Aloe vera is a desert succulent native to Southern Africa which is now grown all over the world. A member of the lily family, Aloe vera is one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. Each leaf of fresh Aloe vera contains a mucilaginous gel, which is a potent source of long-chain sugars known as polysaccharides. These healing long-chain sugars have been identified with Aloe vera's historical use as an aid to immunity, the digestive system, and the liver. These polysaccharides act as a unifying force, modulating the energies of all the biologically active compounds within the gel and synergistically combining their individual effects to activate even higher levels of healing than the isolated components. The gel of raw Aloe vera also contains vitamins A, C, E, and B12, the minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and chromium, as well as antioxidants, fiber, amino acids, enzymes, sterols, and lignins.
Polysaccharides provide all of the nutrients above as well as more than 200 additional co-factors with a guiding force, bringing an incredible range of health benefits within reach. The raw gel of fresh Aloe vera has been shown to aid in the normalization of blood sugar, helping to lessen the symptoms of diabetes. Recent studies have shown that levels of the important antioxidant vitamins B12, C and E remained elevated for 24 hours after taking the fresh gel internally, providing a gentle time-release effect of these vitamins in the body. Consumption of the fresh gel has also been shown to stimulate the body's own antioxidant defenses and increase the bioavailability of naturally occurring antioxidants found in foods and whole-food supplements.
The polysaccharides found in raw, fresh Aloe Vera are one part of a larger family of essential glyconutrients, long-chain sugars that the body needs in order to maintain a strong immune system and achieve radiant health. Polysaccharides such as those found in raw, fresh Aloe Vera may also be found in high concentrations in Goji Berries, Yacon Syrup, and Sun Warrior Organic Activated Barley.
The gel of raw, fresh Aloe vera has a mild, slightly bitter flavor, due to the presence of high concentrations of polysaccharides. Once the gel is removed from the inner leaf, it may be combined with other foods in smoothies, salads, or other raw food preparations. Aloe vera combines well with high antioxidant foods and superfoods like Bee Pollen, Goji Berries, and Raw Chocolate in all types of recipes, and it has a synergistic effect with whole-food, antioxidant- rich supplements such as Maca Extreme and Sun is Shining. Try mixing tiny cubes of raw Aloe vera gel into a salsa, or blend up pieces of the raw gel into soups, spreads, and dips. Add the benefits of this traditional healing food to any raw dish you can imagine!
Once the raw gel has been removed from the outer leaf, the gel remaining on the inner surface of the leaf may be applied to the skin as a moisturizing lotion, sun-tan lotion, or as a soothing relief from minor burns. Due to its strong effects in cleansing the liver, pregnant women and young children should not take Aloe vera internally. This Aloe vera grows outdoors, and has retained higher concentrations of MSM absorbed from the rain. Each box of fresh, raw, sustainably-grown Aloe vera contains approximately 12 leaves, certified GMO and pesticide-free by the International Aloe Science Council. This fresh, raw Aloe vera is kept under refrigeration before being shipped to you, in order to preserve its many beneficial properties. This Aloe vera is guaranteed to be the juiciest, freshest, and most healing variety you have ever tried.
Scientific References
Yougchaiyudha, Rungpitarangs et. al.
Antidiabetic activity of Aloe vera L. juice. I. Clinical trial in new cases of diabetes mellitus.
Phytomedicine, 1996.
Vinson, J., H. Al Kharrat, and L. Andreoli.
Effect of Aloe vera preparations on the human bioavailability of vitamins C and E.
IASC conference presentation, 2002.
Devaraj, S., S. Patel, R. Jialal, and I. Jialal
Aloe supplements enhance bioavailability of vitamin C and B12 in older adults.
The FASEB Journal: Experimental Biology 2007® Abstracts 8.1-701.35.
Washington, DC; April 28-May 2, 2007.