Fact is there are many different types of aloe vera products available. These range from tablets and capsules to drinks, lotion and cosmetics.



There are refined drinks marketed a juices, and less refined ones marketed as gels. Of the tropical products, there are creams, lotions, sprays and cosmetics, as well as shampoos, deodorants and gargels.

Occasionally, alow vera is impregnated in tissues, and it has even been put in babies nappies, ladies tights and latex examination gloves.

The latest significant addition to the range of products containing aloe vera seem to have become a bit of a sale buzzword.

A Note of Caution

Unfortunately, many of the products claiming to include aloe vera contain so little as to make them ineffectual. When looking for aloe products always try to find one where the main ingredient of the product is aloe vera, with other additives also include-not the other way around. Look for the International Aloe Science Council seal of approval n th product and disregard cheap tablets of dried aloe vera,which are pretty useless.

Finding the Right Products

To be effective a product must contain a significant amount of aloe vera that has been manufactured and stabilised in such a way that it has not undergone excessive heating, filtration or concentration. When using a herbal extract, try to find one that is as near as possible to the natural plant. My own preference would be to find products containing a cold stabilised gel, unfiltered and unconcentrated.

Dangers of Filtration

We do not know every singly constituent of aloe vera. Therefore, it is possible that vital ingredients could be lost through the filtration process. Many products claiming to contain aloe Vera are produced using filtration, which is largely done to extract the contaminant aloin.

Unfortunately, this process could mean that other unknown but important substances could well be filtered out at the same time. Products that ar produced by the whole leaf method – where the whole plant is cut off at the base and macerated – have to be passed through a series of increasingly fine filters, eventually being filtered through carbon. This produces a very watery product with absolutely no aloin in it. Other products are produced by a different method, known as the filleting process. Individual leaves of the plant are cut off and put through machines that are set to squeeze out the gel, leaving the sap and rind behind. These products contain a very small amount of aloin, but the amount is insignificant. Indeed it has been suggested that a small amount of aloin is beneficial, helping ot improve absorbtion from the gut.

Summary

It is down to the individual to decide what product to choose,ut it is wise to be cautious of the "with aloe vera" tag.

“Be wary of the tag “with aloe vera”. It is better to buy a product that is mainly aloe vera rather than a product merely claims to contain some aloe vera.” Dr. Peter Atherton