Aloe Vera’s Incredible Health Benefits
The nutritional and health benefits of Aloe Vera have been known for a long time. People have been using the plant as a natural remedy for a variety of disorders for centuries. Even today, Aloe Vera is used to treat numerous skin disorders. However, it’s also a superfood thanks to the presence of essential vitamins and minerals.
What’s a Superfood?
Superfood is a term coined by nutritionists that describes a natural food that has incredible benefits for your health. Blueberries are a superfood thanks to the high concentration of antioxidants. Avocados, olive oil, and various types of fish are also considered superfoods for a number of reasons. Aloe Vera can be added to that list, thanks to the presence of numerous essential nutrients as well as its various benefits for our health.
What Does the Plant Contain?
There are many vitamins and minerals found in Aloe Vera along with fatty acids, enzymes, and other compounds.
Vitamin
Vitamins A, C, and E are among the vitamins found in the nutrient-rich plant. Vitamins A and C are key players for a healthy immune system, while vitamin E can protect against free radical damage, acting as a powerful antioxidant. Apart from these vitamins, Aloe Vera is full of vitamin B12, also known as folic acid, which provides great benefits for the nervous system.
Minerals
Aloe Vera is an excellent source of potassium, magnesium, selenium, calcium, chromium, copper, sodium, zinc, and manganese. All these minerals play a part in many important processes in the human body and activate various enzymes in numerous metabolic pathways.
Enzymes
Studies have shown that Aloe Vera contains a variety of enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, alliinase, carboxypeptidase, amylase, catalase, bradykinase, peroxidase, and lipase chief among them. These enzymes have numerous health benefits. For example, bradykinase can reduce skin irritations, while the other enzymes can help with sugar and fat breakdown.
Catalase has antioxidant properties and can protect our cells from oxidative damage.
Other Health Benefits of Aloe Vera
Thanks to the presence of all the aforementioned nutrients, it’s clear that Aloe Vera can improve your health in many ways. You can use its gel for topical application or use the plant as dietary supplementation.
Topically, you can use fresh Aloe Vera gel to heal minor cuts and burns. The gel has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, keeping your skin safe from infections.
In terms of dietary supplementation, you can consume the gel to treat digestive disorders, boost your immune system, and protect your heart. Instead of buying Aloe Vera gel, we strongly suggest growing the plant on your own at home. It’s pretty easy to grow and doesn’t require extensive gardening knowledge. By growing your own Aloe Vera, you’ll always have the gel at disposal. You can use it to improve your health in many ways, and it’s also great for your skin, both as a preventive measure and as a way to improve your skin health.