Health Benefits of Indian Gooseberry or Amla

Health benefits of Indian gooseberry have been long known by the people in the Indian subcontinent. The family of plants that Indian gooseberry belongs to is called Euphorbiaceae family. It is a sacred tree to Indians. It is grown in the hilly areas of the Indian subcontinent and it ripens in autumn. It has a sour taste. Both the fresh and dried version of this fruit has various health benefits upon consumption.

Indian Gooseberry is widely known as Amla and has numerous health benefits. Amla owes most of its therapeutic qualities to the rich vitamin C content. Amla is known to strengthen the liver, facilitated food absorption, make the skin healthy, flush out toxins, act as a body coolant, improve fertility, stimulate healthier hair, improve eye health, support the urinary system, make the heart healthier, improve muscle tone and nourish the brain.

It is also packed with antioxidants. Did you know a large number of health problems are due to oxidative damage? This means that the body cells use oxygen and produce free radicals that cause damage to your health in many ways. Antioxidant repair and prevent these damages. Vitamin C itself is a very good antioxidant agent that can also help combat cancer. Apart from vitamin C, gooseberry also contains other vitamins and minerals like iron, vitamin B-complex, phosphorous, calcium and carotene. It’s antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities can help ward off many diseases.

It can be consumed in a variety of ways. You can eat it in juice form, fresh fruit, pickle or dried form. Here are some health benefits of Indian gooseberry that you might want to know about:

Diabetes: What is that one component that makes Indian gooseberry so good for diabetes? It is the high chromium content that controls the carbohydrate metabolism and helps the body respond to insulin. How does gooseberry do this? It acts on a group of cells that are responsible for secreting the insulin hormone which is responsible for regulating sugar. Insulin then reduces the sugar level in blood and helps the diabetic patient to be healthy. This way the sugar is utilized by the body for producing energy without the diabetic patient having to experience dangerous fluctuations in blood sugar level.

On the other hand, the vitamin C enables the optimum functioning of pancreas that also help to control blood glucose level and reduce albumin level. It prevents the secretion of glycosylated hemoglobin, which in turn decreases sugar level in blood.

Facilitates hair growth: Did you know Amla is a common ingredient of many of the hair care products that you use? The reason is that it helps to facilitate hair pigmentation, hair growth, prevents dull hair, and strengthens the roots. Amla oil has gained popularity not only in India but around the world because of its ability to minimize baldness and hair fall. You can massage you scalp with it 2 to 3 times in a week. It is the carotene, iron and antioxidants in Amla that contribute to this quality. The antioxidants prevent the free radicals from damaging the hair follicles.

Improves eyesight: The vitamin and carotene content in Indian gooseberry helps to minimize night blindness and age related macular degeneration. It is also helpful for curing watery, itchy and red eyes. It is the presence of antioxidants in Indian gooseberry that keep the eye retina from oxidative stress and in this way reduce the risk of cataracts.

Eating Indian gooseberry or drinking its juice can enhance eyesight because of the carotene content which has proved to be effective for many vision related conditions. It facilitates healthy visions by promoting healthy capillaries that allows the retinal cells to function to their optimum. Cataracts and Nearsightedness can be combatted along with minimizing intraocular tension.

A great Diuretic: Indian Goose berry contains 80% water. This makes it a good diuretic. Do you know what this means? This means that consuming gooseberries will result in increased volume of urine which will then help the system to flush out excess salt, water uric acid and unwanted toxins. This will also help you reduce weight because 4% of the urine consists of fat. On the whole, it will boost your kidney health and keep uterine or urine infections at bay.

Healthy Heart: Indian gooseberry consists of strong antioxidants like vitamin C and amino acids that help to maintain a healthy balance of cholesterol level. The risk of plaque buildup in blood vessels and atherosclerosis decrease when chromium in Indian gooseberries reduces excess cholesterol from blood.  The gooseberries make the heart muscles stronger so it is able to pump blood properly throughout the body. It also contains considerable amount of iron that helps to produce new red blood cells, keep arteries clean and enhance blood circulation which thoroughly oxygenates the organs of the body. This in turn minimizes the risk of heart attacks and stroke. On the other hand, lowering the level of bad cholesterol like LDL (low-density lipoproteins) and triglycerides and increasing the level of good cholesterol like HDL (high-density lipoprotein) enhances the cardiovascular health on the whole.

