Amla- Indian Gooseberry a health tonic.

Indian Gooseberry (Emblica officinalis) referred also as Amla, Amalaki in Sanskrit or “fruit of heaven” is one of the least known medicinal foods in the West which is unfortunate as Amla has numerous health benefits. According to studies Amla contains 20 times more vitamin C than orange, 160 times more ascorbic acid than an apple; zinc, chromium, copper, groups of vitamin B, manganese and phosphorus.   

Amla fruit is also rich in tannins and polyphenols. The tannins in the Amla fruit are thought to prevent the Vitamin C from being destroyed by heat or light. In Ayurveda medicine Amla has cooling and drying action and therefore consumption of Amla is thought to improve iron absorption, digestion without causing hyperacidity, supporting liver function and the nervous system, acting as a cardiac and lung tonic, regulating bowel movement, strengthening uterus and bladder (diuretic) and promoting healthy hair and skin.

Additionally Amla has been also used to increase vitality, remove toxins and heavy metals from the body and improve muscle tones, eye sight and to strengthen immunity.

Recent in vivo studies have suggested that Amla fruit may have potential anti mutagenic, antigenotoxic, anti tumour action and also may have beneficial properties in liver and skin cancer.

On its own Amla is too sour to be eaten raw, in Indian cuisine Amla fruit is either pickled or made into dessert for that reason I thought it was be nice to try something different such as Amla and Apple jam that it is a perfect addition during winter months.
 To make Indian gooseberry and apple jam you will need:

Approximately 200g Fresh Amla fruits (Emblica officinalis)
4 medium size apples
500ml of water
500g of sugar
Pan with lid
Sieve and bowl
Spoon and fork
Knife and chopping board
1 L sterilized jar with lid
Labels
Preparation method:

• Wash Amla fruit thoroughly and cut them in half to remove the seed. The seeds are quite hard to remove so be patient.
•  Place 500ml of water to pan, boil it, add Amla fruit, place the lid and wait at least 20 min until the fruit has soften up.
• In the meantime peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the core.
• When the gooseberries are soft put the apples into the pan and boil it for further 10 min until they also soften up and you can use fork to further break them up.
• Measure out 500g of sugar, add to the pan and boil for further 5 min, mixing thoroughly. If you have lots of water left you will have to remove it and you can use it as a cordial.
• Pour your jam into sterilized screw jar and label it.

Amla is also quite good as hair mask for thinning and graying hair and personally I prefer to use the powder rather than the oil because of other nasty ingredients that it contains (mineral oil, paraffin) and because of the specific smell (taste). The powder is really easy to prepare, just put 2 table spoons into the bowl, mix with water apply after you have washed your hair and rinse with lukewarm water. Amla hair mask it’s not suitable for blonde hair, use instead Cassia powder.
http://www.japsonline.com/admin/php/uploads/365_pdf.pdf
http://www.ijrap.net/admin/php/uploads/934_pdf.pdf
http://www.ajpcr.com/Vol4Issue3/345.pdf
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1902/2