There are numerous aloe vera benefits to be had when you buy good quality aloe vera products. It can be tempting to buy cheap, low-grade products with little aloe vera in, but don’t be tempted or else you will not get the full benefits it can offer.

Aloe vera has numerous benefits associated with it. Namely, it contains 19 of the 20 amino acids which the human body requires, and it also has 7 of the 8 amino acids which the human body cannot make independently.

Another benefit which aloe vera provides is its ability to act as a ‘carrier’ for nutrients around the body which in turn ensures greater nutrition absorption by the body.

Now you know a little bit about what aloe vera does – let’s find out what it is.

What is Aloe Vera

Many people mistake the aloe vera plant for a cactus but, in fact it is a member of the lily family.

The aloe vera plant flourishes in warm, dry climates and it stays moist when other plants would wilt and die by closing its pores to prevent the loss of moisture.

There are over 400 recognised varieties of aloe vera plant, but it is the Aloe Barbadensis Miller (aloe vera) plant which has been regarded as one of nature’s most powerful and versatile healers.

Ancient historical records show aloe vera was used medicinally in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

The Egyptians referred to aloe vera as “the plant of immortality” and used it for embalming and bathing.

Records also confirm the Greek physician Dioscorides used the benefits of aloe vera to treat mouth infections, sores, and wounds in the first century.

The Aloe Barbadensis Miller Plant Has Many Health Benefits

What is Aloe Vera Good For

As well as being used topically over the decades to treat conditions such as burns and cuts, aloe vera has broader potential as a ‘super’ nutrient for the body.

Modern science has uncovered other benefits of aloe vera such as improved immune system function, anti- inflammatory for joint comfort, and antioxidant protection and detoxification.

Aloe is great for skin, hair, the immune system, and it is a fantastic digestive tract aid.

Antioxidants Explained

The same process which keeps us alive, also generates toxic chemicals that damages, and eventually destroys the body’s own cells.

The most important of these processes is a chemical reaction involving oxygen called oxidation. In nature this is the same process that causes iron to rust or milk to go rancid for example.

Our cells depend upon oxygen to produce energy, and oxygen sometimes reacts with the body’s compounds to produce unstable molecules which we call free radicals.

These free radicals perform the essential function of breaking down chemicals in the body such as fats and proteins.

This process is an important part of normal metabolism that enables the nutrients being broken down to be used by the body for critical function, energy, growth, and repair.

The downside of this process is that these free radicals have the ability to chemically react with other cells in the body to cause other issues. Theses include heart disease, cancer, skin aging, visual impairment, arthritis, and other degenerative problems.

Why Antioxidants Are Important

Antioxidants are the positive properties or characteristics possessed by a number of vitamins and minerals which act as a protection against the damaging effects of free radicals in the body.

These antioxidants are important because they help to neutralise the free radicals which are constantly damaging cells within our body.

Thankfully, the human body does produce its own chemicals, which have an antioxidant effect, which in turn reduces overall oxidation and, ‘mops up’ deadly free radicals.

But, as we age, our body’s ability to produce its own antioxidants gradually weakens and becomes less effective.

Other external factors such as pollution, sunshine and tobacco smoke can also cause free-radical formation in the body.

When the number of free radicals exceed the body’s defenses, oxidative stress occurs.

These free radicals then disrupt the body’s cell membranes, thus hindering the passage of nourishing substances into, and out of our body’s vital cells.

These free radicals seriously damage the body’s cell proteins and undermine our DNA.

Our main defense against this ongoing process, is having reserves of antioxidants in the form of vitamins A, C and E which continually seek out and kill free radicals.

But, as a result of destroying these free radicals, these vitamins in turn become oxidized in the process.

Which means that we need to constantly top up our body with antioxidants!

The Antioxidant Benefits of Aloe Vera

Fortunately for us, we can get an excellent supply of antioxidants from a variety of readily available foods – as well as aloe vera.

Aloe Vera has potent antioxidant and antibacterial properties which can help combat this process.

Good quality aloe vera gel contains powerful antioxidants, which belong to a large family of substances known as polyphenols.

These polyphenols, along with several other antioxidant compounds found in abundance in aloe vera, can help to combat these free radicals.

Increasing your antioxidant intake from as many sources as possible is advised.

We recommended you eat a wide and nutritious variety of foods so that you can benefit from all of their nutrients and minerals.

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