Amla Uses, Health Benefits & Complete Detail.

Amla is the most famous Ayurvedic medicinal ingredient That can be used as a single drug medicine or as a food. It can be found and cultivated throughout India and neighbouring countries. It has gained the name ‘Superfruit’ because of its vast following throughout the world.

• As mentioned by WebMD a serving of hundred grams of fresh Amla berries contains Vitamin C approximately the same as 20 oranges.

• It is also called Amalaki and its English name is Indian gooseberry. It is called so because of its strong Sour test, amla means sour in Sanskrit.

• Amla [Amalaki] – 

• Scientific Name – Emblica Officinalis, Phyllanthus Emblica
• Family – Euphorbiaceae

There is no documentation about when the usage of Amla has been started for health benefits, but available Ayurvedic scriptures can give a hint that it has been used by Ayurvedic medicine to treat health issues for 1000 years or more.

Amla uses

In many health conditions this fruit has been used as a therapeutic remedy, some of them are given below which are mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic scriptures.

• Vaya Stapana = Anti Aging
• Sarvanga dosha = Balances all 3 doshas
• Chakshushya  = Improves eye health
• Pramehaghna = Anti-diabetic
• Vrishya  = Natural Aphrodisiac
• Raktapittaghna = Treats Bleeding disorders
• Hridya = Treats Heart diseases
• Jwaraghna = Treats Fever
• Kanthya = Improves Voice
• Dahahara = Reduces Burning sensation

Therapeutic properties

According to PubMed, the therapeutic properties of this fruit are 

• Antidiabetic
• Hypolipidemic
• Hepatoprotective
• Antibacterial
• Antiulcerogenic
• Chemopreventive
• Antioxidant
• Gastroprotective

Vedio

Amla Benefits for Health

Common cold

• It has been famous for its large resource of Vitamin C and a lot of varieties of antioxidants and phytochemicals. It has antioxidant and excellent immunity-boosting properties which can help to relieve recurrent colds due to low immunity

• Vitamin C present in this fruit Helps for the uninterrupted performance of macrophages and boosts the overall immunity of the body.

Digestive Health

• It contains easily soluble fibres which directly enables effortless healthy digestion.

• Generally, the diet of the United States and many regions of Europe consume food that lacks fibre content in their food,  which causes slow intestinal transit, Digestive discomfort, constipation etc.

• It induces intestinal transit Because the presence of plenty of easily soluble fibre helps to get rid of digestion problems.

• It helps to maintain a healthy level of gastric juices and helps for proper digestion of food which also helps to reduce the heaviness of the stomach and flatulence, bloating etc.

• Because of the presence of a high amount of Vitamin C, It may help to Relieve symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome[IBS], Which may directly help the body to absorb the other nutrients and mineral supplements

Healthy Glucose levels

• In type 2 diabetes this fruit is beneficial with positive results
• It contains easily soluble fibres which digest fast and reduce the fast release of sugar into the blood. Introduce the rate of absorption of sugar into the body.
• It can also protect the pancreatic cells And reduce oxidative stress Which may damage the pancreatic cells
• Helps for maintaining balanced blood glucose levels by constantly overlooking insulin secretion in the body.

Cholesterol levels

• It helps to reduce the deposition of fats in the arteries and veins, Decreases the bad cholesterol and also increases the good cholesterol which is needed for the body.
• It helps to improve cardiovascular health by increasing good Blood circulation throughout the body.
• It may help to lower the risk of atherosclerosis.

Weight loss

• It helps to improve the metabolism which directly helps in reducing the deposition of fats in the different parts of the body. Various scientific studies have shown its high fat-burning properties
• It is also helpful for treating obesity, obesity due to diabetes And heart problems.

Improve Eye Health

Amla fruit berries contain a rich quantity of vitamin A and Vitamin C. Vitamin A is The main vitamin for improving vision and can also help to reduce Age-related macular degeneration. Vitamin C present in it will help to reduce the infections of the eye like conjunctivitis.

Inflammatory Properties

In many scientific research studies it has been proven that this fruit has anti-inflammatory properties, it helps to decrease the inflammation in arthritis, Osteoporosis, fever, joint pain etc.

Boosts Immunity

It contains a huge quantity of Vitamin C which directly helps to improve immunity and can help to reduce infections.

It also has a good amount of Alkaloids, Flavonoids and polyphenols.

