Consuming aloe vera is not safe

The fresh leaves of aloe vera, which consumption is currently in fashion, can do you more harm than good, warns the General Directorate of Competition, Consumption and Fraud Control (DGCCRF).

The medicinal and cosmetic virtues of aloe vera are a hit on the Internet. Creams, ointments and other preparations based on this plant exist. But in the store you can also find its fresh leaves, which you cook yourself at home. It is this last case that worries the French authorities, because the dangerousness or not of these sheets depends on the way in which they will be prepared by the customer.

In an aloe vera leaf cut in the direction of the width, only the gel in the center of the leaf is consumable, after cooking. This gel is surrounded on all sides by a thin layer of latex, a yellow liquid which is highly dangerous. When the leaves are sold whole, it is therefore up to the customer to separate the gel, the only consumable part of this plant.

Various studies on the properties of aloe vera have been carried out in the past. The researchers point out that this plant can cause cramps in the stomach, even diarrhea and the constipation. In addition, aloe vera can disrupt the electrolyte balance and the functioning of the liver. It can also cause arrhythmia. In a notice published in January 2018, the European Food Safety Agency (EASA) indicates that the latex compounds of aloe vera are likely to damage DNA and be carcinogens.

The DGCCRF therefore recommends that you exercise caution if you choose to buy the fresh leaves of this plant, and advises against their consumption for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women and fragile people.