All About Aloe

All About Aloe

The ins and outs of how and why to use aloe

Written By:
Kennia Joseph

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• Features

These days, you can find aloe vera in everything from lotions to shampoos. But, there are more applications for aloe than just topical use. Studies have shown that aloe can be used to benefit many aspects of one’s health, including detoxification, blood glucose support and digestive health.
In fact, aloe is said to contain 200 active components such as polysaccharides, vitamins, enzymes and minerals that “work harmoniously together to support overall health,” according to one industry company (1).

Digestive Health

The idea that aloe supports “digestive health” sounds broad, but shoppers may be interested to know that there are very specific reasons people buy aloe, including support for occasional constipation and overall digestive balance (2).

It should be noted that one reason for the laxative effect may be aloe’s aloin content, which can be harmful when consumed in large doses. Therefore, responsible companies filter it out and only include very low, safe levels of aloin that help support digestive regularity (1).

Studies have pointed to other benefits for gastrointestinal health thanks to its polysaccharides. These components may support a healthy pH in the stomach, and create an ideal environment for the growth of normal, healthy bacteria (1). Some say aloe’s ability to help maintain normal pH balance may also benefit those with occasional heartburn and indigestion (1).

While aloe cannot cure, treat or prevent any disease, some studies link aloe to support for gastrointestinal conditions and inflammation balance. One seminal study from 1963 suggested that when given to patients with peptide ulcers, aloe was helpful (3). More recently, a 2014 study combined aloe with ellagic acid (found in many fruits and nuts) and showed a positive effect on patients with ulcers.

Ranade et al., state: “In vivo studies showed that a combination of ellagic acid and Aloe vera gave 75% ulcer inhibition in comparison to 57% ulcer inhibition in the group which was administered with ellagic acid alone” (4).

In addition to its gastrointestinal use, aloe has been known to aid in detoxification and encourage the absorption of certain vitamins. A 2010 study, for instance, found that aloe promotes the absorption of vitamins E and C. The study included 18 patients that took either 500 mg of ascorbic acid or 420 mg of vitamin E alone or with 2 oz of aloe (whole leaf extract or inner fillet gel). After consumption, several blood samples were taken and the groups then switched regimens (5).

In the end, “Only Aloe Gel caused a significant increase in plasma ascorbate after 8 and 24 h….Only the aloes produced a significant increase in plasma tocopherol after 6 and 8 hours” (5). The authors add, “The results indicate that the Aloes improve the absorption of both vitamins C and E. The absorption is slower and the vitamins last longer in the plasma with the Aloes” (5).

Aloe’s support of nutrient absorption is one reason why some people believe in aloe for immune health.

Blood Glucose

Moving beyond digestive heath, preliminary research suggests that aloe vera intake can help support balanced, normal blood glucose levels.

In a 2009 study involving 15 type-2 diabetics, high molecular-weight fractions of aloe vera offered a “significant decrease in blood glucose level sustained for six weeks [from] the start of the study” (6).

A 2015 double-blind, randomized, controlled trial explored the effects of aloe on 72 prediabetic patients. Patients were administered capsules of aloe vera twice a day (doses of 300 mg or 500 mg) or a placebo. Fasting blood glucose (no food after eight hours) and hemoglobin plasma and lipid levels in the blood were assessed at baseline, four weeks and eight weeks (7).

Those taking 300 mg of aloe vera had a significant decrease in  fasting blood glucose levels after four weeks, whereas the placebo group did not. This 300-mg group also experienced decreased HbA1C, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels after eight weeks, plus an increase in HDL cholesterol levels.

Make sure to tell shoppers interested in taking aloe, especially those under a physician’s care for blood sugar-related issues, to discuss the option with their doctor before adding aloe to their supplement regimens. WF

