About Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Amla is one of the best natural fruits and are growing in popularity and demand day by day. The common name of the herb is Indian Gooseberry.
Amla fruit is said to be the best source of natural vitamin C. The Gooseberry tree produces edible green Amla berries which are cultivated for both commercial as well as domestic purpose.
Occurrence and Physical Features
The tree is a medium sized deciduous bush with a disfigured trunk and many branches. The average weight of one Amla fruit is 50 – 70 g. The Gooseberry tree is a native of Europe, Africa, South – East Asia, and parts of Africa and North America.
Amla fruit berries have an extremely sour taste. Although they can be consumed in raw form but its juice is packaged and commonly sold for commercial purpose.
Which is the Best Form in Which Amla Fruit Should be Consumed?
There are many ways in which Amla fruit can be consumed. It can be eaten raw or as a dried powder. Amla juice can also be extracted from the pulp of the Amla fruit and consumed by diluting with equal parts of water.
Although all the forms are equally effective but its fresh juice is considered to be the best for consumption. Natural supplements containing standardized extract of Amla fruit can also be consumed.
Amla Fruit is Loaded with Vitamin C
Amla fruit is a rich source of vitamin C. In fact, of all the citrus fruits, Amla has the highest vitamin C concentration which stands at 720 mg/ 100 g of Amla fruit pulp. In the form of pressed juice this concentration becomes 900 mg/ 100 g of Amla juice. Oranges are universally known to be a rich source of vitamin C but, Amla fruit contains as much as 25 times more vitamin C.
Daily Requirement of Vitamin C by the Body
The food and nutrition board of the institute of medicine in United States of America recommends that the daily dose of vitamin C for men should be 90 mg. For women, it should be 75 mg daily.
In case of pregnant females a slightly higher dose of vitamin C is recommended which stands at 85 mg daily. For breast feeding mothers, this dose should be around 120 mg.
Why is Vitamin C Important for the Body?
- One of the most important role of Vitamin C is in the prevention and treatment of Scurvy.
- Deficiency of vitamin C in the body may lead to faulty bone and teeth development, gingivitis, bleeding gums and loosened teeth.
- Vitamin C is required for the maintenance of normal Hemoglobin levels in the body as it is very essential for the absorption of Iron by the body.
- Vitamin C keeps the muscles and tissues healthy as it helps in the normal and healthy synthesis of collagen fibers.
- It is the best vitamin which can act as a natural anti-oxidant for the body. It helps prevent signs of premature ageing, premature greying of hair, wrinkling and sagging of the skin.
- Vitamin C is very essential for people to maintain a healthy skin texture.
Discussion of Amla in the Ancient Ayurveda Texts
Ayurveda is the oldest system of medicine. It is considered to be the predecessor of all other forms of healing prevalent today.
Charaka samhita has an in detail narration of Amla and its nutritive value. There is a whole class of chapters discussed in charaka samhita which are known as “Rasayana”. There are many classical preparations of Amla mentioned in these chapters.
Thus, we can say that in spite of the popularity that this fruit has gained in the recent years, our ancient Ayurveda experts were also well acquainted with this fruit.
Are Natural Supplements Better than Fresh Amla Fruit?
It is always better to go for fresh fruit and fresh fruit juice of Amla, instead of choosing any artificial food supplement but sometime it is difficult to get best quality and fresh amla fruits. So, Many good companies in the market are coming up with best quality and standardized extract of Amla fruit. The choice lay entirely in the hands of the buyer to decide in which form he wants to incorporate Amla in his life.
Natural Supplements Prepared from Best Quality Amla Fruits by Planet Ayurveda
1. Amla Saar
It contains fresh juice extracted from Amla fruit, safely packed in air tight bottles. It is a natural dietary supplement that is free from any kinds of preservatives, additives, colors, binders or sweeteners. The product is customer friendly and can be taken on a regular basis as a great dietary supplement.
Dosage: 3 teaspoonful twice daily, mixed with equal parts of water.
2. Amalaki Rasayan
This is another natural supplement from Planet Ayurveda which contains Amla.
Dosage: 1-2 Capsules, twice daily with plain water, after meals.
