For
more than 3,500 years, healers and physicians have sung
the praises of this fragrant desert lily. Pictures of
this juicy, succulent plant have been found on the walls
of the temples of Egypt, where it was believed to have
been used in the embalming process. Alexander the Great
was reputed to have conquered the island of Socotra in
the fourth century B.C., in order to acquire the
beautiful violet dye produced by the species of Aloe (socotrine)
grown there. Aloe originated in southern Africa, and
many varieties of this perennial are now cultivated
throughout Africa, the Mediterranean and Caribbean
regions, and in many countries of South and Central
America and Asia. Although there are nearly five
hundred varieties of this perennial plant, only Aloe
Vera is considered to be the “true” curative healer.
Some of Aloe Vera’s constituents include beta-carotene,
beta-sitosterol, lignins, saponins, calcium, iron,
magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, amino acids and
the important antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E and B1, B2
and B3).















