Amla-Indian gooseberry with tons of health benefits!

This week’s ingredients will be Ayurvedic ingredients that are now becoming mainstream in the US. Turmeric started similarly and is now fully mainstream so let’s see what else is in store…

Amla or Indian Gooseberry:

Amla is native to India and has been consumed either directly or by cooking it or using it as a juice for many years there. Amla contains vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, chromium, zinc, and copper. Amla’s naturally-occurring tannins help retain most of its nutritional content after drying (dehydration). Since Amla is rich in antioxidants, it may help support the digestive, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. It may also help promote a healthy liver and support brain health.

Because Amla is a fruit that is effective in reducing cell damage which reduces the free radicals that can cause health issues, some studies have shown it to be possibly beneficial in decreasing cholesterol as well as reducing inflammation. Side benefits include better hair, skin, and nails as Amla contains gallic acid, a phenolic compound, that has been shown to repair damaged hair and nails. Amla can be found as an oil, juice, or powder. Right now, Amla is slowly gaining traction in the US but expect it to continue to grow. The reason it isn’t everywhere is because it is hard to find organic, it has to be imported, and there is tremendous crop-to-crop variability due to where it is grown, resulting in difficult standardization in terms of antioxidant levels. Amla- a powerful ingredient that is yet to be fully capitalized on!

Where can you buy Amla products? Best bet would be to go into an Asian or Indian store as they can guide you as to which is best. Other options include Wholefoods and Amazon. I’ve seen the whole fruit at Wholefoods though rare but you can definitely find the juice and powder on Amazon. Amla tends to be slightly bitter so if you are consuming the juice, a dab of honey might help with taste!

Disclaimer: this is an opinion post and should not be taken as an endorsement or lack of for any product by me or my employer.