Amla (Indian Gooseberry)

Amla is light-green coloured fruit with its name derived from Amalaki in Sanskrit that translates to ‘nectar of life’. In Ayurved, Amla is claimed to help eliminate the underlying causes of many diseases by balancing the three doshas (Kapha, Vata, and Pitta) in the body.

In this post, we will be discussing everything you want or need to know about Amla.

What Is Amla (Indian Gooseberry)?

Amla (scientific name Phyllanthus emblica) is a superfruit that is harvested from a flowering tree of the same name found in the Indian subcontinent [1]. Amla in Ayurved has been used in many remedies for millennia.

 Other names for Amla:

• Botanical names: Emblica officinalis and Phyllanthus emblica
• Sanskrit: Amalaka, Amrtaphala, Dhatriphala
• Hindi: Amla, Aonla
• English: Emblic Myrobalan, Indian Gooseberry
• Assamese: Amlaku, Amlakhi, Amlakhu
• Bengali: Amla, Dhatri
• Gujrati: Ambala, Amala
• Kannada: Nellikayi
• Kashmiri: Embali, Amli
• Malayalam: Nellikka
• Marathi: Anvala, Avalkathi
• Oriya: Anala, Ainla
• Punjabi: Aula, Amla
• Tamil: Nellikkai, Nelli
• Telugu: Usirika
• Urdu: Amla, Amlaj

Best known for its high Vitamin C content, Amla's list of benefits includes better digestion, blood sugar control, brain health, and eye health. Ayurvedic treatments make use of standardised Amla powder or extracts, but you can also eat the slightly sour fruit or drink Amla juice.

Amla Benefits:

Here is a list of 10 benefits of Amla:

1. Improves Immunity:

Indian Gooseberry has eight times the Vitamin C content as an Orange. Its antioxidant concentration is 17 times that of a Pomegranate and twice that of an Acai berry. The high concentration of antioxidants like Vitamin C makes Amla a potent Immunity booster [2].

2. Promotes Weight Management:

It is used in Ayurvedic weight loss treatments as it enhances metabolism and promotes better digestion, leading to improved weight reduction [3]. It is suggested that eating amla or drinking amla juice on an empty stomach is the best way to promote weight loss with Amla. Drinking Amla + Giloy Juice can magnify weight loss because of these fat-burning ingredients.

Related: Top 10 Weight Loss Juices

3. Purifies The Blood:

It has a high concentration of antioxidants like Vitamin C which help detoxify the blood. Drinking this Ayurvedic juice can help cleanse the body of toxins while improving haemoglobin levels naturally. Including Amla in your everyday meals or drinks is a great way to maximize and maintain your health.

4. Promotes Hair Health:

It is rich in hair growth-promoting vitamins and minerals that help prevent hair loss and cures dandruff. It improves blood circulation to the scalp which strengthens the hair follicles and slows down greying [4]. You can apply Amla powder on hair with a mixture of the powder with Shikakai and curd. Leaving it be for half an hour before rinsing it off is recommended.

5. Prevents Chest Congestion And Combats Infections:

It strengthens the immune system to combat bacterial and viral infections like the common cold [5]. The fruit also helps rid of chest congestion by aiding the removal of sputum. It also soothes the inflamed airways, bringing relief from respiratory ailments.

6. Improves Eyesight:

It contains carotene that helps improve your eyesight. It can also help prevent itching, reddening, and watering of the eyes. The carotene also helps prevent problems like intraocular tension and cataracts.

7. Strengthens The Digestive System:

It is rich in fiber and provides anti-inflammatory attributes that help combat constipation. The fruit also helps strengthen the digestive system by preventing stomach ulcers and combats hyperacidity. Ayurvedic medicines like Herbiacid contain Amla for the ability to regulate gastric acid production.

8. Improves Skin Health:

It can help hydrate and revitalize the skin while giving it a glowing tone [6]. Some have also claimed Amla to have anti-aging properties due to its high antioxidant concentration. You can drink the juice with some honey every morning to get healthy and glowing skin.

9. Relieves Pain And Inflammations:

Its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce inflammation while lowering common pains like those from mount ulcers, joint aches, and arthritis [7]. Drinking its juice is also considered to be effective at dealing with mouth ulcers.

10. Aids In Chronic Condition Management:

It is a superfood that can help manage chronic conditions like high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and asthma. The antioxidants in this fruit can combat oxidative damage caused by cancer while improving heart health. Indian Gooseberry also has Chromium that improves blood sugar regulation while enhancing the body’s responsiveness to insulin.

How To Use Amla?

