According to an article published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, Aloe Vera has an annual market value of $13 billion globally. The reason why it has such a high market value is that it is widely used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries. Ancient Originsstates that the Egyptians called Aloe Vera the ‘Plant of Immortality.’ They add that drawings of the plant aloe have been found inscribed on the tombs of pharaohs. Ancient Origins also states that Aloe Vera is 95% water and for millennia, it has been used to treat more than 50 medical conditions which include burns, obesity, asthma, acne, and diabetes. Below I will discuss the properties that Aloe Vera contains and how they are beneficial to your body.
Contains Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties: An article that was published in the journal Organic and Medical Chemistry Letters explains that Aloe Vera contains powerful antioxidants which belong to a big family of a substance called polyphenols. That same article states that these polyphenols and other compounds found in Aloe Vera have the ability to prevent the growth of certain bacteria that cause infections in humans.
Heals Burns Quickly: When you’re out tanning in the sun and you get a burn, what is the first thing you turn to? It’s Aloe Vera! Aloe Vera was first approved by the FDA in 1959 as an over-the-counter medication to heal burns. An article found in the Journal Burns touched base on four studies that were conducted that included 371 patients. Based on meta-analysis using the measure of how long it took a burn to heal from Aloe Vera, researchers found that Aloe Vera took 8.79 fewer days to heal a burn compared to the controlled group. However, this is not to say that if you suffer from first and second-degree burns to only apply Aloe Vera, if this is the case, you should go see a doctor.
Reduces Dental Plaque: A study published in the Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciencewanted to prove that Aloe Vera was a beneficial treatment to combat oral diseases. So researchers did a mouth rinse study of 300 healthy people, and 100% Aloe Vera juice was compared to the mouthwash ingredient chlorhexidine. The results of the study showed that Aloe Vera was equally as effective in reducing plaque as chlorhexidine was after four days.
Treat Canker Sores: At some point in their lives, everyone has experienced a canker sore or mouth ulcer. They are annoying and can really hinder your ability to enjoy eating. But recent studies have shown that Aloe Vera can help accelerate the healing process. A study in the Dental Research Journal was conducted on 40 patients who had minor oral aphthous lesions. They applied the Aloe Vera gel to the affected spots. They based their results on healing time, pain score and lesion size. The results showed that the healing time, pain score and wound size were significantly lower than the controlled group.
Might Prevent Wrinkles and Improve Skin: There is evidence that suggests that Aloe Vera can slow down the aging of the skin. A study published in the Annals of Dermatology wanted to determine if dietary Aloe Vera gel has anti-aging properties on the skin. So researchers took 30 healthy female subjects who were over the age of 45 and gave them two doses of Aloe Vera (1,200 mg/d and 3,600 mg/d) to be used for 90 days. Researchers would base their results on facial wrinkles and facial elasticity was measured. After the 90 days, facial wrinkles and facial elasticity both improved both the higher and lower groups.
The Bottom Line: Research and evidence prove that Aloe Vera has some unique therapeutic properties. This is especially true when it is applied to the skin and gums. You can purchase various Aloe Vera products at your local health food stores and online. But I urge you to speak to your doctor before you decide to use Aloe Vera to treat your condition.
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