What is Aloe Vera Used For and Can You Eat It?


Can you eat aloe vera?
#HeatherEarles #aloevera #health #foodiefriday #medicing
Aloe vera plant

Before we answer that question, what exactly is aloe vera?

Aloe vera, sometimes described as a “wonder plant,” is a short-stemmed shrub. Aloe is a genus that contains more than 500 species of flowering succulent plants. Many Aloes occur naturally in North Africa.

Medical News Today

The whole leaves are dense, erect and furnish a gelatinous extract. This gel is used to help with the healing of burns and is in cosmetic and skin care creams. The aloe plant is easy to grow and requires little water to survive.

Using Aloe For Skin Health

A natural compound found in the aloe vera gel is called aloin. Aloin is a depigmentation agent, so it lightens those dark areas on the skin.

Because of this compound, people purchase aloe vera leaves to make their own face masks and treat deep pores, scarring, and blemishes. If you have a plant at home you have healing at your fingertips and can start using it immediately.

Recipe for…

Aloe vera helps with acne scarring, pigmentation, and hydrates the skin.
#HeatherEarles #aloevera #skin #herbnwisdom

Ingredients:

  • Aloe leaf
  • Vitamin E gel tablet or oil
  • Your choice of essential oil

Supplies:

  • Medium sized glass bowl
  • Fork
  • Spoon
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Small glass jar

Directions:

  1. To begin you need to purchase or cut off a leaf of an Aloe vera plant.
  2. Next, cut the sharp edges and then peel off one flat side, or using your knife split the aloe vera down the middle. As you will not use an entire leaf at one time you will cut a section about two inches wide; wrap the end that is open of your remaining leaf and store it in your refrigerator until the next use.
  3. With a spoon, scrape the gel found on the inside into a bowl.
  4. Whip with a fork for about three minutes until the chunks are smooth.
  5. Split open a vitamin E tablet or use about 1/8 teaspoon of vitamin E oil and stir into aloe vera.
  6. Pick an essential oil like orange, rose hip, or lemon and add three to four drops into the aloe vera mixture.
  7. Stir until well blended, around three minutes.
  8. Pour the mixture into a glass jar.
  9. Apply to face, preferably at night when the mixture can do its magic.

To store, place your glass jar in the refrigerator. The mixture will keep for about 3 weeks.

Using Aloe for Burns

Even when we try to make it through an entire Summer without getting a sunburn it still happens. Whether it’s you or someone in your family it’s almost a guarantee you will be hearing the “Oh that hurts.”  The obvious answer in hearing and dealing with sunburns is to prevent getting one in the first place. I’m going to call this natural prevention and natural treatments of sunburns. Let’s start with the prevention list.


swimming suits

How to Prevent a Sunburn

  • Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants.

This is the easiest and most natural form of preventing sunburn.  Dressing in long sleeve items that are made from light cotton or other breathable material allows you to be protected from the sun and eliminates the need for sunscreen.  You can also buy longer swim attire for you or your children when you are at the lake or pool.

  •  Hats

Male or female, adult or child.  There are so many styles of hats you can choose from that prevent sunburns and look amazing no matter what face structure you have.  Keeping the sun off of your face is key.  With wider brim hats you can protect your ears and neck also.  Doing that, in the long run, will help your skin keep its youthful glow and limit age spots.

  • Ensure you are not working outside when the sun is at its strongest.

The peak sun intensity hours, when UV light is strongest, are between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. standard time or 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. I realize people have jobs where they can’t pick and choose when they can be outside.  This time frame however, can help you if you work at home, kids playing outside and or when you do have an option.

  • Sunscreen

Sunscreen is not the safest solution if you are buying it from a store.  The ingredients are harmful and awful (Don’t get me started on that).  However lucky for you I have a tutorial on How to make Homemade Sunscreen . The ingredients are safe and you don’t have to worry about what you’re putting on you and your family.

So these are things you can do to naturally prevent getting a sunburn. As we discussed above its wise to have a treatment plan to go along with the prevention plan.  Just in case you run into a day or moment when you are not prepared having a plan B is a wise decision.


apple cider vinegar

Treatment after a Sunburn

To start, cool the skin by holding the burned area under cool or tepid water.  Never use ice directly on the skin, as it’s fragile and you could shock it.  This is good advice no matter which treatment plan you are using.

  • Apple Cider Vinegar

Keep a bottle of apple cider vinegar cool in your fridge.  When you have a sunburn pat it on your burn using a cotton pad or something very soft. Do not rub it on!  Pat or dab on the burn every 20 to 30 minutes.  This will take the pain away and if you don’t wash it off it will also help prevent blistering and peeling.

  • Aloe Vera

This is probably the most commonly known method and treatment of a burn.  Straight from the plant is always the best option.  You slice a stem in half and rubbed in on.  You might get little chunks and feel a little sticky but it’s great because you have the medicine in your home 24-7.  The gel form you can also use.  It’s cool and soothing and a little less mess.  Just make sure it’s 100% natural.  Multiple applications are recommended.

