Food & Recipes
This Indian Superfood is Nature’s Nectar of Life
Legend has it that the great Chera king Athiyaman gave this eternal fruit to Avvaiyar 1 ( a great Tamil poet) so that the legacy of the Tamil heritage lives on forever.
This ancient fruit finds mentions in old scriptures and texts and has been promoting longevity and great health since centuries.
Even, the father of Indian Ayurveda (Shushruta) testified about the rejuvenating quality of this Indian gooseberry for your body and mind.
Avla, as we all better know it merits the status of a superfood for the wonderful health benefits it brings for us.
Ask your grandma about this berry, you will either find an anecdotal story on how it’s usage cured her digestion problem or you may find her giving out a classic Avla ka murabba recipe. ( Murraba is kind of a Jam).
Personally, I love the tangy, pungent Avla pickle my mother makes with a dash of honey in it. It is a delight for someone who loves to have a bite full of natural flavours.
Coming back to it’s raving benefits, Avla’s popularity is similar to superfood status. No mean feat for this pocket-sized powerhouse of nutrition.
If you are into Ayurveda, you would know the importance of the right diet to balance your three doshas. – Vatta, Pitta and Kapha. Well, adding Avla in your daily dose of nutrition helps in the process too.
From a Home remedy for cough and cold to a potent solution for stronger immunity
When I was a child, I remember how much I hated eating green veggies. Even drinking milk was a slog in the morning. French fries, Potatoes, sugary candies, and bread toast were all that my diet consisted of.
If that was not too much to handle for my taste buds, my mother had also added Indian superfood i.e 4-5 raw Avlas to eat.
Well, when it comes to Avlas, the peculiar pungent taste hits you hard in your taste buds.
But if you are thinking that I could have got away with an unfinished tiffin, you don’t know that my mom gave my class teacher full instructions to make sure that I finish my lunch totally.
Well, it took me a couple of days to give in, but I am glad I did. Those wintry mornings in Ranchi made me suffer from running nose and cough quite often.
So, If the morning tulsi tea was not enough, I was made to strictly eat these gooseberries for lunch.
To my surprise, my cough vanished within four days. It also helped in raising my immunity level.
Seeing the quick and effective results, I began to take healthy eating seriously from a very young age. There comes a point in every kid’s life when he realises that the right nutrition is anytime better than pills and health tonics.
Do tell me in the comment section if you have had any such realisations while growing up.
Actually, Avla is a rich source of Vitamin C. That means it has an abundance of antioxidants.
You can read more about the value of antioxidant-rich foods for your immunity and overall health here and here
Avla is your natural skin and hair conditioner.
Your skin and hair love a daily dose of antioxidants. And the Vitamin C content aids in this process. It will take you 17 oranges to reap a similar vitamin C nourishment. This means that your body gets an optimum level of collagen production which means you get smoother, shinier hair along with radiant and glowing skin.
All this while promoting skin and hair health.
Avla is a boon to your eyesight
Once I was browsing the web for a pair of good-looking spectacles. I came across an article on lenskart.com talking about the natural ways to boost eye health. Amla made it to the top of their list. Now when an eye care company promotes Avla as one of the best ways to take care of your eyes, it will definitely raise your curiosity level
I mean they could have suggested any eye exercise on the top of their list. Why Indian superfood first?
I immediately looked up some evidence. Well, traditionally, Amla is considered as a Rasayana ( rejuvenator) in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Rasayana crystalizes tissue growth for a disease-free life.
When looking for scientific evidence, you can refer to this brief article as a starting point. It highlights other benefits too.
So when it comes to your eyes, Amla primarily helps in preventing muscle degeneration to help you curb eye diseases and improve your eyesight.
Avla takes care of your gut health and accelerates your weight loss goals
While many people will tell you that consuming Avla regulates your metabolism.
Some people take this a step further. Avla is a rich source of dietary fibre. What it means is that if you can snack on Avla before your meal or drink a glass full of Avla juice, it can actually take care of your cravings.
So when your stomach is full with lesser calorie 1intake, you reach your weight loss goals rather quickly. The same fact was revealed in a study conducted by Loughborough University too.
Conclusion
When it comes to your health and fitness, Indian superfood Avla is a total health booster. Starting with small quantities of nourishment can add longevity to your life.
That’s not all, it is known for its pain-alleviating quality in patients suffering from Arthritis too.
Maybe I should consider writing a small ebook to cover all the benefits in detail. Maybe later, I will.
So what benefits have you discovered for yourself if you have used Avla in your diet?
Also, do you use it as a pickle, dried form or eat it raw. You can crush it to make a natural juice also.
So have you had any realisations or experiences which helped you in making better diet choices while raising your awareness towards nutrition?
If so, do let me know in the comment section. I would love to know.