf they are only in relatively low levels and actually have real beneficial properties. They can assist the digestive system by strengthening this muscle (if you have irritable bowel syndrome click this link to find out how aloe can help you). Anthraquinones can also be an effective natural pain killers, have anti viral, anti bacterial, and anti fungal properties.
This is why it is so important to understand how your aloe has become harvested and processed and the way much actual Aloe Vera Gel is in the product you happen to be buying. (It should be the first listed ingredient to at least give you some indication that it can be in high enough concentration).
The Inner Leaf Gel is the place the endless listing of properties are stored! I have begun while using nutients which can be vital for general well-being and to the body to operate smoothly on a regular basis.
Amino Acids
The body requires 20 amino acids so we are only able to make 12 of these in the body. The other 8 are known as the essential amino acids even as we have to eat them within food to acquire them. Aloe Vera contains 19 out of the 20 amino acids and 7 from 8 with the essential ones, that's incredible and there's increasing evidence since it contains all 8 essential amino Acids.
Generally amino acids would be the building blocks of protein, which aid growth and repair and brain function. Each amino acid has a specific role to learn within the body. (An excellent comprehensive book to learn more regarding the aloe plant and its uses is, 'Aloe Vera, Nature's silent healer' by Alasdair Barcroft & Dr Audun Myskja)
Enzymes
The easiest method to explain these is utilizing Dr Peter Athertons book 'Aloe Vera The Medicine Plant' that's another great book as well as perhaps easier reading than Alisdair's (Dr Atherton is one with the World Leaders in Aloe Vera)
The Plant contains a number of enzymes that are really important for that body to work well and can be divided into 2 groups: Some hold the role of aiding the digestive system by deteriorating the nutrients we eat within the gut and several have anti-inflammatory properties.
In terms of aiding ibs both these are so beneficial. Any inflamation in the bowel lining is helped along with the breakdown in our food happens smoothly.
Minerals
Most folks are aware of the importance of minerals that are vitally required by the body to operate efficiently. The ones contained in the gel are:
Calcium: Helps teeth, bones, muscle contraction and heart function
Chromium: Helps control blood glucose levels levels which is really very important to diabetics (A daily intake of aloe gel has become known to really help diabetics control their blood glucose levels
Copper: is essential in red blood cells helping the iron within the red blood cells transport oxygen round the body
Iron: again is important in red blood cells to handle oxygen around the body (a lack of it causes anaemia)
Magnesium: works together with calcium in bone and teeth formation also has aiding the pc muscle and nervous system
Manganese: these help activate enzymes and improve reactions
Potassium: helps balance the fluid inside the body and is also important for nerve impulses
Sodium: like potassium helps balance body fluid and is involved in the nerve impulse mechanism
Zinc: this can be very important in breaking down carbohydrates, fats and proteins which is really important in mens health