5 Off-Grid Reasons Everyone Should Be Growing Aloe

Aloe vera is a popular succulent plant with a rich history. Aside from its beauty and ease of care, aloe vera is often used as an herbal remedy. It's no surprise that the plant is referred to as "the burn plant," "the wonder plant," "the medicine plant" or "the silent healer," in reference to its medicinal capabilities.

Everyone should have an aloe vera plant, whether it's in a pot on their porch or in their garden (zone permitting). Here are five reasons why.

1. Aloe is More Effective At Healing Burns and Injuries Than Typical Ointments

For first and second degree burns you can't beat aloe vera. Not only does the gel take away pain and cool the burn but it also speeds up healing compared to traditional ointments. In one study done at Naresuan University in Thailand, researchers found that participants who were treated with aloe gel healed almost nine days sooner than those treated with traditional ointments.

Aloe vera gel also is equally or more effective than ointments for treating various rashes, cuts and abrasions. It also works well for blisters and other open-surface wounds. Aloe gel works well in part because it protects the injury when layered as a thick gel.

The wonderful thing about aloe vera is that you can just clip off a leaf, cut it open and put the gel directly on the wound. You can either leave it be or cover it with a bandage. According to most studies done, you really can't overuse the gel, so feel free to apply it as often as you feel necessary. Since the gel is so gentle on the skin it can be used on pretty much anyone and is a non-toxic way of treating scrapes on young kids.

2. Keeping a Few of These Plants Indoors Will Improve Air Quality

Aloe vera is rated as one of the top 10 NASA-approved plants for improving indoor air quality. The way this plant does this is by absorbing and neutralizing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde and benzene. These harmful VOCs are found in everything from plastics to household cleaners and prolonged exposure to them is believed to cause a variety of health issues.

While an aloe plant isn't going to completely clean your air, just having one plant in every room can actually make quite a difference. These plants are easy to care for and beautiful, so why not have a few pots around your home?