Amla Guide
Amla (Phyllanthus emblica), also called amalaki or Indian gooseberry, is a small, pale green fruit that grows on trees across India. It is sour, astringent and slightly bitter all at once, and it is one of the most important fruits in Ayurveda. It is the main ingredient of chyawanprash and one of the three fruits in triphala.
How amla is traditionally used
Ayurveda treats amla as a rasayana, a rejuvenating food, and one of the few herbs said to balance all three doshas. It is traditionally used to support digestion, healthy skin and hair, and general vitality. In Indian homes it is eaten fresh, pickled, candied or as juice, and the powder is a staple of herbal hair masks.
What the research shows
Amla is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C, along with other antioxidants such as polyphenols. Small clinical studies have looked at its effects on blood fats and blood sugar, with some encouraging results. These studies are mostly small and short, so amla is best thought of as a nutritious traditional food with promising early research, not a treatment.
Ways to use it
- Powder as a drink: half to one teaspoon (about 2 to 3 g) in warm water, once a day. Add honey if the sourness is too much.
- Tablets and capsules: the easiest daily option if you dislike the taste.
- Hair mask: mix amla powder with water or yogurt into a paste, apply to the scalp and hair for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse. Often combined with shikakai or reetha.
- Tonics: chyawanprash and amla jellies give you amla in a traditional, sweetened form.
Amla in our shop
- Powders: Khadiwale Vaidya Amla Powder 50g (for drinks and hair masks), Sharangdhar Amla Powder 50g, New Dhanvantari Amla Churna
- Tablets and capsules: Khadiwale Vaidya Handmade Amla Tablets, Aurospirul Amla Capsules
- Tonics: Charak Vigoroll Jelly, Unjha Rajwadi Prash Gold, Krishna Gopal Chyavanprasha. See our chyawanprash guide.
- Hair care: Neev Amla Reetha Shikakai Shampoo Bar
Safety
- Diabetes: amla may lower blood sugar. If you take diabetes medication, check with your doctor and watch your levels.
- Bleeding: amla may slow blood clotting. Speak to your doctor if you take blood thinners, and stop two weeks before planned surgery.
- Stomach: the sourness can upset some people, especially on an empty stomach. Take it after food if that happens.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: amla as food is fine for most people, but ask your doctor before taking concentrated supplements.
The short version
Amla is a vitamin C-rich fruit at the heart of Ayurveda, used in drinks, tonics and hair care. It is gentle for most people. Take care if you are on diabetes medication or blood thinners.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice.
