According to Everyday health, there are more than 300 species of the aloe plant, but Aloe barbadensis (aka aloe vera) is the best known and is prized in the health and beauty worlds for its healing properties.
The gel and juice found inside aloe vera became a popular herbal remedy that was used to help treat everything from skin issues to digestive problems.
What Is Aloe Vera, and Where Does the Plant Come From?
Aloe vera has been known for its healing properties for at least 6,000 years. The spiky succulent plant grows naturally in dry, tropical climates in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the southern and western parts of the United States. (1)
Humans have long known about the plant’s healing benefits, and over the years have used aloe — which is also known as “burn plant,” “lily of the desert,” and “elephant’s gall” — to help treat wounds, hair loss, hemorrhoids, and digestive issues.
What Are the Potential Health Benefits of Aloe Vera?
There’s not enough evidence to prove that aloe vera can treat all the health issues it’s said to help with. (2) But the plant has been linked to many potential benefits, including:
Digestive help Aloe latex contains aloin, which is an anthraquinone that gives aloe vera its laxative properties and may help treat constipation.
Treating skin conditions, such as psoriasis and acne Aloe creams have a calming effect on the skin and have been shown to help reduce itchiness and inflammation.
Sunburn relief Some people swear by aloe to calm a sunburn. You might have experienced the gel’s cooling effect yourself, but the research backing up the claim that it can speed skin recovery is lacking.
Wound healing Aloe gel may help expedite the healing process of burns or cuts on the skin.
Heartburn relief Researchers found aloe vera helped lessen several symptoms of heartburn, belching, and vomiting
Lower blood sugar A study found drinking two tablespoons of aloe vera juice every day for two weeks helped lower the blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes. Triglyceride levels of the study participants also improved — a big deal for those with diabetes, because they’re at an increased risk of developing heart disease.
