Amla is one of the superfoods that stores various nutrients and mind-blowing properties to make your health blossom. It is an effective remedy for curing a number of ailments that can be consumed in a variety of forms, such as amla juice, powder, candies, or even in the form of tasty chutney or pickles.
What Is Amla (Gooseberry)?
Amla or Indian Gooseberry fruit has been a part of our Indian cuisine and supplements for a very long time. As per studies, the whole amla plant is considered to be a traditional medicine with a number of health benefits.
Amla plant is a small tree with yellow-green flowers that convert into round edible bright green coloured fruit as they get matured, which has a sour-bitter taste. Today the market is flooded with new varieties of amla products such as extracts and dried or powdered content. It is the richest natural vitamin C source.
Amla (Gooseberry) Nutritional Value
As per studies, amla is very rich in nutrition, making it effective in curing many health-related problems. Here is the list of nutrients it contains:
- Vitamin C: 600mg
- Iron: 1.2mg
- Moisture: 81.2%
- Sodium: 1.5mg
- Potassium: 297 mg
- Nicotinic Acid: 0.2mg
- Total carbohydrates: 15mg
- Fat: 0.9mg
- Calcium: 0.5%
- Proteins: 1.3 grams
- Dietary fibres: 6.5 grams
- Folic acid, copper, and magnesium
- Also, it is an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, B6, B5, and E
Must-know Facts About Amla (Gooseberry)
Amla has turned out to be magical for many health-related problems but before getting into its amazing health benefits, let's know about some of the fascinating facts about this green round sour fruit.
- Gooseberry is often associated with the dutch word Kruisbes which means corruption.
- In the 19th century, gooseberry was used as slang defined as pubic hair, and people called it the gooseberry bush.
- The plantation roots of this healthy sour fruit are derived from southeast Asia, northwest Africa, and Europe.
- Gooseberry skin is covered with veins that can help gain smooth hair.
- Each gooseberry fruit has 15 to 30 small seeds.
- The fruit is rich in vitamins C and B and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, manganese, and copper.
- This fruit can bear the yield of fruit for over 20 years.
Amla Benefits
Amla fruit is one of the natural powerhouses of nutrients that help prevent the accumulation of toxins in the body and provide the required strength to your immune system to fight many different diseases. Therefore, here are some of the unknown, surprising benefits associated with Amla fruit:
1. Amla Benefits in Healthy Digestion
As per studies, the dietary fibers present in amla help regulate bowel movement, which leads to providing relief from indigestion or irritable bowel syndrome. As amla is rich in vitamin C, it helps boost nutrient absorption in the body to maintain digestive systems health by providing nutrients such as iron, calcium, and other mineral supplements.
Even its antiplatelet effects help in preventing the formation of blood clots which may lead further to blockage in heart arteries boosting heart attack.
2. Amla/gooseberry Benefits for the Liver
Studies suggest that the Indian gooseberry, due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, protects the liver from liver damage by fighting against the high-fat diet or Compound called N-Nitrosodimethylamine, which are responsible for adding toxins to the liver.
3. Amla Promotes Heart Health
According to the studies, amla is one the most common fruit that promotes good heart health by preventing any heart-associated problems. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of amla help against heart injuries by reducing inflammation.
Amla also helps normalise and improve fat blood profiles by lowering triglyceride levels or any bad cholesterol by promoting the growth of good HDL cholesterol.
4. Amla Benefits for Cancer
As per studies, amla has anti-cancer properties that help sustain and fight cancer from your body. Amla extractions have a significant role in cancer prevention due to their antioxidant activity and many phytochemicals, such as tannins and flavonoids. It seems that the Indian gooseberry can also help prevent cell turnover that leads to tumour and cancer growth.
Vitamin C in Amla is known to increase the activity of natural killer cells leading to toxicity and breakdown of cancer cells. Amla also inhibits the growth and proliferation of cancer cells by inhibiting the enzyme topoisomerase and cdc25 tyrosine phosphatase.
5. Gooseberry Benefits for Diabetes
As per studies, the soluble fibre present in amla fruit gets dissolved faster in the body as compared to others; this helps reduce the amount of sugar your body absorbs, which helps to lower blood sugar levels. Amla fruit also positively affects blood sugar and lipid counts in people with type 2 diabetes.
