There are around three hundred known subspecies of Aloe. Out of those three hundred or so, only a few have medicinal properties, and of those few only one of them is used as a true elixir. That plant is commonly known as Aloe Vera, or Aloe Barbadensis Miller, it is the most beneficial one out of its whole family.

A botanist called Miller found this plant on the island of Barbados and classified it under the name of Aloe Barbadensis Miller. Aloe Vera has sword like leaves with thorns on the sides, the set up of these leaves can often remind a person of a rose growing straight from the ground. From the middle of this "rose" rises a flower stem which ends in yellow or reddish colored flowers. Aloe Vera falls under the family of Lilies, and its flower somewhat resembles those of the Eastern Lilies.

An adult plant reaches the heights of approximately 29 inches to 49 inches and once mature it has from twelve to fifteen leaves. The leaves are quite large, they grow anywhere from 4 inches to 5 inches (and over) in width, at their widest point. In their adult stage the leaves are regularly known to weigh from 1.5 pounds to over 3 pounds. The leaf dimensions will vary depending on the quality of the soil in which they are grown, the climate and other natural elements.

On the plantations of southern Texas, in the area around the Rio Grande river the Aloe Vera plants are planted in rows, at distances of 23.5 inches to 27.5 inches from one another. These distances between each of the plants allow for an efficient and modernized harvesting methods and transportation with tractors and trucks.The process of planting is done through taking the little plants that grow out around the main plant and moving them. These little ones get replanted once they reach the height of 12 inches to 16 inches.

Aloe Vera is not a new fad, this plant has been in use for medicine for thousands of years. The proof of which is found in the Mesopotamian tablets found in the city of Nipur, in the description, on papyrus, of Aloe Vera's medical properties found in Egypt between the knees of one of the mummies.

Throughout the history Aloe Vera has been known as the plant of wonders, the magical plant, or the plant of the kings. And as such it was respected and used with much success by Pharaohs, Native Americans, Ajurveda (a system of medicine which is native to India) doctors, Indira Gandhi, Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Colombo, Hippocrates and many other civilizations and famous names throughout
the history.


Aloe Vera in todays world:

Today the whole world has heard of Aloe Vera due to her presence in many of the popular cosmetic products. Although Aloe Vera is not a medically established therapeutic medium, there are numerous reports about the healing properties of Aloe when it comes to many different health issues. Aloe has by now, rightfully, earned the name of the Magical Plant on all of the five continents.

The Americans and the Russians appreciate this plant because of its ability to neutralize the effect of harmful radiation exposure. Due to this they use it as a prophylaxis at many clinics as an addition to radiation therapy. Many experts call it the Doctor of the Twenty-first Century because of its proven healing properties when it comes to very serious and difficult illnesses.

Aloe Vera grows in Eastern, Western, and Southern of the African countries, the areas which border with the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. It is also found in India, the islands on the Indian Ocean, and in China. They are also man raised in these areas, on top of naturally populating the land. Furthermore you can find it on the islands of the Caribbean Sea, for example on Aruba, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic. As far as North America is concerned you can find Aloe Vera in Mexico, Texas, California, and Arizona.
Areas where Aloe Vera is best cultivated are extremely warm and tropical places, with very low water levels. Due to its low maintenance Aloe is loved by gardeners and often grown as an ornamental plant on top of a medicinal plant. As low maintenance as it is, Aloe Vera will not survive in areas where low temperatures, under 0 degrees Celsius, last over longer periods of time.

As is the case with many natural products and their juices, the stability of Aloe Vera is very limited. This significantly limits the period of time in which it is usable on the world market. Because of its unstable nature the micro-organisms basically destroy it. During the end of the Forties and the start of the Fifties some experiments with the stabilization of Aloe Vera were started. As a result of those findings Aloe Vera can today be transferred across to the other areas to which it was previously foreign and it can also be released onto the market. After suitable stabilization of the Aloe Vera the product was able to be released onto the commercial market to consumers of the nutrition, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries.

Top 10 reasons to use Aloe Vera:

10) Aloe Vera benefits dental health and hygiene.
- Aloe Vera is especially healthy for your mouth and your gums. Keep that in mind and the next time you go pay your dentist a visit ask him, or her, about it.

9) Aloe Vera calms skin and the mucous membranes.
- It maximizes the function of the fibroblasts. These are incredible little cells which are responsible for the formation of collagen and are very important in the process of wound healing. They also help to calm the minor burns, cuts, scrapes and skin irritations.

8) Aloe Vera helps with digestive health.
- A healthy digestive tract ensures that all of the energy and the nutrients are extracted from the food we eat and that all of the waste that remains is expelled. Aloe Vera has natural detoxifying abilities. Regular use of Aloe Vera gel can greatly improve the performance of the intestines and increase the absorption of the proteins, while at the same time it minimizes the presence of unwanted bacteria and other waste. All of this is done naturally. Aloe also eases things with digestive problems.

7) Aloe Vera supports the immune system.
- Aloe provides natural support for out immune system. While the immune system works so that it protects the body, Aloe naturally strengthens it.

6) Aloe Vera regulates body weight and energy levels.
- Regular use of Aloe Vera will naturally help your body cleanse its digestive tract. Our diets today include many unwanted properties which can cause lethargy and bloating. By using Aloe regularly, you will feel better, have more energy and obtain your ideal body weight more easily.

5) Aloe Vera helps the renewal of collagen and elastin.
- Aloe is a rich source of material for creation and maintenance of healthy skin. Skin renews every 21 to 28 days. It can use nutrients from Aloe Vera regularly for a healthy growth and aging process.

4) Aloe Vera contains many of the minerals we need daily.
- Some of the minerals that are found in Aloe Vera are calcium, sodium, iron, potassium, chromium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and zinc.

3) Aloe Vera is a rich source of many of the vitamins our bodies require daily.
- It includes the vitamins; A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E, Folic Acid and Niacin. Human body simply cannot store some of these vitamins and because of that, it is necessary to supply it with them through regular diet.

2) Aloe Vera has anti-inflammatory effects.
- Aloe Vera can help with the movements of your joints and muscles and has been known to stop inflammatory processes.

1) Aloe Vera contains essential amino acids.
- Amino acids are essential to our bodies, they are the building blocks of proteins and have different roles in metabolism. Aloe Vera contains many of our bodies extremely needed amino acids.