Natural Medicine

Ayurvedic Superfood Amla is Nutrient Packed and Hormone-Friendly with exceptional Anti-aging Properties

The fruit of the Indian Gooseberry tree is used in the Ayurveda and Unani systems of medicine for therapeutic purposes due to its ability to balance all three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

By Mark Zuleger-Thyss

 

  

Scientific & Other Names

Phyllanthus emblica, Emblica officinalis, Amalaki, Neli, and Indian Gooseberry

 

 

Containing 5 out of the 6 tastes recognized by Ayurveda, Amla fruit has many excellent benefits for your health and overall well-being.

 

 

Believe it or not, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are uncommon for some people. I know two Midwesterners who have a gag reflex even thinking about fruit.

If you travel to California, you will experience fruits and vegetables you never knew existed – everything under the sun. But in the Midwest, the produce section is an entirely different story – the opposite of enticing.

Midwesterners don't usually find beautiful, plentiful fruits and vegetables at their grocer, and many don't get into the habit of eating them. As a Midwesterner myself, I discovered an unbelievable assortment of produce once I moved to California. Consequently, I dug in, gobbling them up - every kind of fruit - daily.

One fruit, the Indian gooseberry, or Amla is even more uncommon—in America—yet it’s one of the healthiest berries around. In Asian countries, Amla is indeed found everywhere.

Amla is a true superfood, possessing an extremely high vitamin C content. Indian gooseberry is the second-richest natural source of the antioxidant vitamin C, each fruit containing between 600 mg and 700 mg of free radical-ending superpowers.

 

 

The fruit of the Indian Gooseberry tree, native to Asia, enjoys actual superfood status. Amlaa originated from the word Amlaki, which in Sanskrit means “nectar of life.” 

The Amalaki tree plays an important role in Indian tradition—so large that the tree is considered a sacred plant in India and a special holiday is celebrated for it.

The Amla berry is considered the fountain of youth and is an integral part of everyday life for most people in India.

 

 

 

 

Phyllanthus Emblica belongs to the Family Euphorbiaceae

The Amla plant is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree with feathery leaves, pale green flowers, and round pale green or yellow fruit.

In India, it is considered a sacred tree. It is found only in tropical areas and originating mainly in India, South Asia, and East Africa. It also grows in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, China, and Malaysia.

The tree can reach a maximum height of 18 meters and produces an average of 150 kilograms of fruit, which are dried and processed into Amla powder.

Amla fruit ripens in autumn in moist, forested, hilly areas of the Indian subcontinent. Fruit is very nutritious, but it tastes sour. Both dried and fresh fruits can be consumed for their nutritional benefits.

Because of its diverse and far-reaching health effects, the Amla fruit is one of the most used and important medicinal plants in Ayurvedic medicine.

 

 

A hundred grams of raw Amla contains 490 mg of Vitamin C. Whereas a lemon contains 77 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams.

 

 

Amla fruit from India have been used in Ayurveda for centuries. The berry is said to have medicinal effects, such as the ability to lower blood sugar.

It is also considered the fruit of beauty, which is why it is increasingly becoming known for skin and hair care. 

The fresh fruit of the Amla tree is more than 80% water, protein, minerals, carbohydrates, and fiber. 

It is also a remedy for fever, liver disease, anemia, and urinary, respiratory, cerebral, and gastric diseases. Gooseberry lowers cholesterol, increases red blood cell production, and strengthens teeth and nails.

The curative benefits of Amla can improve these health concerns:

 

Hair Care

Eye Care

Calcium Absorption

Metabolic Activity

Menstrual Cramps

Diabetes

Diuretic Activity

Digestion

Heart Disease

Infection

Diarrhea And Dysentery

Improvement in Appetite

Anti-aging

 

 

 

Food as Medicine & Use in Traditional Indian Medicine

Medicinal plants can be vital in natural healing, promoting a healthy, happy, and disease-free life.

Amla fruit can be used as a medicine and tonic to improve vitality and resistance power. Fruits are highly nutritious and could be an essential source of vitamin C, amino acids, and minerals.

Indian gooseberry is uniquely complex, and this makes it super nutritious. It has more antioxidant activity than blueberries and contains 30 times more polyphenols than red wine and more gallic acid (a potent antioxidant) than any other fruit.

The bright-green Alma fruits, seeds, leaves, roots, bark, and flowers of the plant are used in the Ayurveda and Unani systems of medicine. 

Amla is beneficial in reducing Pitta because of its cooling energy and balances both Pitta and Vata with its sweet taste. The Kapha is balanced primarily due to its drying action and may be used as a Rasayana (rejuvenating) to promote longevity.

 

Amla is also helpful for:

• Enhancing digestion (dipanapachana)
• Treating constipation (Anuloma)
• Reducing fevers (jvaraghna)
• Purifying the blood (Raktaprasadana)
• Alleviating asthma (svasahara)
• Stimulating hair growth (romasanjana)

 

 

 

 

Amla Helps in Treatment and Prevention of Cancer

Several experimental studies have proven Amla's cancer-preventive effect. Amla's antiviral and antimicrobial properties have been well demonstrated. However, the Indian “miracle berry” may have even more potential, at least according to research.

Phyllanthus emblica is one of the most researched plants in the Ayurvedic medical system.

Experimental studies have shown that Amla and some of its constituents (like pyrogallol, gallic acid, and ellagic acid) possess anti-neoplastic properties. 

It also protects the healthy cell substance from damage during chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The cause of their positive effects lies in the composition of their ingredients (tannins, alkaloids, flavonols, and vitamin C). 

The cell-protecting and immune-stimulating properties of the Amal fruit have come to the forefront in laboratory tests on cells.

 

 

Amla contains Hepatoprotective Properties

Scientific studies have strongly suggested that Amla effectively prevents the toxic effects of hepatotoxic agents like paracetamol, heavy metals, and ethanol. 

Amla is also reported to impart beneficial effects on liver function and mitigate hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome. 

 

 

 

 

Amla & its Anti-diabetic Effects

Emblica officinalis has anti-diabetic properties.

Scientific studies have shown that Amla and some of its essential constituents (Gallic acid, gallotannins, ellagic acid, and corilagin) possess an anti-diabetic effect through their antioxidant and free radical-scavenging properties.

Amla also helps prevent hyperglycemia and diabetic neuropathy, although more scientific evidence is needed to confirm this study.

 

 

Indian gooseberry is super nutritious and has extraordinary healing properties, but currently, there is not enough scientific evidence to support its efficacy and safety.

It is best to consult your doctor before eating it or using it medicinally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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