Wild Amla Tree Figure source: Pravin Panjaje, Flickr. (2009) |
What and where:
The “rejuvenator”, the “sustainer”, “Amalaki”, Amla, Indian Gooseberry; the list of names goes on. It appears the list of health benefits bestowed by this fruit is equally lengthy, if not lengthier. Amla is the fruit of Phyllanthus Emblica Linn (synonym Emblica Officianlis), a deciduous medium-sized tree, found largely in the sub-tropical mountainous regions of South and Southeast Asia, including India, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Dharmananda, 2003; Ihantola-Vormisto et al., 1997). While the benefits of the fruit are more widely known, in reality, all parts of the tree (the roots, bark, leaves, seeds, and fruit) have their own advantages (Dharmanada, 2003).
When and why:
Amla is a major ingredient of ChayavanprashFigure source: Astro Nutrition |
Various uses of Amla: Left- Amla (outermost circle) is one of the three herbs that constitutes Triphala. Middle: Amla Hair Oil applied topically. Right: Amla used as pickles. Figure Source: Given in "Sources section" |