Biological Name: Emblica officinalis
Other Local Name: Indian Gooseberry, Emblic myrobalan, Amla, Amalaki

Introduction: Amla is one of the most often used herb in Indian ayurveda. It has a reputation as a powerful rejuvenating herb. The Amla fruit is reputed to have the highest content of vitamin C of any natural occurring substances in nature. Organic amla is almost good for everyone on a regular basis. Indian Research shows that 8.75 mg of natural vitamin C complex from Amla is equivalent to 100mg of the most commonly used synthetic vitamin C. Amla prossesses the highest level of heat and storage stable vitamin C known to man.

Plant Description: Amla is a medium-sized deciduous tree with gray bark and reddish wood which successfully grows in variable agro-climatic and soil conditions. Amla leaves are feathery, linear oblong in shape and smell like lemon. The flowers are greenish yellow in colour which starts appearing in the beginning of spring season. The matured tree can tolerate a high temperature of 45øC as well as a freezing temperature. Thus, it is not much influenced by hot winds and frost. It is a potential crop which grows in the marginal soils and various kinds of degraded lands such as salt-affected soils, salines and dry and semi-dry regions. Amla tree is found growing in the plains and sub-mountain on tracts all over the India and Indian subcontinent.

History: Amla is worshipped as an auspicious fruit from the ancient time and respected as a symbol of good health.The festival Amala Navami is celebrated at the begining of winter season of Hindu calender, where Amla tree are socially and religiously propagated among people and cultivated for promotion of good health.

BENEFITS OF AMLA:

• Amla is "Sattwic" (stimulates spiritual purity).
• Amla Increases "OJAS"(the subtle essence of living matter, the foundation of good health, mental sanity, and spiritual growth).
• The edible fruit tissue of Amla contains protein concentration 3-fold and ascorbic acid concentration 160-fold than those of apples. This fruit also contains considerably higher concentration of most minerals and amino acids than apples.
• Amla juice has twenty times more vitamin C than orange juice.
• Amla is used as cosmetic in India. It is an accepted hair tonic in traditional recipes for enriching hair growth and pigmentation.
• Amla has been regarded as a sacred tree in India. The tree was worshipped as Mother Earth and is believed to nurture humankind because the fruits are very nourishing.