Fad Or Fact: The TikTok Aloe Vera Trend

By Julie-Ann Sherlock And Ari Liakeas

These days, TikTok is full of information and advice on everything from running a business to finding love. It is an excellent source for recipes and life hacks, but some health suggestions should be taken with a pinch of salt. (Himalayan rock salt, naturally!)

One of the latest crazes on TikTok, which many of the platform’s creators swear by, is the health benefits of drinking Aloe Vera juice. There are numerous videos proclaiming that this wonder drink can promote gut health, help clear up skin ailments, and has a plethora of other health-enhancing capabilities.

This succulent plant, looking a lot like a member of the cactus family, grows in hot or tropical climates. It has green, fleshy tough leaves with small pointy teeth on their edges—so what is it about this little spiky, tropical plant that has everyone so excited?

Is it…