Introduction
Emblica officinalis Gaertn or Phyllanthus emblica Linn. belongs to Euphorbiaceae family and commonly known as Indian Gooseberry. It is one of the main three ingredients in Triphala. Indian gooseberry health benefits are antioxidant, antidiabetic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiulcerogenic, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, and anti-proliferative properties.
It is a highly nutritious sour fruit with other names like Emblic myrobalan (English), Amla (Hindi), Amlaki (Sanskrit), Yeowkan (Chinese), and Phylontha emblica (French).
Gooseberry is one of the essential components of ”Chyawanprash” and “Triphala” which is the most popular ancient medicine in India over 1000 years in Ayurveda and Unani systems (1).
Various gooseberry fruit-based products are available in the market such as candy, pickles, juice, powder, oil, spices, and tablet (2).
Nutritional value of Gooseberry
Gooseberry contains a high amount of vitamin C, amino acids, and minerals. Alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins are other components. It possesses a high amount of complex polyphenolic components than oranges, tangerines, or lemons (3).
| Compound | Amount/100 g. |
| Water | 87.87 g |
| Energy | 44 kcal |
| Protein | 0.88 g |
| Total lipid ( Fat)s | 0.58 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10.18 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.3 g |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium | 25 mg |
| Iron | 0.31 mg |
| Magnesium | 10 mg |
| Phosphorous | 27 mg |
| Potassium | 198 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Zinc | 0.12 mg |
| Vitamins | |
| Folates | 6 µg |
| Niacin | 0.30 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.03 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.04 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.08 mg |
| Vitamin A | 290 IU |
| Vitamin C | 27.7 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.37 mg |
Indian gooseberry health benefits
Gooseberry is a storehouse of inexpensive good fruit which contains numerous health benefits let’s take a good brief of Indian gooseberry health benefits.
1. Gooseberries have anticancer properties
Gooseberry is a good source of phytonutrients such as tannin (pyrogallol, chebulagic acid, gallic acid) and flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol, and their glycosides which inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. These compounds promote apoptosis. Also protects from colon, breast, prostate, leukemia, and lung cancer (4) thus should be recommended to consume every day for health (5).
2. Anti-inflammatory properties of Gooseberries
Indian gooseberry health benefits are mainly due to Ascorbic acid, tannins, and polyphenols which inhibit an enzyme involved in inflammatory conditions.
Furthermore, emblicanin A and B, gallic acid, and ellagic acid in gooseberry have the antiulcer property (6). Therefore, gooseberry can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory drug and may be useful for the treatment of postoperative and neuropathic pain (7).
3. Rich in antioxidants
Gooseberry contains high levels of quercetin, rutin, and other phenolic compounds. These are helpful in neutralizing free radicals and protecting organs from damage. Thus, gooseberry can act as powerful free radical scavengers which prevent the progress of various oxidative stress-related diseases (8).
4. Gooseberry helps in controlling diabetes
Polyphenol (including gallic acid, gallotannin, ellagic acid, and corilagin), tannins, and flavonoids (quercetin) found in gooseberry can be used as an anti-diabetic drug which may reduce blood sugar level without increasing adiposity (9, 10).
5. Heart-friendly Gooseberry
Gooseberry is a rich source of polyphenol, pectin, dietary fiber, and tannins which is beneficial for lowering blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and platelet aggregation. Thus consumption of these antioxidants reduces the risk of heart and atherosclerosis disease (11).
6. Healthy Liver
Gooseberry acts as an adjuvant for liver damage as it contains quercetin, gallic acid, corilagin, and ellagic acid. Therefore, the consumption of gooseberry may be helpful for hepatoprotective activity and detoxify the toxic material from the body (12).
7. Memory enhancer property of Gooseberry
Gooseberry is a good source of antioxidants that can act as a natural memory enhancer for the treatment of various cognitive disorders, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases (13).
8. Treats heavy metal toxicity
Polluted groundwater is a major source of arsenic contamination which affects human health. Gooseberry contains a high amount of antioxidants which scavenge free radicals generated by arsenic however, gooseberry may not block arsenic deposition in tissue directly but can be used as a therapeutic agent for protecting against arsenic-mediated toxicity (14).