References
1. Lily of the Desert, www.lilyofthedesert.com, accessed 11/20/15.
2. Mayo Clinic, “Aloe (Aloe vera),” www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/aloe/background/hrb-20058665, accessed 11/20/15.
3. J.J. Blitz, J.W. Smith and J.R. Gerard, “Aloe Vera Gel In Peptic Ulcer Therapy: Preliminary Report,”
J. Am. Osteopath. Assoc. 62: 731–735 (1963).
4. A.N. Ranade, N.S. Ranpise and C. Ramesh, “Exploring the Potential of Gastro Retentive Dosage Form in Delivery of Ellagic Acid and Aloe Vera Gel Powder for Treatment of Gastric Ulcers,” Curr. Drug Deliv. 11 (2), 287–297 (2014).
5. J.A. Vinson, H. Al Kharrat and L. Andreoli, “Effect of Aloe vera Preparations on the Human Bioavailability of Vitamins C and E,” Phytomedicine 12 (10), 760–765 (2005).
6. A. Yagi, “Possible Hypoglycemic Effect of Aloe Vera L. High Molecular Weight Fractions on Type 2 Diabetic Patients,” Saudi Pharm J. 17 (3), 209–215 (2009).
7. S. Alinejad-Mofrad et al., “Improvement of Glucose and Lipid Profile Status with Aloe Vera in Pre-Diabetic Subjects: A Randomized Controlled-Trial,” J. Diabetes Metab. Disord. 14, 22 (2015).

Published in WholeFoods Magazine January 2016

Top 10 Cholesterol Lowering Foods AND WHAT to AVOID !

Top 10 Cholesterol Lowering Foods

Cholesterol is a steroid lipid (fat) found in the blood and is necessary for proper functioning of cell membranes. Our bodies already manufacture all the cholesterol we need, so it is not necessary to consume more. High levels of cholesterol have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol lowering foods should be incorporated into everyone's diet for optimal health. The percentages by which these foods lower cholesterol reflect people who have high levels of cholesterol greater than 200 mg/dL, and therefore have been diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia. Different diets, lifestyles, and foods will work differently for different people.  Cholesterol lowering foods include oat bran, flax seeds, garlic, almonds, walnuts, whole barley, and green tea. Below is a detailed list of foods which lower "bad" LDL cholesterol, while leaving the good HDL cholesterol largely unaffected.

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#1: Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fats (Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Peanut Oil, Peanuts, Olives, Avocados)
Cholesterol Reduction:18%^1,2,37
Substituting saturated animal fats and other high cholesterol foods with healthier fats like olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and avocados is the most powerful thing you can do to achieve a drastic reduction in your LDL cholesterol. Specifically a diet high in olive and sunflower oil, that contains 12.9% saturated fat, 15.1% monounsaturated fat, and 7.9% polyunsaturated fat can achieve an 18% reduction in LDL cholesterol vs people on a diet higher in saturated fat.¹

#2: Bran (Oat, Rice)
Cholesterol Reduction:7-14%^3-5
Bran, particularly oat bran, has been proven effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels. Add bran to hot cereals and bread. Also, eating whole oatmeal every morning, or switching to whole products like brown rice, can help you get more bran in your diet and lower your cholesterol numbers

#3: Flax Seeds
Cholesterol Reduction:8-14%^6,7
Up to 50 grams of flax seeds a day has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol in healthy young adults by up to 8%,⁶and 38 grams of flax seeds per day reduced LDL cholesterol by 14% in people with high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia).⁷ In both studies the flax seeds where consumed in a muffin or other bread product. Flax seeds are easily incorporated in baked goods, as well as added to hot cereals like oatmeal. 

#4: Garlic
Cholesterol Reduction:9-12%^8,9
Studies have shown that less than half a clove (900mg) of raw garlic a day can lower cholesterol by 9-12%.^8,9 Raw garlic is best and can be added to olive oil salad dressings, or as a garnish on soups and sandwiches. Click to see complete nutrition facts for Raw Garlic.

                               #5: Almonds
Cholesterol Reduction:7-10%^10-12
Several studes report that eating up to half a cup of almonds can reduce cholesterol levels by up to 10%. In a dose response study it was found that a quarter cup of almonds reduces cholesterol by 5% and half a cup causes the full 10% reduction.¹¹ As almonds are a high calorie food, it is not recommended that you eat more than half a cup. Almonds are great as a snack, or as an addition to breakfast cereals like oatmeal. 

