Aloe Vera - a small plant with big effects

Aloe Vera has a wide range of beneficial properties, which is why this plant can be used for many different ailments and skin problems. It can also be used preventively to create balance in the stomach and the rest of the body. People have been using this knowledge for thousands of years and fortunately we still utilize it today. Aloe Vera is not a medicine, but a pure natural remedy with a host of amazing properties. There are not many other plants that possess so many different types of properties. In the 1960s, people began to develop methods to harness the beneficial properties of Aloe Vera in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, and the market has continued to grow ever since. Now people use Aloe Vera not only for external use in skin care products, but you can also buy Aloe Vera for internal use in the form of juices, drinks and dietary supplements. And the best thing about Aloe Vera products is that you can make this yourself from an Aloe Vera plant! So you save in costs and it's a fun activity!

There are a lot of species of Aloe Vera, the only species with all these healthy properties is the Aloë Vera Barbadensis Miller this is also the only Aloe Vera species that nursery Joy Plant grows !

Where is Aloë Vera good for?

The list of positive properties of Aloe Vera is very long. So we are really talking about a small plant with big effects. We list here a few things, where you can use Aloe Vera to repair, prevent or relieve. These properties are divided into 2 categories: internal and external use.

Properties for internal use:

1. Aloe Vera provides a vitamin boost because it contains a large number of vitamins; including vitamins A, C and E, several B vitamins, folic acid and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium.
2. Aloe Vera is full of amino acids, including the eight most important for your body. It also contains a number of fatty acids, which contribute to a reduced risk of allergy, help against digestive problems and lower your blood fat levels.
3. Aloe Vera helps the body resist disease and stress because it is a so-called adaptogenic plant. That means it adapts and normalizes the balance in your body. This strengthens the immune system and creates a calming and energy-boosting effect.
4. Aloe Vera absorbs toxins, as it moves through the digestive system. As a result, it has a detoxifying effect by removing waste products and toxins from your body.
5. Aloe Vera is an alkaline plant, which can help you balance the acid-base balance in your body.
6. Aloe Vera can help reduce inflammation in the body.

Properties for external use:

1. Aloe Vera is healing for the skin, making it effective against burns, insect bites and abrasions, as well as effective against psoriasis, eczema and other skin conditions. Aloe Vera has a soothing, pain relieving and itch-reducing effect on the skin.
2. Aloe Vera has an antibacterial effect and is also known to be used for fungus.
3. Aloe Vera can stabilize the scalp and reduce dandruff and an oily scalp.
4. Not all natural remedies smell and taste the same. But Aloe Vera has a nice, soft smell, tastes good and pleasant.

How to prepare:

1. Cut off the plant’s largest leaf.
2. Cut the leaf into smaller pieces of ± 10 cm in length. Cut off the serrated edges.
3. Place the pieces into a bowl and pour cold water over them. Leave to soak for ± 20 minutes (this will make it easier to remove the yellow resin (latex), which tastes bitter and has a laxative effect). After 20 minutes, remove the pieces from the bowl and dry them thoroughly.
4. Cut off the green skin to separate it from the transparent, gel-like substance inside the leaf. Rinse off any remaining yellow resin.
5. Add the gel to skincare products, smoothies, juices and food. It will stay fresh in the fridge for a week, or you can freeze the gel in ice-cube trays to store it for longer. The skin can be added to salads.

How do you apply the Aloe Vera?

In the kitchen:

1. The green bitter rind can be used and cut into small pieces in salads to give them a hearty healthy "bite."
2. The gel can be used in lots of smoothies as a healthy addition. There are lots of smoothie recipes out there and because of the slightly bitter but otherwise neutral taste of the Aloe Vera gel, you can replace at least 10% of any smoothie with Aloe Vera gel. Thus, you can enrich any smoothie with all the healthy properties from the Aloe Vera.

On the skin and in the hair:

• For 400 to 500 ml: blend the jelly of 1/4 leaf of Aloe Vera in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (e.g. olive oil). Mix it well again and store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Ideal for treating (burn) wounds or dry skin. Gently spread the gel over the wounds.
• Use it as a conditioner: rub into your hair after washing and leave for a few minutes. Then rinse thoroughly with water.

Aloe Vera barbadensis Miller is one of the world’s oldest known medicinal plants. Ancient Greek physicians used the plant in their remedies, while Ancient Egyptians relied on Aloe Vera not only for its medicinal properties, but also as an ‘elixir of life’, in skincare and when embalming the bodies of pharaohs.

Please note: 

• Aloe Vera is not recommended for use during pregnancy, in children under the age of 12 or in diabetes patients. 
• Excessive use may produce a laxative effect. 
• Aloe Vera resin can stain textiles.