Health benefits of the little, bitter-sour fruit called Amla

Manoj Pandey has authored more than sixty research-oriented articles for this web magazine, covering a wide range of subjects related to Science and Health. Additionally, he has produced several videos focusing on health topics. This article is derived from one of those videos, which discusses Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry. Please continue reading.
Wonderful health benefits of the little, bitter-sour fruit called amla.

Manoj Pandey*

Amla or Indian gooseberry does not need an introduction. It is one of the most studied fruits, and hundreds of research papers have been published on its individual phytochemicals as well as the fruit as a whole.  

In Ayurveda and some other traditional medicine systems, amla has been used for ages as a tonic and as a constituent in a number of medicines. 
In recent studies, amla and its bioactive chemicals have been found especially potent in promoting good biochemical reactions in the body and hindering the harmful ones. It is one of the best natural sources of vitamin C, and as compared to other sources this highly perishable vitamin is more stable in amla. 

Without going into their technical details, let me list some major benefits of this little, bitter-sour fruit to humans:

The most useful property of amla’s many phytochemicals is being a strong anti-oxidant. These chemicals, thus, rid the body of free radicals- the highly active atoms or molecules that aggravate or generate many metabolic diseases, including heart diseases, tumours and cancers.

Surprisingly, amla also helps in mitigating the side effects of medical treatment of cancer, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 

Besides anti-oxidants, some other chemicals found in amla have been found to be good for heart and arterial health, by reducing bad cholesterol in blood, improving overall lipid profile, and reducing hardening of blood vessels.

Amla is also beneficial in maintaining proper sugar level in the blood. 

Amla has been found to strengthen some types of brain and nerve functions, thus improving memory and some other brain activities.

Regular consumption of amla helps the body in many other ways, strengthening liver, gut lining, kidneys, and the respiratory system. In fact, amla is used in Ayurveda, Sidha, Tibetan and Sri Lankan systems of medicine for treating over a dozen diseases. It is also the main constituent of Chyanprash and one of the three constituents of Triphala, two popular Ayurvedic medicines.
However, excessive use of amla, like that of any other medicinal herb, can have side-effects. Since amla lowers the blood pressure and blood sugar levels, its use by patients suffering from low BP and hypoglycaemia needs to be regulated and supervised. 

For a more detailed discussion, in Hindi, on the beneficial properties of amla, brought out in modern research, you may like to watch the following video: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHMJEkkACmo 

*मनोज पाण्डे  इस वेबसाईट में स्वास्थ्य और विज्ञान विषयों पर लिखते रहते हैं। उनका ब्लॉग आप https://manoj-pandey.blogspot.com पर देख सकते हैं। 
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