Organic Amla Powder

The Life of Amla


Amla is the fruit of Phyllanthus Emblica Linn (Emblica Officianlis), a deciduous medium-sized tree, found mainly in the sub-tropical mountainous regions of South and Southeast Asia, including; India, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The tree and grows to between 1 to 18 meters in height, with thin grey bark and branches. It has many light green, pinnate shaped leaves, which grow close together along the branches and its flowers are greenish yellow.
The smooth and hard fruit are nearly spherical and also a light green/yellow colour with six vertical stripes or furrows. Amla fruit can grow in a variety of colours. When ripe some can be neon-green, others can be a more golden yellow colour, they can even be a dusky pink, rust red or white.
Amla season in India begins in October and continues through until April, and can now be found easily in many states of India through people having migrated with the trees. The natural locations of Amla are; Nagpur, Karnataka, Bihar and Odisha. China, Malaysia, and India are the worlds main producers of the fruit.
The fruits ripen in Autumn and are hand picked, choosing the slightly firmer fruits, that are not bruised and do not have any imperfections - ideally, they are round, taut and full.

Throughout History

Originating in India, Amla, also known as Amalaki, Indian Gooseberry or by researchers as Emblica officinalis, has been mentioned in Sanskrit texts, folklore and scriptures throughout history.
The Avvaiyar, a group of famous female Tamil poets, were given the Amla fruit (to promote longevity) by the Prince Adhiyaman who had received them as a gift.
Sushruta, considered as the “Father of Indian Medicine”, or by science as the “Father of Plastic Surgery”, lived in India around 1000 and 800 BC, and was famed at the time for his nasal reconstructions, and is thought to have written above Amlas health benefits in detail.
It features heavily throughout the 5000 year old Indian medical system of Ayurveda as a Rasayana — ‘rasayana’ meaning; ‘path’ (āyana) of ‘essence' (rasa), which means something to promote health and longevity / holistic well-being. It is also said to enliven the body (jivaniya), and enhance intellect (medhya).
According to the textbook “The Yoga of herbs,” Amla acts as a; nutritive tonic, rejuvinative, astringent, refrigerant, digestive, aphrodisiac, laxative, and homostatic. Providing treatments for things like; for vertigo, constipation, weakness of the liver or spleen, hair loss, osteoporosis, collitis, gout, anemia, diabetes, bleeding disorders and haemorrhoids, plus acute diarrhea and dysentery.
Within Ayurveda Amla balances the 3 doshas (Pitta, Kapha and Vata) and contains 5 of the 6 tastes recognised in Ayurveda (sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent, lacking only salty). It is said to be particularly effective at reducing/balancing Pitta because it is cool (and Pitta is hot or fiery), but it is also balances Pitta and Vata because it has a sweet taste and kapha because it is drying.
Because Ayurveda found Amla to be potent, and their principle of “prevention is cure”, Amla was incorporated in to many traditional supplementary tonics, such as “Triphala” and “Chayavanprash”, promoting health and longevity.
In traditional Ayurveda Medicine, the whole fruit is used free or dried, including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers).
It is also used extensively in Iran, Iraq, Thailand, China, Italy, Germany as a laxative, diuretic, astringent and anti-nauseant. It is also used to treat anemia, jaundice, tumors and much more.

Hindu Beliefs:
Devout Hindus are said to eat an Amla as a way to break a fast.
During Akshay Navami (the 9th day of the holiest month of Kartik) if you have one foot under the Amla tree it will lead to happiness and prosperity.
The Amla tree is considered sacred, as it is said to be the first tree that on earth and the God Vishnu is said to dwell within the tree.
In temple architecture, a stone disk called an Amalaka which sits at the to of the main tower, is said to have been inspired by the Amla Tree.

Buddhist Beliefs:
The Amla tree is said to help achieve enlightenment by Phussa Buddha.