This berry can be prepared and used in a variety of ways:

• Eating Fresh Amla Berries: You can get fresh Amla between December and April which can be eaten directly. The berries can be sour so if you are not a fan of the taste, you can look at the other options.
• Dried Amla: Dried and dehydrated Indian Gooseberry can be a great snack that will last for months. Just deseed and chop it into small pieces. Follow this up with a little salt and sundry the pieces for a few days until they are dry and ready to eat.
• Pickled Amla: You can make an Amla achaar with a slightly sour but spicy taste. Alternatively, you can make a sweet murabba when you soak the Amla in a sugary syrup. Either is great when you want to have it as part of your meals or as a snack on roti or bread.
• Amla Powder: You can purchase Amla powder from your online Ayurvedic store which can be used to make an Amla paste. This paste can be applied to hair roots for improved hair growth.
• Amla Juice: If you are looking for a convenient and simple way to include Amla in your daily routine, Indian Gooseberry juice is the way to go. The juice will not only hydrate and nourish your body but also provide all the benefits of Amla you are looking for.

Final Word:

With a 100-gram serving of fresh amla having as much Vitamin C as 20 oranges, it's clear to see why Amla has risen in popularity in India as well as abroad. The best part of amla is that the many ways to make use of Amla allow everyone to enjoy the benefits of this superfruit.

Having Indian Gooseberry as a part of your daily routine is a great way to boost your immunity and overall health.  Amla Juice by Dr Vaidya’s is a great Ayurvedic product that provides the benefits of fresh Amla.

FAQ:

What are Amla side effects?

Eating a few berries a day is safe for most people. However, overconsumption can lead to acidity, mild abdominal discomfort, and unwanted weight loss.

What are the amla juice benefits?

You can get the same benefits of drinking the juice as you would eating the fruit. This includes improved immunity, hair, skin, liver function, and more.

Who should not eat amla?

Those who are suffering from low blood pressure (Hypotension) should be careful when consuming Indian Gooseberry as the berry can lower blood pressure.

What are the Amla nutrition facts?

A half-cup serving of Amla has 33 calories, less than 1 gram of protein and fat, eight grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber and 0 grams of sugar.

Where to buy amla?

You can buy the berries and juice from your local markets. But if you want a natural Amla juice with no added sugar and no artificial color, get Dr Vaidyas Amla Juice.

Have more questions regarding Ayurvedic treatments with Amla?

Dr. Vaidya’s ayurvedic clinic is available for anyone who wants to drop in for a free consultation. Ou can also contact our in-house Ayurvedic consultants via phone, email or online doctor consultation.

References:

1. Phyllanthus Emblica - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/phyllanthus-emblica. Accessed 17 July 2021.
2. Kapoor, Mahendra Parkash, et al. “Clinical Evaluation of Emblica Officinalis Gatertn (Amla) in Healthy Human Subjects: Health Benefits and Safety Results from a Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Placebo-Controlled Study.” Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, vol. 17, Nov. 2019, p. 100499. PubMed Central, doi:10.1016/j.conctc.2019.100499.
3. Nazish, Iram, and Shahid H. Ansari. “Emblica Officinalis - Anti-Obesity Activity.” Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine, vol. 15, no. 2, Dec. 2017, p. /j/jcim.2018.15.issue-2/jcim-2016-0051/jcim-2016-0051.xml. PubMed, doi:10.1515/jcim-2016-0051.
4. Yu, Jae Young, et al. “Preclinical and Clinical Studies Demonstrate That the Proprietary Herbal Extract DA-5512 Effectively Stimulates Hair Growth and Promotes Hair Health.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM, vol. 2017, 2017, p. 4395638. PubMed Central, doi:10.1155/2017/4395638.
5. Baliga, Manjeshwar Shrinath, and Jason Jerome Dsouza. “Amla (Emblica Officinalis Gaertn), a Wonder Berry in the Treatment and Prevention of Cancer.” European Journal of Cancer Prevention: The Official Journal of the European Cancer Prevention Organisation (ECP), vol. 20, no. 3, May 2011, pp. 225–39. PubMed, doi:10.1097/CEJ.0b013e32834473f4.
6. Fujii, Takashi, et al. “Amla (Emblica Officinalis Gaertn.) Extract Promotes Procollagen Production and Inhibits Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 in Human Skin Fibroblasts.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 119, no. 1, Sept. 2008, pp. 53–57. PubMed, doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.05.039.
7. Rao, Theertham Pradyumna, et al. “Amla (Emblica Officinalis Gaertn.) Extract Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Procoagulant and pro-Inflammatory Factors in Cultured Vascular Endothelial Cells.” The British Journal of Nutrition, vol. 110, no. 12, Dec. 2013, pp. 2201–06. PubMed, doi:10.1017/S0007114513001669.