Protect Your Heart with an Ancient Indian Berry: Find Out Why the Alma Berry Can Make You Heart Healthy

How is the Amla Plant Used?

The fruit of this plant grows on a shrub that can get as large as a medium-sized tree. It is found in the wild and under cultivation in India and Kashmir. The berries are about 3/4” long, weigh about one ounce and are a light green in color. They are used to make relishes such as chutney and in many Indian recipes including deserts. Other uses include shampoos, massage oils, mouthwashes and eye cleansers. The wood is used in construction. Health areas claimed include the brain, lungs, heart, digestive and urinary system, eyes, hair and liver.

The Amla Plant in History

A tonic called C_hayavan Prash_ using the Amla berry and 33 other herbs, fruits and spices is described in Ayurvedic texts thousands of years old. It was described as a supreme rejuvenative tonic. [Source: Samhita Charaka, ed. Volume 4. (Jamnagar, India: Chikitsa Sthana,1949).] Historically, the berry has always been an important element in Ayurveda. The traditional reason given is the berries’ blend of all tastes in one fruit, which helps the body balance all functions.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Studies find potent antioxidant qualities in the Amla berry. Animal research on berry extracts identifies positive results in reducing total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol as well as blood glucose levels. [Sources: P. Scartezzini and E. Speroni, “Review on some plants of Indian traditional medicine with antioxidant activity,” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 71:1-2 (July 2000), 23-43; L. Anita and N.R. Vijayalakshmi, “Flavonoids from Emblica officinalis and Mangifera indica—effectiveness for dyslipidemia,” Journal of Ethnopharmacology 79:1 (January 2002), 81-87.]

Antioxidant activity in Amla berries was the highest of 19 fruits and five fruit juices tested in 2005. Amla had both the “highest phenol content (290 mg/100 g) and the highest antioxidant activity (56.8 mM) beta-carotene lineolate system (92% and super-oxide anion scavenging activity (85%)” of any fruit or juice in the report. [Source: Charanjit-Kaur, and H.C. Kapoor, Acta-Horticulturae 696 (2005), 563-565. These effects, if borne out in additional human trials, which some Western studies seem to confirm, may lead to important advances in prevention of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction. The latter problem is now thought by researchers to be a precursor to cardiovascular problems.

Additional Research

In one study in New Delhi, men with normal or elevated cholesterol were given supplements from Amla extracts for four weeks. Total cholesterol decreased in both groups but went back to previous levels two weeks after the study finished. [Source: A. Jacob, et al., “Effect of the Indian gooseberry (Amla) on serum cholesterol levels in men aged 33-55 years,” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 42:11 (November 1988), 939-944.]

More recent but unpublished (and therefore not peer reviewed) research conducted by the manufacturer of a concentrated extract of the Amla berry looked at volunteers who took the supplement for six months. Results support the positive benefits of Amla. However, this research must be viewed with some caution because it is unsupported by human, double-blind studies and done by a company with an obvious financial interest. This does not destroy the potential benefit, but it is a note of caution.The research was done at the R&D Laboratory, Arjuna Natural Extracts Ltd., https://www.arjunanatural.com/. [Source: Life Extension Magazine 14:11 (November 2008), 67.] Multiple additional research reports on Amla can be found through a search of the International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) database, a product of the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements/USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library (https://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/index.php)

Disclaimer

The information in this article should not be considered medical advice. The information in this article is not meant to treat, diagnose, prescribe or cure any ailment. Always check with your physician before taking any products or following any advice you have read on Brighthub.com. Always consult your doctor before you start, stop or change anything that has been previously prescribed. Certain herbs and holistic remedies are unsuitable to take if you are pregnant or nursing and must always be cleared by your doctor before use