Amla, bestowed with exceptional medicinal and healing properties is one of the most commonly used ingredients in Ayurveda for more than 5000 years.
Amla also called the Indian Gooseberry is an ancient edible fruit of a deciduous tree. It is native to India and is now widely grown in countries like Srilanka, Malaysia, Uzbekistan and China. The word Amla is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Amalaki’, synonymous with ‘Rejuvenator of life’, which rightly justifies the Superfood tag in all respects.
This little berry presents a nutrient studded profile with exceptional amounts of Vitamin C (100 gms of amla gives approximately 600 mg of Vit C) along with other nutrients like Choline, fibre, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, phytochemicals (polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins) while being low in fat and calories.
Health Benefits:
- Amla boasts of a treasure of Vitamin C and other antioxidants that prevent oxidation of cells by free radicals, delays cell damage, and improve health.
- The role of vitamin C in collagen synthesis makes Amla vital for skin, and hair health.
- Amla protects from heart diseases, as it decreases LDL cholesterol (bad) and increases HDL cholesterol (good).
- Amla boosts the immune cells, and many antibodies which are the first line of defence against infections thus building immunity.
- Amla has anti-inflammatory properties, thus preventing and curing ulcers.
- Amla may aid weight loss and regulate blood sugar as it is high in fibre and low in calories.
Amla can be used in many forms. It can be sun-dried, powdered, pickled, juiced, made into a sweet preserve (popularly called murabba in India) or consumed fresh. It can also be added to chutneys, sprinkled on smoothies, salads in powdered form.
The fresh Amla juice contains 20 times as much Vitamin C as orange juice. A single amla fruit is equivalent to one or two oranges in Vitamin C content.
Heating, drying or storage of fresh fruits usually leads to the destruction of most or all of the vitamin C originally present. Amla is, however, an exception among fruits as it contains substances like tannins, polyphenols, leucoanthocyanins which partially protect vitamin C from destruction on heating or drying.
Amla is one Superfood that can single-handedly work as a Magical potion to promote health and Longevity!
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