In the vitamin C stakes, luscious citrus fruits—tangerines, grapefruits, lemon—exude considerable main character energy. The humble amla, long chastised for its pungent taste, doesn’t usually assume headlines but a hitherto undetected streak of culinary daredevilry prompted me to invite it to my lunch menu.
The verdant slices on my plate didn’t get off to a great start—the seemingly innocuous fruit somehow managed to deliver the one-two punch of being sour and bitter simultaneously, soothed only by its mildly sweet aftertaste.
So, what prompted me to keep tipping some slices onto my lunch plate? The faint childhood memory of a two-week streak of incidentally eating amla and waking up to the shiniest hair of my life. Having moved cities and discovered the wrath that hard water can exude on frayed strands, the ever-alarming volume of hair left behind everywhere—pillows, bedsheets, hairbrushes, and, somehow, shirt pockets—prompted me to pursue natural remedies.
Benefits of eating Amla in Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, it can help balance all the three doshas. No wonder, it finds its place in various Ayurvedic formulations. The ancient fruit is known to promote longevity, enhance digestion, treat constipation, reduce fever, purify blood, reduce cough, alleviate asthma, strengthen the heart, benefit eyes, stimulate hair growth, and enhance intellect.
Indian gooseberry, the Ayurvedic wonder fruit, is abundant in winter and must be included in daily diet to boost immunity and overall well-being. With an assortment of different tastes like sour, pungent, bitter, astringent, and sweet, it can be turned into both pickle and murabba. The versatile fruit can also be consumed as a powder or juice. If you have a sweet tooth, you can also have amla candy that can satiate your sugar cravings around this time of the year.
My quest would lead me to it, or the Indian gooseberry, which comes with an impressive portfolio of nutrients to compensate for its less-than-palatable flavor profile. Dr Sravya C Tipirneni, consultant trichologist at Manipal Hospitals in Bengaluru, concurs and adds, “As a vitamin C powerhouse, it lends a hand for collagen production, which is the protein that gives hair its strength and structure.
Its abundant reserves of iron are also important for ferrying oxygen to the hair follicles, which is essential for hair growth. Its potassium content can also help to regulate oil production in the scalp for preventing dandruff and hair loss, while zinc and beta-carotene help maintain hair health.”
Instead of waking up to the drastic before-and-after results that I expected, I discovered incremental changes along the way. Two weeks into my experiment, my hair suddenly developed a glossy shine. Over time, the shine was complemented by a begging-to-be-touched softness.
The strands littering my hairbrush and pillows didn’t altogether diminish but did grow fewer in number. Dr Tipirneni validates my findings, “People who eat amla regularly may notice thicker, stronger hair after a month, along with reduced hair loss and dandruff as well as darker, more vibrant color in greying hair.”
The tree is known for its small green fruits, which have a unique flavor often described as sour, bitter, and astringent.
The fruit is often enjoyed pickled or candied. It’s also sometimes sold as a powdered supplement or consumed as a juice for a quick and convenient way to squeeze some extra nutrients into your diet.
The juice is not only versatile and delicious but also highly nutritious and associated with a variety of health benefits.
To stay your healthiest best, meet the superfruit Amla! You probably know it as sour & bitter-tasting fruit, that your mother tries to add to some recipe! Truth is, in Amla consumed in any form is equally beneficial. In India, its use is very frequent since its benefits have been disclosed from generation to generation.
A staple in most Indian households, amla, or Indian gooseberry, is a boon for people with skin issues. This bitter-sour superfruit is one of Ayurveda’s most popular ingredients as, thanks to its high nutritional profile, it not only fights a series of illnesses but also has great effects on the skin. It can be consumed in different forms, right from powder and juice to chutney and pickle. Here are seven problems that will leave your skin for good if you incorporate amla into your daily routine:
Cultivated throughout India and nearby countries, amla has gained a following throughout the world as a “superfruit.” It’s no surprise — a 100-gram serving of fresh amla berries contains as much vitamin C as 20 oranges.
Amla, also known as Indian gooseberries, grows on a flowering tree of the same name. The small berries are round and bright or yellow-green. Though they are quite sour on their own, their flavor can enhance the recipes they’re added to.
While we can’t be entirely sure when Ayurvedic healers started using amla berry, historical records tell us they’ve been used in remedies for at least 1,000 years.
Incorporating this ancient superfruit into your diet may improve your overall health.
Health Benefits:
The antioxidants and vitamins found in amla berries offer several health benefits. High concentrations of vitamin C in amla help the body recover from illness. Amla berries also include several flavonols, chemicals that have been linked to benefits like improved memory.
Here are some other health benefits of amla:
1. Diabetes Control: The soluble fiber in amla berries dissolves quickly in the body, which helps to slow the rate your body absorbs sugar. This can help reduce blood sugar spikes. Amla berries also have a positive effect on blood glucose and lipid counts in people with type 2 diabetes.
2. Better Digestion: The fiber in amla berries helps the body regulate bowel movements and may help to relieve symptoms from conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. High levels of vitamin C in Amla berries help your body absorb other nutrients, so they may be helpful if you take iron and other mineral supplements.
3. Healthier Eyes: Amla berries are rich in vitamin A, which is key to improving eye health. Vitamin A not only improves vision, but it also may lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Amla’s vitamin C content aids in eye health by fighting bacteria, which can help to protect your eyes from conjunctivitis (pink eye) and other infections.
4. Immunity: One 100g serving of amla berries (about a half cup) provides 300mg of vitamin C—more than twice the daily recommended value for adults. You’ll also find notable amounts of polyphenols, alkaloids, and flavonoids. Amla has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
5. Memory and Brain Health: The phytonutrients and antioxidants in amla can benefit memory by fighting against free radicals that can attack and damage brain cells. Amla’s high concentration of Vitamin C helps your body produce more
