Lifestyle

Study Shows There’s No Aloe Vera in Some ‘Aloe Vera’ Products

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Web MD says that aloe vera can be used for a multitude of reasons. When it comes to skin, aloe can soothe itches, burns, dryness, wounds and even gum disease and frostbite. Because of all of the wonders aloe vera can do for our bodies, it’s become a staple in over-the-counter products at major stores like Walmart, CVS, and Target. But Bloomberg is reporting that many of these items might not have any aloe in them at all, despite what they claim on the outside of the bottle.

Bloomberg writes that all of the products tested listed “aloe barbadensis” as one of the top two ingredients inside of their bottles, but “aloe’s three chemical markers — acemannan, malic acid, and glucose — were absent in the tests for Wal-Mart, Target, and CVS product.” What they did find was a cheaper substance called maltodextrin, which is used to imitate “aloe barbadensis.”

While Target hasn’t responded to the claims, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens have said they stand behind their products. Tim Meadows, president of Concentrated Aloe Corp, says that the tests in cosmetic products are not accurate due to the experiments not being reliable. Despite this, some lawsuits concerning the legitimacy of aloe vera in these products have already been filed.