Aloe Vera is known to be one of the plants that is used regularly in recipes and home remedies. It has two substances that can be used: a gel and a yellow component called latex.
In most cases, people use the gel for creams, ointments and consumption in smoothies or home remedies. For its part, Aloe Vera latex is used as a laxative and treat disorders such as constipation.
However, the latter may have some contraindications in its use:
Although Aloe Vera gel is ideal for some skin conditions, such as burns and psoriasis, according to the Mayo Clinic, Aloe Vera latex should not be ingested, that is, its yellow substance.
The portal claims that unprocessed aloe latex contains chemicals that apparently can cause cancer. Additionally, processed aloe latex may contain cancer-causing compounds.If a person takes at least one gram of latex a day, for several days, it can cause kidney damage and even death.
Likewise, the extract of whole leaves or that yellow substance, if taken orally, may not be safe to consume in high doses. Specialized portals also records that other side effects from consuming latex are colic and diarrhea, and it is not recommended that it be consumed by children under 12 years of age.
About the Aloe
Aloe is native to the dry regions of Africa, Madagascar, and the Near East, although it has spread throughout the world.Members of the genera Gasteria and Haworthia, which have a similar mode of growth, are sometimes cultivated and popularly known as aloes.
Another family generally confused with the aloes are the agavaceae, but they differ from these in that their young leaves are not grouped in a conical shape, their scape is not terminal, and the plant does not die after flowering.