6. Amla Boosts Mental Health and Promotes Blood Purification
According to the studies, the phytonutrients and antioxidants in amla can help in memorising strength by fighting free radicals that can invade and damage the brain cells. Amla being rich in Vitamin C, helps your body to produce norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that is believed to improve brain functioning in people with dementia or any other mental illness.
Its cooling effect helps you to stay calm. However, the combination of amla and aloe vera juice has turned out to be a deadly mixture that ensures a stress-free body.
Amla purifies your blood naturally by increasing your haemoglobin level, red-blood cells count, and removing toxins. It has antioxidant and detoxifying properties, which help in cleansing your blood.
7. Gooseberry Benefits Bones
As per studies, bone-related disorders such as osteoporosis are caused due to an increase in the activity of osteoclast cells that break down bone to release its mineral content causing damage to the cartilage cushion present between the joints.
Amla is known for its anti-osteoclastic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-resorptive activity, which helps in controlling and protecting the loss of mineral content in the bones. In the case of arthritis, Amla is known for relieving movement by protecting the cartilage pillow between the joints to reduce pain and improve the flow of blood.
8. Amla for Healthy Eyes and PCOS
As per studies, Amla berries are rich in vitamin A, which is the key factor for improving eye health. It also reduces the chances of age-related macular degeneration. Also, vitamin C in the amla fruit helps your eyes fight germs to protect eyes from conjunctivitis (pink eye), inflammation, redness, vision loss, and other eye-related diseases.
Due to its antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, Amla is known as a natural eye tonic for keeping them safe and healthy. Moreover, women with PCOS are usually advised to consume amla juice mixed with lukewarm water every morning with an empty stomach to get better results of PCOS under control.
9. Amla Benefits for Hair
Studies suggest amla promotes hair growth and prevents hair fall and premature greying of hair. The antioxidant properties of amla fight against the free radicals present in the skin, which prevents early greying of hair.
It repairs the broken and damaged hair strands and also boosts hair rejuvenation. It offers conditioning to the hair by giving an extra layer of shine. The antioxidant properties and vitamin c help in promoting the proliferation of specific cells in hair follicles.
10. Amla Benefits for Skin
As per studies, amla improves skin elasticity by getting rid of dead skin cells and promoting the formation of new healthy ones. Its strong antioxidant properties provide you protection from UV rays to prevent any skin damage.
Its anti-inflammatory properties help in controlling acne and inflammation to control the production of excessive sebum, which makes the skin too oily. Regular consumption of amla juice with high levels of vitamin c boosts the production of collagen in your skin to provide soft, youthful, and healthy skin.
11. Amla Juice for Weight Loss
According to the studies, amla helps in controlling body weight by preventing excessive hunger and cravings apart from the times of the meals. It is made possible due to amla's high dietary fibre and moisture content.
Also, amla's antioxidant properties help boost your metabolism, which is essential to support your weight loss journey. It removes toxins, improves digestion, and breaks down accumulated excessive fat in your body.
Also Read: Amla Juice for Weight Loss | How to Make Amla Juice for Weight Loss
12. Amla During Pregnancy
Studies suggest amla, due to its anti-inflammatory properties, helps prevent swelling around the feet and hands, which is common during pregnancy. It maintains a healthy blood pressure point to keep both mother and child safe.
Also, amla is a rich source of water that prevents dehydration and relieves water retention in the body of pregnant women. However, it should be consumed in appropriate amounts. It is rich in dietary fibres, copper, manganese, potassium, vitamin B5, and even folic acid, which helps cure nausea and balance the hormones during pregnancy.
How to Make Amla Juice?
Making amla juice at home is a very simple method with only 5 minutes of prep time. Follow the steps below:
- Take 3-4 chopped amla with water and blend it nicely.
- Filter the mixture and remove the pulp.
- Add 1 pinch of crushed pepper, 1 pinch of salt, and 2 tbsp honey to this mixture and stir well.
- And amla juice is ready to drink.
How Many Amla to Eat in a Day?
It is generally recommended to consume only about 1-2 Amla fruit per day as per your choice, whether raw or in any other form. However, it is usually advisable to consult a physician before using Amla for any therapeutic purposes as they will guide you to the amount of dosage beneficial as per your body requirements.
Recommended Dosage of Amla
Tracing some of the prescribed amounts of amla usually depends upon the purpose you want to use it for, whether for different types of ailments or for daily usage. So, here are some common recommendations for raw amla and its forms:
- Amla Fruit directly: 1- 2 a day, not more than that.