#6: Lycopene Foods
Cholesterol Reduction:0-17%^13,14
Lycopene is a carotenoid pigment responsible for giving fruits and vegetables their red color and is found in tomatoes, watermelon, and various other high lycopene foods. Studies are conflicting as to whether lycopene reduces LDL cholesterol or not. Some studies report a 10-17% reduction^13,14 while other studies find no difference.^15,16 Despite this difference, lycopene is thought to generally promote heart health whether it lowers LDL cholesterol or not.

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#7: Walnuts and Pistachios
Cholesterol Reduction:10%^17-21
Numerous studies report a reduction in cholesterol with consumption of walnuts or pistachios. This is esepcially true when the fats from the nuts replace consumption of other high cholesterol fats. Consuming around 30 grams of walnuts, or having the nuts be about 20-30% of total caloric intake is necessary to achieve the cholesterol lowering benefits.¹⁹ 

#8: Whole Barley
Cholesterol Reduction:7-10%^22,23
Like the bran from oats and rice, barley reduces cholesterol, particularly when it is used as a substitute for wheat products.²² Barley can easily substitute for wheat in the form of barley noodles, barley flour, or whole pearl barley. 

#9: Dark Chocolate and Plant Sterols
Cholesterol Reduction:2-5%^24,25
The plant sterols and cocoa flavanols in dark non-milkchocolate have been shown to reduce cholesterol by 2-5%. Further, plant sterols (phytosterols), found in all plants, and particularly plant oils like corn oil and soybean oil have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol by up to 16%.²⁵ However, this reduction is largley due to inhibiting absorption of cholesterol, and would not have a large effect if you consumed little or no cholesterol. 

#10: Green Tea
Cholesterol Reduction:2-5%²⁶
Green tea has long been a staple in East Asia where it is believed to wash oil (fat) out of the body. Studies suggest this may be true as green tea can lower cholesterol by 2-5%.²⁶Green tea without sugar also has few calories (typically less than 10) and can make a great substitute for a variety of beverages.

Carbohydrates are found in almost all living things and play a critical role in the proper functioning of the immune system, fertilization, blood clotting, and human development. A deficiency of carbohydrates can lead to impaired functioning of all these systems, however, in the Western world, deficiency is rare. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates like sugar or corn syrup, can lead to obesity, type II diabetes, and cancer. Unhealthy high carbohydrate foods include dried fruit, cereals, crackers, cakes, flours, jams, preserves, bread products, and potato products. Healthy high carbohydrate foods include vegetables, legumes (beans), whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt. 

Below is a list of foods highest in carbohydrates, for more see the extended list of carb rich foods to AVOID. For more healthy high carbohydrate choices see the list of healthy high carb foods.

AVOID !

#1: Sugars, Syrups & Sweeteners (Granulated Sugar)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per teaspoon (4g)	Percent Carbohydrate
100g	4g	100%

Other Sugars, Syrups & Sweeteners High in Carbohydrate (Grams per teaspoon): Fructose (4g), Aspartame (3.6g), Honey (3.3g), Powdered Sugar (3g), Brown Sugar (2.9g), and Maple Syrup (2.7g). 

#2: Candies (Jelly Gumdrops)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per 10 candies (36g)	Percent Carbohydrate
98.9g	35.6g	99%

Other Candies High in Carbohydrate (Grams per 10 candies): Almond Nougat (129g), Chocolate Tootsie Rolls (61g), Hard Candies (59g), Low Calorie Gum Drops (44g), Butterscotch (43.5g), Low Calorie Candies (30g), Chewing Gum (29g), Jellybeans (26.2g), Sugarless Chewing Gum (19g), and Skittles (10g). 

#3: Dried Fruit (Dried Apples)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (60g)	Percent Carbohydrate
93.5g	56.1g	94%

Other Dried Fruit High in Carbohydrate (Grams per cup):Dried Cherries (128.8g), Dried Blueberries, sweetened (128g), Prunes (117.6g), Raisins (115.3g), Dates (110.3g), Cranberries (98.7g), Dried Apricots (98.6), Dried Peaches (96.5g), Figs (95.2g), and Dried Bananas (88.3g). 

