›› Benefits Of Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is one of
those trendy little herbal treatments that is really popular these
days. I’ve been using lotions and creams containing
aloe vera to treat sun burns and minor scrapes, and also just to
moisturize dry skin. As it has become increasingly popular
for use internally, I’ve begun to wonder about the benefits
of aloe vera juice as a drink.
So what are the benefits of aloe vera juice inside the body?
Doing a quick search through various sites online you’ll
discover that the benefits of aloe vera juice range from a boosted
immune system, avoiding cancer, longer life span, more youthful
complexions, and a host of other rather extreme claims. If
you look a little further you may discover some more reputable sites
with more reasonable discussions on the benefits of aloe vera
juice.
Unfortunately, it appears that there haven’t been a lot of
reasonable scientific studies done on the benefits of aloe vera
juice. The only clear proven beneficial use to date is as a
laxative because it is a rather harsh purgative, though it is rarely
marketed as such. Some studies have indicated that it can
actually increase risk for cancer if used regularly as a
laxative. It is unclear what other side effects aloe vera
juice may have, and is therefore not a good idea for use in pregnant
women.
So even though the benefits of aloe vera juice are exalted by hosts of
different sites around the internet, you’ll quickly notice
that its always the ones that are trying to sell you something that
make these claims. One of my favorite claims that I came
across was one that said something like ‘because aloe vera
juice is 100 percent natural, it is completely safe and you can drink
as much as you like’. That may be one of the most
absurd things I’ve ever read online to date. The
most deadly and toxic substances known today are completely
natural. This is especially funny (in a bad way) because one
health site I visited suggested that excessive aloe vera juice can
induce nausea and vomiting, so clearly its probably not safe to drink
lots of it.
In my opinion, the benefits of aloe vera juice don’t weigh up
to the possible side effects and potential risks. There are
plenty of other proven safe and milder laxatives out there, and plenty
of other ways to take good care of your body without ingesting
something that hasn’t been studied very well.
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A Healthy Dose of Good Advice
