Amalaki is an ayurvedic herb also known as amla or Indian gooseberry. For me, it was love at first sight. And my love grew stronger the more I played with it.

Why is it so great?

1. Amalaki is longevity-promiting, rejuvenative and anti-aging

We call it a “rasayana” herb in ayurveda thanks to its super antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties.

Amalaki nourishes all of your tissues and sense organs; and helps strengthen your immune, digestive, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, urinary and reproductive systems. Charak Samhita, an ancient ayurvedic text, simply calls it “nectar”. You’ll also hear people refer to it as the “ayurvedic wonder” or “the nurse”.

The list of use cases is impressive. Here are just a few:

• Cools the body.
• Used as a hair tonic against premature graying or hair loss.
• Improves your stress tolerance.
• Helps relieve digestive issues and is one of the main ingredients in triphala, a classical ayurvedic digestive formula.
• Helps reduce coughing, palpitations and works as a cardiac tonic.
• It’s an aphrodisiac so no surprise that it’s used for reproductive system-related issues, such as PMS and conception.
• Early studies show the potential of this rasayana herb for treating and preventing cancer, diabetes and liver disease.

Show me more use cases from classical ayurveda!

2. Amalaki helps with a balanced diet

Ayurveda defines a balanced diet based on how many tastes you include in your meals. Amalaki hits the jackpot as it’s sweet, sour, bitter, astringent and pungent at the same time. The only taste missing is salty.

3. Amalaki loves your skin—and your skin loves it back

Amalaki supports collagen and elastin production, giving your outer and inner skin the health it craves.

It contains 121mg of vitamin C, which is 10 times more than that of an orange of equal weight. And since it’s packed with whole-form vitamin C, it’s as rejuvenative and anti-aging as it gets. Hello fresh, glowing skin!

These qualities make amalaki the perfect addition to any anti-aging and complexion-enhancing skin care formula. So much so that it’s the leading herb in the CLEAN facial toner.

But beauty is not the only place for amalaki. Because of its healing qualities, it’s also a popular herb for managing various skin diseases.

You know the drill: do and use everything in moderation. Too much of a good thing can backfire. And there are certain situations in which you should avoid eating amalaki. For example in the case of acute diarrhea or dysentery. And don’t load up on amalaki and other sour fruits at night or before sleeping as they may weaken the tooth or lead to pharyngitis (acute sore throat).

Disclaimer: this blog is not intended as medical advice. Consult your physician before taking any herbal supplements especially if you have any health conditions.