Brain Health

• It helps to fight against free radicals Which can damage the brain cells Due to the presence of phytochemicals and antioxidants that directly help to improve memory.

• The presence of lots of Vitamin C helps to produce a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine, Which is very good to increase the healthy functioning of the brain in dementia patients.

Cancer

• Many research studies have found that the extract of this fruit can inhibit the oncogenesis Process.
• It has anti-tumour properties, it can induce the apoptosis Of Cancer cells without affecting the healthy body cells.
• Some Research studies have shown positive results in colon cancer and lung cancer.
• It inhibits the enzyme topoisomerase and cdc25 Tyrosine Phosphatase

Skin

It can be used as a tonic for the skin, it helps to filter and purify the blood. That directly benefits the skin. It contains a huge quantity of Vitamin C, the vitamin which is best suited for skin problems and the glow of the skin.

Amla Skin Remedy – 1 teaspoon of Amalaki powder mixed with half a strand of saffron can be taken with water for skin glow and complexion.

Amla Ayurvedic medicinal qualities

• Rasa [Taste] – Sweet, Sour, Pungent, Bitter, Astringent
• Guna [Quality] – Heavy to digest, Coolant
• Veerya [Potency] – Cold
• Effect on Tridosha – Balances all the 3 doshas

Nutritional values

A Hundred grams of Amalaki contains;

• Calories – 96
• Carbohydrates – 6.9 grams
• Iron – 1.2 grams
• Protein – 0.9 grams
• Fat – 0.1 grams
• Fibre – 3.4 grams
• Minerals – Iron, Phosphorus, Calcium, Carotene, Sodium, Vitamin B complex, Cholesterol, Protein, Carbohydrate.
• Vitamins –  Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E

Amla Dosage

• It is a berry fruit
• You can consume this fruit with a doctor’s suggestion

• Raw Fruit – 2 to 3 pieces of  Row fruits Before food for hyperacidity
• Fruit juice – 4 teaspoons of raw Amla juice before food  2 times a day
• Amla churna [powder] – Half teaspoon of Amla churna mixed with honey or water Before food two times a day
• Amla pill/tablet – 1 or 2 Amla pills/tablets can be taken 1 or 2 times a day Before or after the food.
• Amla Capsule – One or two Amla pills/tablets can be taken one or two times a day before or after the food

Amalaki Side Effects

• Generally, this fruit is safe to consume for all
• In some patients it may increase the urine frequency, in that case, you can Sandalwood [Chandana] powder to reduce the frequency of urine

• People with cold and cough symptoms may increase the symptoms if they consume it.

• Consuming more than the prescribed dose may cause skin dryness, hair dryness, stomach irritation, Loss of appetite, Indigestion, Belching and a burning sensation, Nausea, and Vomiting

• Store In a cool and dry place where direct sunlight can’t reach.

Interaction with Allopathic Medicines

• It doesn’t interact with allopathic medicines

• It may interact with synthetic compounds of allopathic medicines so consult a doctor for their suggestion.

• It is recommended to take this medicine under the opinion of a Healthcare provider.

• We Suggest our patients maintain a 30-minute interval between Amla and western medicines to avoid any unknown interactions.

Interaction with Homoeopathic medicines

This fruit doesn’t interact with homoeopathic medicines, so this medicine can be considered as safe with them.

Interaction with the Health supplements

• Generally, its tablet/pill is considered as safe with health supplements like multivitamins Omega 3 fatty acids etc

• If you are taking more than one health supplement at a time and you want to take this medicine along with it, Consult your doctor for more information

• Normally we suggest to our patients that if they are taking any health supplements, they should avoid taking both at the same time and maintain a 30-minute interval between the two different medicines

For Pregnant Women

• It Is generally well tolerated in Pregnant women. More research is needed in this context.
• Get an opinion from your doctor if you want to consume it.

For Lactating mothers

• This fruit is considered safe for lactating mothers
• Please consult your doctor for more information and safety.

For Kids

• This fruit is safe for kids 
• Keep it in a place where kids can’t find it.

Research and references

1. ‘Amla’ is a wonderberry in the treatment and prevention of cancer by the European Journal of Cancer Prevention
2. Cytoprotective and immunomodulatory properties of Amla On Lymphocytes by ScienceDirect.com
3. Amla in therapeutic applications by Greenpharmacy.info
4. Gastroprotective effects of Amla by Sciencedirect.com

FAQ