- Amla Oil: 2-5 drops is advisable or can be as per the doctor’s consultancy
- Amla juice: 1-2 tbsp twice a day with or without water
- Amla paste: ½ tsp or as recommended by the doctor, knowing your body requirements
- Amla Powder: ½ - 1 tbsp with lukewarm water in the early morning with an empty stomach
- Amla Candy: Take 1-3 candies after meals
- Amla Capsule: 1 - 2 capsules a day with lukewarm water after meals or as prescribed by the doctor.
Amla Juice Side Effects
Everything has its pros and cons. Therefore, over-consumption of amla can cause some side effects, as mentioned below, but when taken in an adequate amount, there is no such harm caused.
- Some people are often allergic to amla. Thus, intake of amla can increase the risk of bleeding.
- For diabetic patients, amla should be taken with proper precautions and in an appropriate quantity, as when consumed in excessive amounts, it can dramatically drop blood sugar levels. Therefore, it is important to monitor your blood sugar level regularly when you consume Amla and anti-diabetic drugs together.
- A higher dosage of Amla juice for individuals with dry scalp or dry skin can lead to a possible increase in the problem.
- As Amla is a good cooling agent, therefore it should be avoided during a cold, cough, or any aggravated flu problems.
- As per doctors, consumption of amla is not recommended during and after the surgery, as it might increase the risk of bleeding. Due to its antiplatelet properties, Indian gooseberry can thin your blood and prevent normal blood clotting.
- It can even aggravate the problems of hair fall, itchiness, dandruff, and other hair-related problems when not consumed in the right amount.
- Some compounds in the Amla fruit may also lead to dehydration. So, it is advised to drink lots of water after or along with the amla.
- Amla side effects on kidney- amla maintains excellent kidney health, but when consumed at a heavy dosage, then it may reverse the positives of amla contents such as polyphenols or high creatine levels. It affects the cellular metabolism and filtration functioning of the kidney.
Summing Up on Amla Benefits
With all points mentioned above and supporting studies, it has been proved that there are many benefits of eating amla, which acts as an antidote to many-body issues to promote overall growth and development. Therefore, adding a little amount of amla to your diet can create wonders by building your immune system due to its high nutritional value.
Also, the preparation process of amla juice, powder, or any other form is easy and can be easily prepared at home. In addition, it tastes phenomenal, and one can easily consume it without any inconvenience.
FAQs
What Happens if You Eat Amla Every Day?
Studies suggest that Amla has a great nutritional value that contributes to many health benefits, be it simple sore throat, skin problems, chronic pain, weight loss, or even diabetes. Also, consuming amla every day in an adequate amount can give your body a complete detox due to the presence of antioxidant properties.
Regular consumption of amla not only acts as a natural conditioner for promoting your overall body health but also improves eye vision, skin health, strengthens the immune system, and regulates blood sugar and lipids.
What Is the Best Time to Eat Amla?
The best time to eat amla is always considered to be early in the morning with an empty stomach, especially during the winter when temperatures drop. It not only cleans your colon but also removes toxins from the body with its strong antioxidant properties and high fibre and moisture content.
For maximum benefit, one should consume 1-2 amla fruit every morning as more than 2 can cause constipation because amla is a rich source of vitamin C and consumption in excessive amounts can always be harmful to the body.
Is Amla Cold or Hot?
According to studies, amla is a natural coolant that significantly lowers your body temperature. It can be used in the form of Triphala by mixing it with warm water and honey. It also acts as an effective cure for the flu as it helps to strengthen the immune system.
Can We Drink Water After Eating Amla?
Yes, it is normal to drink water after eating colourful green fruit amla, but drinking water after at least half an hour of any fruit consumption is preferred. However, one can mix amla juice in warm water to gain its true benefits by removing toxins packed in the body to help in losing weight.
References
- Sankaran Mirunalini, 2010; Therapeutic potential of Phyllanthus emblica (amla): the ayurvedic wonder - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20506691/
- Akula Annapurna, September 2012; Health benefits of amla or indian gooseberry fruit (Phyllanthus emblica) - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298153173_Health_benefits_of_amla_or_indian_gooseberry_fruit_Phyllanthus_emblica
- Mahendra Parkash Kapoor, Koji Suzuki, March 2020; 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 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6926135/
