Aloe vera: why Nicki Minaj, Drew Barrymore, Salman Khan love it – and Cleopatra and Christopher Columbus too – and how it can help you
- The jelly-like substance taken from inside aloe vera leaves can be applied to the skin to heal and moisturise; aloe juice can be drunk for a wealth of benefits
- Celebrities swear by it, Christopher Columbus and Alexander the Great treated their soldiers with it, and even Cleopatra was a fan
Long before beauty lotions and potions became trendy, I remember my 93-year-old grandmother slathering aloe vera gel on her face every night.
Inspired by her glowing skin that made her look years younger, I too would scoop the jelly-like substance from inside the leaves of the aloe plants she grew in our backyard and massage it into my face.
The gel’s cool texture, and its translucence on my skin, made me take an instant liking to it.
Over the years, an aloe vera massage has become part of my beauty regimen even though grandma isn’t around to see me reap its benefits.
Reading up about the aloe vera plant, known also as the Lily of the Desert, I was thrilled to know that, as a fan, I was in august company.
Egyptian queens Cleopatra and Nefertiti, as well as Bollywood and Hollywood celebs, have applied aloe vera gel and consumed its juice for its health and beauty benefits.
1 in 10 have a seizure in their lifetime – a potential new drug could help
Historical records show that Alexander the Great, ancient king of Macedonia, and 15th century Italian explorer Christopher Columbus both used aloe gel to treat soldiers’ wounds.
The United States Pharmacopeia described aloe vera preparations as a skin protectant as early as 1810. In the 1930s, the plant was found to be an effective treatment for X-ray burns.
Studies have found that aloe vera can reduce the healing time of serious burns to around nine days – faster than Western medicines can achieve. It also helps prevent redness, itching and infections.
Aloe vera is a stout and hardy plant resembling a cactus, though it is a member of the lily family. You can buy aloe vera gel, juice or leaves, or you can easily grow your own plant at home in a pot. It thrives with minimal care.
Aloe vera leaves have three main layers: the green outer skin, clear gel inside, and yellow latex in between. To prepare the gel for consumption, the key is to remove all the latex from the gel; it contains a natural laxative known as aloin, which may be harmful in large quantities.
To make your own aloe vera juice, after cutting open the leaf and carefully slicing the clear gel away from the latex, give it a good rinse and blend it with water.
The gel has more than 75 nutrients and 200 active compounds, including 20 minerals, 18 amino acids and 12 vitamins.
It also contains calcium and magnesium, and drinking aloe vera juice can help athletes with muscle recovery.
Lisa Marie Presley’s death reminds us to keep hearts healthy – here’s how
The gel helps to heal pimples, burn wounds, blisters and allergic skin diseases, Gulati says.
If acne is cystic or infected, then it is best to add triphala powder (a combination of three dried fruits, including Indian gooseberry) and turmeric to the gel and apply.
Gulati recommends taking a tablespoon of aloe vera gel or juice on an empty stomach daily. To relieve constipation and detoxify the system, she advises having five to 10 grams of aloe vera juice with a pinch of rock salt.
“Apart from strengthening digestion, this also helps address acidity and bloating, improving appetite as well as kidney, liver and gallbladder function,” she says.
Aloe vera may be combined with “heating” herbs such as asafoetida, or hing spice, and made into pills called rajah pravartini vati, which help digestion, Gulati says.
Gut feeling: everything you have to know about the stomach
As well as applying it directly, you can make a face and body scrub by combining half a cup of fresh aloe vera gel with a cup of sugar and two tablespoons of lemon juice.
Aloe vera also acts as a great hair treatment, adds Asok.
Drug heralds ‘new era’ for hair-loss sufferers like Jada Pinkett Smith
“It promotes hair growth, prevents itching on the scalp, reduces dandruff and conditions hair. It has a chemical make-up that mimics keratin structure and rejuvenates the hair, preventing breakage,” she says.
“Mix equal quantities of aloe vera juice and extra virgin coconut oil and apply for a couple of hours every week before rinsing.”