Improves digestion: Most of the fruits are well known for containing high fiber and so is Indian gooseberry. Dietary fiber aids in improving digestion. It increases the volume of stool helping it to move through the bowels and maintain undisrupted bowel movement. It stimulates peristalsis that helps the food to move forward minimizing risk of stomach disorders like constipation or diarrhea. It also promotes the production of digestive and gastric juices which facilitate absorption of nutrients in the body giving you more energy from food you eat. This way, it brings about a healthier you.

Fights infection: As if the other benefits were not enough! Indian gooseberries also contain antimicrobial qualities that aids in combatting viral, fungal and bacterial infections. In this way it makes the body resistant do diseases by boosting the immune system. Indian gooseberries are highly rich in vitamin C which is well known as a strong antioxidant that helps to strengthen the immune system by preventing the oxidative damage. It helps to flush out toxins and promote the production of white blood cells which are responsible from defending the body against toxins. If they detect any foreign substance in the blood stream they attack and destroy it.

Anti-aging: Who doesn’t want to look young forever? Add Indian gooseberries to your diet. The high levels of antioxidants decrease free radicals in the body that cause premature aging signs such as spots, fine lines and wrinkle. They are also packed with vitamin A which helps production of collagen responsible for making your skin firm and elastic. Furthermore, it keeps your liver healthy making it expels toxins from the body. That aids in giving you a glowing and healthy skin.

Calcium Absorption: This is one benefit of Indian goose berry that people barely know of.  Indian gooseberries aid in calcium absorption. Calcium is the main component of teeth, bones and nails and maintains their health. It will even let you have shiny hair. If you are up for looking and feeling good, then keep eating Indian gooseberries rich in vitamin C.

Dysentery and diarrhea: Suffering from dysentery or diarrhea? Try Indian gooseberries. They have strong laxative and cooling qualities that help to treat diarrhea and dysentery effectively. Feeling a burning sensation in your abdomen or suffering from gastric syndrome? Indian gooseberries will definitely be of great help. Being a laxative, they help to eliminate foreign substances and toxins from the body which you might have probably eaten and is causing the pain in the first place. It not only removes the harmful toxins but also cools down the burning sensation that diarrhea is usually accompanied with.

Enhance appetite:  Gooseberry in powder form helps to enhance appetite if you consume it with honey and butter before meals. How does it do it? When you consume Indian gooseberries, the oxygen level is increased in the body. Oxygen helps to play a crucial role in various chemical reactions that take place in the body. Moreover, it also aids in keeping nitrogen level balanced. In this way, it aids in increasing weight in a healthy manner.

Some valuable Indian gooseberries tips:

  • When buying Indian gooseberries, make sure you buy firm, ripe, bright colored, and fresh ones if you want to add it to dessert or simply eat it as fruits.
  • If you wish to make tart or use it in cooking then opt for mature but unripe berries.
  • Never buy Indian gooseberries that are shriveled, leaking juice or are soft.
  • Refrigerating Indian gooseberries keeps them fresh for few days. Try to use them as soon as possible.
  • What is amazing about Indian gooseberries is that they retain their nutritional value even if you heat it or choose to use the dried form. So you don’t have to think much when adding them to your diet in any form.
  • You can eat Indian gooseberries as it is without much preparation since they are just like grapes or currants.
  • You can use Indian gooseberries in pie fillings, ice-creams and muffins.
  • They are safe to be consumed during pregnancy as intolerance and allergies associated with Indian gooseberries are very rare.

Sources:

https://www.thehealthsite.com/photo-gallery/diseases-conditions-top-9-health-benefits-of-amla-or-indian-gooseberry-129058/
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-784-indian%20gooseberry.aspx?activeingredientid=784&activeingredientname=indian%20gooseberry
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/gooseberries.html
http://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/effects-of-indian-gooseberry-on-health-and-disease.htm

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