Top 13 Uses and Health Benefits of Amla

ndian gooseberry, popularly known as Amla, is known for preventing diseases as it is rich in antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and polyphenols. If you include this super fruit in your diet, then it can improve your hair, skin and overall health.

Are you keen to know the health benefits of amla?

If yes, keep reading this article as it highlights its health benefits and other essential details.

Mentioned below are the benefits that you can get by including amla in your diet:

1. Improves Immunity

One of the most significant advantages of eating amla is that it improves your immune system. This is because it has high amounts of vitamin C, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation and reduces cell damage. Furthermore, it helps to form immune cells and antibodies that destroy pathogens.

2. Reduces Blood Sugar

Amla has a mineral called chromium that helps to regulate blood sugar levels. Chromium increases insulin sensitivity and aids in reducing sugar levels in your bloodstream.

3. Boosts Brain Health

Phytonutrients in Amla assist in combating free radicals that cause damage to brain cells. Moreover, being rich in antioxidants, it also improves memory and the overall functioning of your brain.

4. Improves Hair Condition

Amla is rich in amino acids, vitamin C, fatty acids and tannins that help to nourish your hair. Applying Amla oil to your hair can strengthen hair follicles and prevent dandruff. Moreover, it increases hair growth, prevents greying of hair at a premature age, and naturally conditions your hair.

5. Improves Digestion

Amla has fibres that maintain bowel movement and reduces digestive issues such as diarrhoea and constipation. It also increases the production of gastric juices, which help to improve digestion and promote quick absorption of food, thus preventing acidity.

6. Maintains Healthy Skin

Amla is a rich source of collagen protein that helps to keep your skin soft and firm. Furthermore, the antioxidants in the herb help to decrease wrinkles and slow down ageing.

7. Improves Eyesight

Eating amla is beneficial in decreasing the risk of developing glaucoma, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. It also helps to prevent conjunctivitis and takes care of the overall eye health.

8. Maintains Heart Health

Vitamin C in Amla is excellent for maintaining your heart health. It lessens the risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases, including LDL or bad cholesterol, triglycerides and hypertension. It also combats oxidative stress that causes heart injury, decreases inflammation linked with heart disease and prevents the development of blood clots that result in stroke and heart attack.

9. Increases Iron in Body

Amla has a high content of iron. This helps in increasing the amount of haemoglobin in red blood cells in the body.

10. Increases Bone Strength

Amla has high amounts of calcium that helps in building and strengthening bones. In addition, its anti-inflammatory properties decrease inflammation, reducing swelling and pain in joints caused due to arthritis. You can also consume Amla to treat bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

11. Aids Weight Loss

A protein in Amla reduces cravings, thus promoting weight loss. Additionally, you can eat the fruit without worrying about weight gain as it is low in fat and carbohydrates. Nutritionists claim that amla improves metabolism, helping to shed weight faster, and since it contains tannic and fibres, it also prevents constipation and reduces bloating.

12. Boosts Liver Function

Amla juice has high amounts of phytochemicals such as gallic acid, quercetin, ellagic acids and corilagin. All of these help to protect your body from free radicals and detoxify it. It improves your liver functioning and gives you energy all day long.

13. Balances Hormones

Amla eliminates toxins from your body, controls the menstrual cycles, and improves hormonal functioning and fertility in women. It further combats adverse effects of PCOS on your health, such as unwanted hair growth and obesity.

You can find Amla easily in the Indian markets, mostly from April to December. The best way to get the health benefits of amla is by the following ways: 

• Drink its juice, although you can also eat it raw. 
• However, if you cannot handle the sour taste of the juice or raw Amla, you can try eating it in candied or pickled form. 
• You can also have Amla after drying it. All you need to do is deseed and chop this superfruit into small pieces. Then, sprinkle some salt and let it dry in the sunlight for some days. Once it becomes dehydrated, store these dried amlas in an airtight jar and eat it as a snack. 
• Besides, amla supplements are available as powder-filled capsules and amla fruit powder. You can use this powder to make tea or add it to your smoothies or other drinks. 
• Moreover, this fruit's extracts are also used in skincare and hair products due to the presence of antioxidant properties and vitamin C.

Amla offers several health benefits but can affect your health if consumed excessively. Here are the following side effects that you can see on your health if you don't take precautions while eating Amla:

• Hinders blood clotting. 
• Trigger acidity. 
• Hardens the stool.
• Dehydration. 
• Excessive consumption can lead to dryness in the skin and premature ageing.
• Excessive eating can lead to hair fall.

Take the following precautions while including Amla in your diet:

• Avoid drinking amla juice during night time because of its astringent taste and cold potency.
• Do not eat Amla if you have aggravated Kapha issues such as coughing.
• Always drink Amla juice after taking a doctor's advice on duration and dosage.

Avoid eating amla if you have the following medical condition or going through a specific procedure:

• Medical history of hyperacidity. 
• Suffering from blood-related disorders. 
• Undergoing a surgical process.
• Suffering from extremely low sugar levels or taking anti-diabetic medicines. 
• Have excessive dry skin and scalp.

So, hopefully, this article about the health benefits of Amla has helped you to get a clear idea about the advantages and precautions while eating this superfruit. Despite offering several health benefits, you must consume it in the correct amount and talk to a healthcare practitioner about the recommended amount you can have based on your health condition.