Amalaki Fruit - the Ultimate Immune Booster
Amalaki, also know as Indian goose berry, is found throughout India. Its Sanskrit name ‘Amla’ literally means ‘sour’ and it certainly is sour if eaten straight from the tree.
Amla has the highest Vitamin C content in nature with 3000 mg per fruit, 20 times more than an orange and is heat stable due to the tannin content. Its high levels of antioxidants make it the most powerful rejuvenating herb in Ayurvedic medicine and a general tonic for debility and weakness.
Its other Sanskrit name ‘Dhatri’ translates into ‘nurse’ or ‘mother’ in deference to its healing properties.
Amalaki fruit is the main ingredient of the Ayurvedic jam ‘Chyawanprash’, often referred to as ‘The Elixir of Life’. With a sweet and very palatable flavour this delicious and nutritious paste is suitable for the whole family including kids 8 years and above.
Following the traditional Ayurvedic recipe, Chyawanprash is rejuvenating, energising, supports digestion and boosts the immune system.
Made from organically sourced Amalaki fruits, and 37 additional organically sourced healing herbs, our SATTVA BOTANICALS™ Chyawanprash is the only certified organic option available in New Zealand.
The primary action of Chyawanprash is to support the body’s immune system, enhancing haemoglobin and white blood cell production, and increasing resistance to infectious diseases. It is particularly good for the lungs as it nourishes the mucus membranes and helps to clear phlegm.
Research
Lots of research has been done on the health benefits and healing properties of Chyawanprash. If you like to read more, please click on these links:
During my Ayurvedic medicine internship in India, I was lucky enough to be taught how to make Chyawanprash from start to finish. Under the supervision of my teacher and now mentor Dr. Vijay Murthy (https://www.murthyclinic.com/vijay/) we travelled all over India and visited Ayurvedic clinics, universities, medicine manufacturers and herbal farms. Part of our internship was a ‘hands on training’ how to make Ayurvedic medicne. At Dr. Gupta’s Ayurvedic clinic and medicine plantation in Jaipur we harvested Amla fruit. The temptation to taste them left us with a very sour taste. Yet it was the most profound experience. The baskets full of freshly harvested Amla fruit were then cooked over an open fire and turned into a jam. In a separate pot, 37 powdered herbs and a substantial amount of water was simmered for hours and hours to create a decoction which has been added to the Amalaki jam together with Jaggery. After two full days and lots of helping hands we produced delicious Chyawanprash.
At AYURVEDA NEW ZEALAND we offer various products which have Amalaki as a main ingredient - Chyawanprash and Amalaki Jam as well as Triphala powder, a mixture of Amalaki, and 2 other berries rich in antioxidants. All are available in our online store.
Further healing properties of Amla
1. Digestive support & liver cleanser
Amalaki increases the digestive function and is specially indicated for hypersensitivity, constipation, ulcers, acidity, gastritis, colitis, hepatitis, haemorrhoids, and inflammatory bleeding conditions of the intestine. It relieves inflammation of the stomach and colon, improves appetite, cleanses the intestine and regulates blood sugar. Amla’s sour taste squeezes the liver and makes it a very effective liver cleanser.
2. Heart health
Its affinity for the blood helps to nourish and protect the heart by reducing elevated cholesterol and healing arterial damage. Clinical trials report a cardio protective effect and a reduction in serum cholesterol levels indicating an antiatherogenic effect (Tillotson 2001).
3. Rejuvenator
Amalaki is used as a ‘Rasayana’ (rejuvenator, substance that tonifies and nourishes the whole system) for recovery post-illness and surgery. It may also be used as an immune restorative and hepatoprotective during radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.
Caraka Samhita (Ayurveda’s oldest compilations, 500 BC) refers to Amalaki as one of the foremost Rasayanas bestows a long life, intelligence, memory, health, youth, glow, voice, complexion, strength and sexual desire.
4. Mental health
Amalaki has a sattvic effect on the mind and raises the quality of consciousness. It improves clarity and brings a level of calmness.
Resources:
- ‘Ayurvedic Medicine’ by Sebastian Pole and Vasant Lad
- ‘The Yoga of Herbs’ by Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad
- ‘Indian Medicinal Plants’ by Dr Prakash Paranjpe
- 'Caraka Samhita' by R.K. Sharma and Bhagwan Dash