The green way to health

While we see a lot of vendors selling fruit juices in Chennai, aloe vera may surprise customers with its medicinal values. The thick, clear gel inside the leaves is said to cure diseases such as ulcer, thyroid problems, and diabetes, as well as treat eye and skin irritation among people of all ages. South India’s tropical climate is favourable for growing the plant, and one can see a number of aloe vera stalls dotting the city roads this summer.

Gayathri Sampath and her grandfather David Velankani have been selling aloe vera in two forms – juice and gel – for over a year, and have been spreading awareness among a large group. Velankani, who suffered from severe knee pain, says, “It was my illness that led me to start the stall, as aloe vera juice brought me much relief.”

He sells one leaf for Rs. 30 and the plant as a whole for a meagre Rs. 100, while the juice costs Rs. 20 per glass. The shop opens as early as 6 am, as it’s believed that drinking the juice in the morning helps one’s body stay cool throughout the day. By 2 pm, the stalls are closed. Velankani usually serves the juice with a dash of salt and pepper, “else it will taste terrible,” he says.

Sundari Munnusami, who works as a beautician, helps Sampath and Velankani run the family business. She says that the gel also helps heal prickly heat rashes during summer. She enthusiastically rubs the gel on her face and hands to demonstrate its moisturising effect. She adds that the gel could also act as a cleansing solution. To get the maximum out of an aloe vera leaf, she suggests that it be applied directly on the skin, without processing it.

It’s only recently that people have started realising the importance of aloe vera in their diet. “We see a substantial increase in sales during this time of the year,” says Sampath. Every day, Velankani and Sampath see plenty of customers stop by, for whom they quickly whip up a cool drink for the hot summer.

Back to roots

Aloe vera’s use can be traced back 6,000 years to early Egypt, where the plant was depicted in stone carvings. It was also known as the ‘plant of immortality’.