Aloe Vera seems to be everywhere these days, in sun creams, drinks, toothpaste, make up, soaps and even toilet roll! Although there are over 200 varieties of Aloe, it is the Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera) which has been been most commonly used for its medicinal properties. The Aloe leaf is made up of four components: Rind, Sap, Gel and Juice. The Gel (or Mucilage Gel) is the part of the plant most often used for medicinal purposes as it contains the 8 essential Amino Acids that the human body needs but cannot manufacture itself.

Aloe Vera has been used for centuries, with earliest records of its use as far back as 1500 BC in ancient Egypt! To this day Aloe Vera is used in Western medical science and is very popular modern herbal remedies and treatments.

Aloe Gel is often used topically as a soothing treatment for a variety of skin conditions. It is used to treat psoriasis, burns, frostbite, sores, sunburn and eczema. Research has shown that, taken orally, aloe gel can help to lower cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol, and can help to lower blood glucose levels in people with type II diabetes.

Do you use aloe for anything?