Many of us will be aware of the great soothing properties of Aloe Vera, but the clear gel from the fronds of the aloe plant does much more than soothe a sunburn.

Uses of Aloe Vera

These are just some potential uses of the Aloe Vera plant:

For digestion

Aloe can benefit the digestive system by helping to detoxify the body and relieve common digestive disorders. Aloe gel has natural healing properties due to the large variety of amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals it contains.

Aloe works to cleanse the digestive system and colon of toxins, allowing the digestive tract to work more efficiently to break down the nutrients in food. It also works as an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent in the body.

For cuts and scrapes

Aloe Vera has been used as a medicine for thousands of years by civilisations in ancient Greece, Egypt and China. A growing number of lab studies have found that pure aloe has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Aloe decreases inflammation when used on minor burns and scrapes, but shouldn’t be applied to an open cut.

For teeth

Aloe can be a worthy stand-in when you’ve squeezed out the last of your Tom’s of Maine. One study published in the journal, General Dentistry found that Aloe Vera tooth gel was just as or more effective than two regular toothpastes at controlling bacteria, which causes gingivitis and other dental problems.

Similarly, swishing with an Aloe Vera gel solution reduced plaque and bleeding gums as well as mouthwashes. Think twice about permanently swapping it for your regular toothpaste though; but it can work in an emergency.

For sunburn

Aloe Vera provides a cooling and soothing sensation without the stickiness, fragrance or messiness of other lotions.  The gel or juice in the plant has soothing qualities, especially useful for burns and is antibacterial. Even hospitals now use Aloe Vera for burn victims.

Finally using Aloe Vera for sunburns is easy and is a popular home treatment for many things.