  • Lavender

Lavender is an essential oil which prevents the tissue from burning further.  When rubbed on your skin, lavender desensitizes your nerves, relieves the pain, promotes healing, and prevents scarring.  You can also apply a cool or tepid compress with 8 to 10 drops of lavender on your burn.

  • Vitamin E
sunburn

Vitamin E is an important antioxidant for repairing tissue and healing burns.  Use twice daily until the burn is healed.

Remedy For Sunburns

The remedy in the video is a mixture of the individual ingredients listed above and has been used for years.


Cool Aid Tonic For Burns
  • Besides using a tonic you can cut a leaf, or portion of a leaf, directly off of your aloe plant.
  • You then want to cut the sharp edges,
  • Split it in half with a knife
  • And rub the aloe directly on your burn.
  • Do not rinse off.

This method will heal a first or second-degree burn when applied directly to the injured area.

Since aloe is an anti-inflammatory, promotes circulation and inhibits the growth of bacteria, it is one of the best treatments to help aid the healing of burns.

Now The Big Question

What is in the inside of an Aloe Vera leaf?
#HeatherEarles #aloevera #juicing #naturalmedicine #herbnwisdom

Can you eat aloe vera leaves? The short answer is yes, but do not stop reading as there is important information you must know.

Inside of the aloe vera leaf is two useful parts, the latex, and the gel. The gel is the main portion in the center of each leaf and is clear in color. The latex, however, is found just beneath the leaf skin and has a yellowish tint.

The latex can also have a strong smell and works as a laxative because of the natural chemicals

Aloe gel might cause changes in the skin that might help diseases like psoriasis.

Aloe seems to be able to speed wound healing by improving blood circulation through the area and preventing cell death around a wound.

It also appears that aloe gel has properties that are harmful to certain types of bacteria and fungi.


WebMD

How Do You Prepare Raw Aloe Vera To Be Eaten?

“Preparing Aloe vera to eat takes only a few minutes, and once prepared can be stored in your refrigerator up to a week. 

  1. Cut a leaf from the plant at the stem with scissors or kitchen knife and rinse under cold, running water
  2. Trim the ends of the leaf by cutting off its base and tip by approximately an inch (how much to trim will be determined by the size and length of the leaf).
  3. Slice the serrated edges off along the entire spine of the leaf. 
  4. Cut the leaf into halves or thirds, again depending on its length.
  5. Soak in a bowl of water for ten minutes and thoroughly rinse.
  6. Filet the sections length-wise and scrape or scoop out only the clear gel with a butter knife or spoon. Do not squeeze out the gel as it can release the aloin latex with it.
  7. This resulting gel can be consumed raw, juiced, or used in any number of creative ways.” –aloecure 

Why Should a Person Eat Aloe?

“The inner gel of the Aloe Vera leaf contains many important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to support overall health:

  • 20 amino acids that aid in building muscle tissue
  • 7 key enzymes that assist in breaking down food and boost nutrient absorption
  • Minerals such as calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc
  • Vitamins A, C, D, E, B, B-1, B-2, B12, and folic acid.” -aloecure

Summary

What are the benefits of Aloe vera?
#HeatherEarles #herbalmedicine #plantmedicine #aloevera

Aloe vera latex can be harmful, especially to pregnant women, people with digestive disorders and people on certain medications. You should also avoid aloe vera gel if you take diabetes, heart or kidney medications.


healthline.com

The Bottom Line

“Aloe vera gel and skin can be eaten. The gel, in particular, may offer several health benefits.

Be sure to wash the gel or skin thoroughly to remove all traces of latex, which has an unpleasant bitter taste and may cause harmful side effects. 

Never eat aloe vera skin care products. They do not offer the same benefits as the leaf and are not meant to be ingested.”-healthline.com

Aloe can be eaten in raw form for use in salads, by juicing, and cooked.

Warning: Because it has a natural laxative effect, long-term, regular consumption is not advised.

Everything in moderation when you are dealing with a new type of food. Be sure you understand the benefits, the side effects, and keep a journal so you will notice any changes your body may experience.

  • Side effects. Topical aloe vera might cause skin irritation. Oral aloe, which has a laxative effect, can cause cramping and diarrhea. This may cause electrolyte imbalances in the blood of people who ingest aloe for more than a few days. It can also stain the colon, thus making it difficult to visualize the colon during a colonoscopy. So avoid it for a month before having a colonoscopy. Aloe gel, for topical or oral use, should be free of aloin, which can be irritating to the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Risks. Do not apply topical aloe vera to deep cuts or severe burns. People allergic to garlic, onions, and tulips are more likely to be allergic to aloe. High doses of oral aloe are dangerous. Don’t take oral aloe if you have intestinal problems, heart disease, hemorrhoids, kidney problems, diabetes, or electrolyte imbalances. -WebMD

Other than that you are free to experiment. Be safe and have a beautiful day friend!

Heather Earles

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *