What does aloe vera produce?

Yesterday I received a seemingly simple question: What does aloe vera produce? I began to respond by email when I realized that I was writing a very complete article, so I decided not to send the email and write EVERYTHING that aloe vera produces here. It is not just gel, there is much more behind this miraculous plant.

Before starting with what substances and products are obtained from aloe vera I have to talk and define the plant a little so that you can understand the concept well.

Characteristics of the aloe vera plant

When we say «aloe vera» we are referring to a specific variety; Aloe Barbadensis Miller.

Botanical characteristics:

Herbaceous plant with a life cycle of about 12 years, which reaches 0.5-1 meters in height . The stem is short, the leaves are individual leaves, arranged around the plant, being thick and long. The base of the leaves are pointed, sharp, separate and thick green with the possibility of long light green spots. They are succulent, that is why inside there is a light green jelly.

The flowers form a bouquet at the end of a long stem that leaves the center of the plant vertically, reaching 1.5-2 meters in height.

The flowers are yellowish-red in the shape of light tubes that are welded together to form layers of tips separated by overlapping layers to the end of the stem.

Substances obtained from the aloe vera plant

Everything is used from the aloe vera plant, however, not all substances and uses are as well known as its gel. From bottom to top I list the parts and substances obtained from aloe vera:

Roots: Like any herb or plant, aloe vera has roots.
Stem: This stem is hardly observed in its first moments of life since it is a short stem that is only discovered as we remove leaves from the plant
Leaves: The most famous part of aloe vera is the leaf, which everyone knows and from which we can obtain 3 substances; The appreciated gel or crystal, the latex or aloin and the peel.

Rhizome of aloe vera

In traditional medicine, a solution of boiled aloe vera roots is used to treat gonorrhea and female leukorrhea.

Aloe vera stem

The stem of the plant has no known uses, other than as compost after the end of the plant life cycle.

Aloe vera gel

Without a doubt, the best known product of the aloe vera plant. It is the gelatinous product that we find inside the leaf. To use this gel you must wash it very well with clean water 2 to 3 times and blanch it one last time.

Its uses are multiple and therefore you can process it in different ways, being able to cut it into thin slices or crush it and thus treat external superficial wounds, burns, scars, insect bites and stings, sunburns or even acne and its marks among others. It is applied directly to the skin to prevent infection.

Aloe Vera or Aloin Latex

That yellowish liquid that flows from the freshly cut aloe vera leaf is aloe latex or Aloin. My advice is to stay away from this substance because of its risks.

In many Asian cultures it is cooked and transformed into a black paste used to treat certain ailments and as a laxative, but aloin can cause kidney damage, abdominal cramps and severe diarrhea.

Aloe vera peel

Like the stem, it is used as compost after the extraction of the gel, but I also found a video on YouTube where they teach us how to make a tonic to apply to the skin and close the pores after cleaning. I have not been able to find more evidence on its use.

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