#4: Cereals (Frosted Rice Crispies)

Carbohydrate 100g	In a 3/4 cup (30g)	Percent Carbohydrate
91.3g	27.4g	91%

Other Cereals High in Carbohydrate (Grams per 3/4 cup (NLEA Serving)): Crispy Rice (28.5g), Cocoa Crispies (27.2g), Corn Pops (26.9g), Frosted Flakes (26.8g), Reduced-Sugar Frosted Flakes (26.3g), Honey Crunch Corn Flakes (26.1g), Marshmallow Froot Loops & Cocoa Dyno-Bites (25.9g), Apple Jacks with Marshmallow (25.1g), Golden Crisp & Fruity Dyno-Bites (24.3g), Golden Puffs (24.2g), Honey Smacks (23.9g), Bran Flakes (23.8g), and Fruit & Nut Muesli (23.3g). .

#5: Snacks (Fat-Free Potato Chips)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per ounce (28g)	Percent Carbohydrate
83.8g	23.5g	84%

Other Snacks High in Carbohydrate (Grams per 2 cakes/crackers): Rye Wafers (17.6g), Rye Crispbreads (16.4g), Corn Cakes (15g), Brown Rice Cakes (14.7g), Multigrain Rice Cakes & Buckwheat Rice Cakes (14.4g), Fat-Free Saltines (8.2g). Grams per ounce: Pretzels (22.8g), Unsalted & Low-Fat Tortilla Chips (22.4g), Popcorn (21.8g). 

#6: Cookies & Cakes (Fortune Cookes)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cookie (8g)	Percent Carbohydrate
84g	6.7g	84%

Other Cookies & Cakes High in Carbohydrate (Grams per ounce): Fudge Cake Cookies (21.9g), Gingerbread Men & Plain or Low-Fat Graham Crackers (21.8g), Gingersnaps (21.5g), Sugar-Free Chocolate Cookies & Animal Crackers (21g), Butter Cookies (20.8g), Vanilla Cream Sandwich (20.7g), and Low-Fat Vanilla Wafers (20.6g). (Grams per piece or slice): Coffee Cake (29.6g), Fruit Cake (26.5g), Sponge Cake (23.2g), Low-Fat Cake Snacks (19.6g), and Fat-Free Devil’s Food Cake (11.9g). 

#7: Flour (Rice Flour)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (158g)	Percent Carbohydrate
80.1g	126.6g	80%

Other Types of Flour High in Carbohydrate (Grams per cup): Potato Flour (133g), Barley Malt Flour (126.8g), Brown Rice Flour (120.8g), Barley Flour (110.3g), Wheat Flour (95.4g), Yellow Corn Flour (89.9g), Dark Rye (87.8g), Millet Flour (86.9g), Whole-Grain Wheat Flour (86.4g), Buckwheat Flour (84.7g), Light Rye (78.2g), Medium Rye (76.9g), Oat Flour (68.3g), and Chickpea Flour (53.2g). 

#8: Jams & Preserves 

Carbohydrate 100g	Per tablespoon (20g)	Percent Carbohydrate
68.9g	13.8g	69%

Other Jams & Preserves High in Carbohydrate (Grams per tablespoon):Marmalade (13.3g), Apricot Jam (12.9g), and Dietetic Jam (7.5g). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#9: Bread, Toast, Bagels, Pizza (Cinnamon-Raisin Bagel, toasted)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per bagel (99g)	Percent Carbohydrate
59.3g	58.7g	59%

Other Breads, Toast, Bagels & Pizzas High in Carbohydrate (Grams per slice/piece): Deep Dish Cheese Pizza (39.5g), Pan-Dulce (35.5g), Whole-Wheat Pita (35.2g), Pita Bread (33.4g), Thin-Crust Cheese Pizza (27g), Whole-Wheat English Muffin, toasted (26.9g), English Muffin (26.2g), Raisin Bread (16.5g), Flour Tortilla (15.4g), White Bread, toasted (14.7g), Wheat Bread (14.3g), Wheat Germ Bread (13.5g), Whole-Wheat Bread, toasted (12.8g), . 

#10: Potatoes (Hash Browns)

Carbohydrate 100g	Per cup (156g)	Percent Carbohydrate
35.1g	54.8g	35%

Other Potato Products High in Carbohydrate (Grams per serving): Whole Baked Potato (36.6g), One 3.5oz (100g) piece of Candied Sweet Potato (33.7g), 10 French Fries (21.2g), 1 Medium Potato Pancake