How to identify fake Aloe Vera? Recognise it

May 9, 2024
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The world of canary aloe vera is becoming increasingly deceptive, with products being labelled as pure extracts of the plant when they are far from it. In this article, we analyse the keys to this problem and how to identify the real aloe vera.

Identifying fake aloe vera

These companies often use powdered aloe vera, obtained by dehydrating the leaf, instead of the natural or cold-pressed juice, which results in the loss of the plant's beneficial properties.

In addition, many of these products do not contain genuine Canary Island aloe vera and the companies exploit the reputation of the Canary Islands to add prestige to their product. Pirate companies label their products as Canarian without using significant amounts of juice from the islands, filling the product with water or other inferior juices.

Some Asian or Mexican products are marketed as Canary Island products, increasing their price without offering the same quality. Legally, only 5% of the product is required to originate in the Canary Islands to be labelled as "contains Canary Island aloe vera", which allows manipulation of the information.

Fraudulent companies often hide the source and amount of juice in their products or promote their products as pure, when in fact they contain concentrated powder. Genuine aloe vera products contain mainly aloe barbadensis leaf juice, and have a characteristic smell and consistency. It is crucial to use organically grown Canary Island aloe vera, as plants grown with chemicals can contaminate the juice with harmful substances.

False aloe vera products are usually very low priced compared to the real thing, as they are artificially made using chemicals, extracts and rehydrated powders, which have little cost to the company. Natural aloe vera products are usually more expensive than these, as they involve taking care of the plant, respecting nature by only using 5 leaves a year so that it can recover, and only using leaves from plants over 5 years old, which are those that have reached maturity and have all the nutrients.

Genuine aloe vera products contain mainly aloe barbadensis leaf juice.

Water as the main ingredient

An important indicator of the product’s authenticity is the information that lists the ingredients of the mixture in descending order of quantity. In authentic, natural Canary Island aloe vera products, the main ingredient is aloe barbadensis leaf juice, which is the pure juice extracted from the plant. If this ingredient is at the top of the list of ingredients, you can trust the authenticity of the product. On the other hand, if a product is marketed as pure aloe vera juice and the first ingredient is not aloe vera juice or is water, it is likely to be fake aloe vera.

These products are mainly made by drying and crushing aloe vera leaves, which means that water is the main ingredient used to rehydrate this powder. It is important to note that the properties and benefits of Aloe Vera are found in the gelatinous juice contained within the leaves. When dried, these properties are lost by 90%. The only way to preserve all these properties is to use Aloe Vera in its natural form or by cold pressing and processing.

These products can be kept for several months after opening. However, it is important to note that they may change colour, although this does not affect their properties. In fact, these changes may indicate that the product is genuine and natural.

Industrial odours

Aloe vera, a member of the Liliaceae family, shares sensory characteristics with other members of its botanical family, such as garlic or onion. Its natural taste and smell are similar to garlic, with a distinctive sour note. It also has beneficial properties such as the ability to stabilise cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels, making it useful in the management of diabetes.

Counterfeit canary aloe vera products often have exotic and pleasant flavours, which may indicate that they are fake. Juices that are marketed as pure but do not have the characteristic flavour of the aloe vera plant family may be fraudulent products. These products may be adulterated with artificial elements to enhance their taste and mislead the consumer.

Aloe vera shares sensory characteristics with other members of its botanical family, such as garlic or onions.

The deception of bright green

Pure aloe vera leaf juice is characteristically colourless, gelatinous and whitish. It is never bright green. However, counterfeit products labelled as pure aloe vera often show this green colour, which can mislead the customer into believing it is natural. In reality, genuine aloe vera products should not be bright green as the material used to make them is off-white or transparent.

The “100% pure” scam

Labelling aloe vera as "100% pure" is misleading because in reality it cannot be completely pure. By law, even products labelled as 100% pure must contain a minimum amount of preservatives, such as vitamin C, vitamin E or potassium salt, in order to be packaged, usually 0.02%. Therefore, claims of "100% pure" can be an indication of a counterfeit product.

Aloe vera powder-based products typically contain around 80% water, along with other chemicals and industrial ingredients in addition to the concentrated extract. In contrast, genuine pure juices retain the properties of aloe vera through a cold pressing and processing process that involves cutting the leaves one by one, usually by hand. Therefore, if a product does not meet these characteristics, it is likely to be a counterfeit aloe vera scam aimed at offering a cheap but inferior version.

So the next time you buy Canary Aloe Vera products, do your research. Check the labels, look for authentic characteristics such as taste and smell, be wary of exaggerated purity claims0 and look for quality certifications. By shopping at places like Finca Canarias and following these tips, you can avoid counterfeit products and enjoy the benefits of Canary Island aloe vera for your health and well-being.