Health Benefits of Amla or Indian Gooseberry

Amla is a very wonderful gift of nature to the mankind. It is also known as Indian gooseberry in English. It is easily available in the market in the winter season. The fruit is sour to taste and can be eaten fresh as raw(in the form of juice, chutneys), or cooked (as jams, murabba, pickles) and in dried form as powder (with a glass of water). Amla is useful to every human being in multiple ways. Amla is a rich source of vitamin C and antioxidants, it contains many minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron and trace elements like chromium and is also a good source of vitamin B-complex and carotene. You can enjoy benefits of amla by eating or drinking juice daily, by using them in face packs to improve the texture and quality of your skin and can also use it for making your hair healthy long, black, shiny and bouncy. Few of its benefits are as follows:

1. Cures sore throat and cold and various other infections and ulcers of mouth and stomach): Health problems occur due to the presence of free radicals in the body, because free radicals damage our body cells and causes various diseases. Amla is a very good source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Because of abundance of vitamin c and antioxidants in it, daily eating or drinking amla juice boosts the body immunity and also helps in repairing the damage caused by free radicals and thus keeps us healthy. Daily drinking of amla juice with honey can relieve complications of asthma and bronchitis and is also helpful in reducing the incidence of chronic cough, allergic asthma and tuberculosis. It has alkalinising effect on the body.

2. Helps in reliving pain of arthritis: Drinking amla juice daily in the morning or eating raw amla reduces pain due to arthritis. Its anti-inflammatory properties helps to reduce swelling and pain of knee joints.

3. Helpful in overcoming problems of sleep disorders: Eating amla reduces stress thereby helps us to take proper sleep.

4. Improves eye sight: Amla is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin A and carotene. Carotenes have very good effects on vision related diseases of the eyes, including the diseases that are caused by free radicals and therefore its daily consumption improves the vision of eyes and prevents various disorders of the eyes for example, improves nearsightedness (far objects appear blurred) , prevents cataracts (clouding of natural eye’s lens, causes decreased vision) and reduces intra-ocular tension, reduces macular degeneration (small central portion of retina is called macula, damage to this part of eye causes severe loss of vision or eye sight, retina is the light sensitive nerve tissue at the back of eye), prevents night blindness (this is a symptom of eye disease when a person cannot see clearly and properly in dim light or at night), and strengthens your vision.

5. Helps in removing toxins from the body: Amla juice taken daily in the morning, on empty stomach helps in removing toxins from the body by helping the liver and bladder to function normally. It also helps to maintain alkaline pH of the body.

6. Improves digestion: Digestion: Amla is high in fiber content. (fiber, also called roughage is indigestible part of plant food. It adds bulk to the stool and therefore helps in clearing of bowel.) High fiber content helps in regular bowel movements and therefore reduces constipation. This action helps in removing toxins from the body through the stools and thus protects the body from various diseases of the digestive system and from cancer as well. Fiber in amla helps in improving digestion by stimulating the secretion of juices and enzymes of the digestive system and so the nutrients from eaten food are properly digested and utilized by the body. And thus keeps the body healthy. Amla also possess strong cooling property and can be used in the treatment of loose motions.

7. Helps in reducing body weight: Daily consumption of amla improves the digestion, increases the metabolism of body. When your body metabolism is high you lose weight fast.

8. Menstrual Cramps: Amla is very useful in preventing pain during menstrual periods.

9. Calcium Absorption: Amla makes our bones, teeth and hair strong. It helps the body in proper absorption of calcium.

10. Boosts body immunity: Amla is a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C and therefore it helps to strengthen the respiratory system and central nervous system of the body and also boosts body immunity by stimulating the immune system (Immune system is a very complex system of the body which includes various structures and protects the body against various infections and diseases, by producing large number of white blood cells and different other methods, when the body is attacked by viruses, bacteria etc.) of the body.

11. Improves hemoglobin level in the blood. It is very good for improving the level of hemoglobin

12. Reduces cholesterol level in the blood: Taking 500 mg of dry amla powder (with a glass of water) or amla juice daily helps to:

• Reduces bad cholesterol (LDL, VLDL and triglycerides) levels by over 40% in the blood
• Increase the level of good cholesterol (HDL) significantly, and thus makes the heart muscles strong.

13. Reduces the risk of gall stone formation.

14. Rich source of vitamin C: Amla is a very rich source of vitamin C and thus prevents scurvy ( a disease caused due to deficiency of vitamin C) and is also helpful in jaundice:

15. Cures diabetes: Amla is very helpful for patients with diabetes. Taking 2-3 teaspoons of amla powder (or juice of amla) in a glass of water daily, helps to cure diabetes naturally because it is rich in vitamin C. Amla is helpful in patients with diabetes by:

• Stimulating the cells of pancreas, to increase the production of Insulin.
• Its high chromium content makes the body more responsive to insulin and thus regulates the carbohydrate metabolism and thus helps in maintaining blood sugar levels.

16. Increases urine production: Amla has diuretic property (increases the production of urine). Increased production of urine helps in removing various water soluble toxins and harmful substances like excess water, various salts and uric acid (through urine) from the body and keeps are kidneys healthy and prevents urinary and kidney infections.

17. Rich source of antioxidants: When we smoke free radicals are released in our body and these free radicals damage the body cells. Amla is a very rich source of antioxidants, antioxidants are chemicals which can counteract the ill effects of free radicals. and because of this property amla reduces the bad effects of smoking on the body.

18. Very good for skin: Daily consumption of amla in any form delays premature aging, wrinkles and fine lines as it has high concentration of antioxidants. Amla also possesses astringent property (astringents are chemicals which have the property to shrink body cells). When amla juice or powder is used in face packs and applied to the skin, helps in removing the dead skin cells, reduces dark pigmentation of the skin. Its high vitamin C content increases collagen cell production and helps to make the skin soft and youthful.

19. Very good for hair: Amla is not only good for skin and eyes and digestive system but it is also very good and beneficial for hair. Amla has been in use in shampoos, in hair oils, in hair packs (helps in enhancing the natural hair color) and as hair conditioners. Amla is very good for the growth of hair, it strengthens the hair roots and thus prevents hair loss. Amla is very rich in iron, antioxidants and carotene. Amla prevents hair loss because its anti oxidant property does not allow free radicals to damage the hair follicles. Amla gives shine to dry and dull hair and prevents premature graying of hair. Massaging your scalp with warm amla oil once or twice a week, will help in removing dandruff, prevent premature graying of hair and will make your hair healthy, long, shiny, black, soft, silky and bouncy.