Gooseberry is also beneficial for inhibition of chromium (highly cytotoxic) induced oxidative damage by enhanced cell survival and decreased free radical production (15).
9. Protects from blindness
Blindness is one of the age-related macular degenerations (AMD) diseases (16). Supplementation of antioxidants such as β-glucogallin present in gooseberry may decrease the risk for age-related macular degeneration as well as diabetic complications such as cataracts (17).
10. Eating gooseberry lowers hypertension
The presence of high amounts of vitamin C, cytokine-like substances such as zeatin, Z-riboside, Z-nucleotide, flavonoids, pectin, and tannins contents of a gooseberry may be helpful in lowering blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke in people with hypertension (18).
11. Gooseberry keeps stomach healthy
Gooseberry possesses antioxidant and radical scavenging activities which may protect against ulcers, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), consisting mainly of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), tissue injury, and another gastrointestinal tract disease (19).
12. Healthy shiny hair
Gooseberry contains vitamin C and polyphenolic compounds which stimulate Dermal Papilla (DP) cells and promote hair growth.
Moreover, Amla oil also used to strengthen and promote hair growth. Dried amla powder also a vital component of shampoo and hair oil which can be used as a hair tonic for enriching hair growth and pigmentation (20).
13. Amla or Gooseberry helps in glowing skin
Amla or gooseberry is a rich source of vitamin C, minerals amino acids, and various phenolic compounds. These are excellent antioxidants and prevent oxidative stress by production of procollagen and protect human dermal fibroblasts. Therefore, Amla can be used as a therapeutic and cosmetic agent for delay signs of aging (21).
14. Gooseberry leaves improve sperm quality
A research study suggested that gooseberry leaf (50 mg/kg) is a good source of antioxidants like tannins and saponins and other phenolic contents which is favorable to reduce stress and improve sperm quality, sperm motility, improve fertility and build up lost vitality and vigor (22, 23).
15. Treats pneumonia
Amla or gooseberry contains a high source of vitamin C and flavonoids which protect against infection of bacterial colonization in the respiratory tract induced by Klebsiella pneumonia (24).
16. Gooseberry strengthens the bones
Gooseberry contains various phytochemicals such as emblicanin A and B, gallic acid, and ellagic acids which are powerful free radical scavengers. These compounds are used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis by activating programmed cell death of human primary osteoclasts (25).
17. Treat early stage of HIV infection
Gooseberry contains a high amount of antioxidants which acts as an anti-HIV agent and may inhibit the early stages of the HIV replicative cycle would be very useful in treating HIV infection (26).
18. Gooseberry has antipyretic properties
Compounds like alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds, carbohydrates, and amino acids found in gooseberry are responsible for the antipyretic property (27).
19. Analgesic properties of Gooseberry
The analgesic property of gooseberry is due to alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds, carbohydrates, and amino acids (27).
20. Healthy oral
The presence of tannins and flavonoids in gooseberry is responsible for its antimicrobial properties, acts as an herbal mouthwash possesses the ability to increase salivary pH, buffering capacity, and inhibit S. mutans and Lactobacilli (28).
The side effect of Gooseberry
The gooseberry fruit has no side effect because practically no clinical study has been reported. Therefore it is safe, and no one really knows its long-term effects on a person’s health. However, some precaution we should take before consuming gooseberries
1. Risk of bleeding
Amla possesses antiplatelet activity which may increase possibilities of bleeding when taken with drugs like aspirin, anticoagulants such as warfarin or heparin, anti-platelet drugs such as clopidogrel, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
2. Risk of hypoglycemic
A person who is taking insulin or drugs for diabetes should take precautions on consuming gooseberry because it decreases blood glucose level thus there are high possibilities of hypoglycemic reaction, caution should be taken before too many intakes of gooseberry.
3. Astringent property
Amla contains ascorbic acid which sometimes causes constipation and hyperacidity, Amla is cold and dry in nature and contains astringent properties. To minimize this problem amla should be taken in the form of Jam or with almond oil and honey.
4. Disturbs iron absorption
Amla contains tannin which may obstruct intestinal iron absorption (29).
Healthy Recipes of Gooseberry
Gooseberry juice
- Cut amla into pieces and blend with water.
- Filter it and discard the pulp
- Add salt or honey and enjoy it freshly.