Vitamin C is one of the potent antioxidants.  It is great for boosting immunity, improving skin health, hair growth, etc. Vitamin C is sensitive to light, heat, and air. Therefore vitamin C get often destroyed during cooking. Amla or Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus Emblica Linn) is one of the highest natural sources of vitamin C. However, consuming fresh amla is not very easy for its sharp sour taste. Thus amla powder is one of the great alternatives. But the question is – does amla powder have vitamin C?  Let’s find out.

Does amla powder have vitamin C?

As per a study published in 2019, amla powder does contain a considerable amount of vitamin C. The study made an effort to compare the vitamin C content of fresh amla along with dried amla powder. It shows how the vitamin C content of amla powder varies with various drying techniques like sun dry, oven dry, and freeze dry.  

The result shows that freeze-dried amla powder manages to contain the highest amount of vitamin C followed by sun-dried and oven-dried amla powder.  Check the table 1 below for details –

Table 1: Comparison of vitamin C content of the various types of amla powder

Reference – (1)

As per Indian dietary guidelines, the daily requirement of vitamin C is as follows –

Why should you consider having Amla powder daily?

Amla powder boosts your immunity –

Amla powder contains phenolic compounds which are potent antioxidants. It helps to fight against the free radicals in your body and reduce inflammation. Thus regular consumption of amla powder may boost your immunity, arrest early aging, and development of metabolic diseases.

It is good for eye health –

Amla powder is rich in vitamin C. This is essential for protecting the health of your retinal tissue. It improves the strength of your eye muscle and prevents cataract development by inhibiting free radicals. (4) Thus having amla powder may help you to improve and protect your eye health.

 It  may help to reduce blood pressure & protect your heart

Amla powder is rich in antioxidants, which help to regulate blood pressure better.  Study shows, that amla juice helps to improve the lipid profile and reduce blood pressure. (2) Another study shows that drinking amla juice increase HDL level and shows a beneficial effect on controlling atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia (3)

Amla powder may reduce inflammation and prevent cancer

There are multiple studies that show that amla juice has radiomodulatory, chemopreventive effects, free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimutagenic activity which are effective for cancer treatment and prevention. (5)(6)

It may improve liver health

There are studies that suggest that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of amla juice help in protecting liver health. (7)

Amla powder is good for controlling blood sugar level

Amla contains chromium which regulate carbohydrate metabolism and makes the body more responsive to insulin by keeping the blood sugar under check. Therefore if you are struggling with type 2 diabetes, plan to include amla juice in daily diet. (8)(9)

It  may be beneficial for enhancing digestion and relieving constipation

Dehydrated amla powder is rich in fiber. This may help you to fix your constipation problem. As per Ayurveda, it also improves your digestion. Try having amla juice in the morning on empty stomach for the desirable result. (10)

Amla powder is great for skin health

Vitamin C present in amla powder helps to give an antioxidant effect. It protects your skin from the oxidative stress and free radicals. It also helps in collagen formation. Therefore premature ageing, wrinkles, dark spots, etc may be prevented by regular intake of amla drink. It may improve your skin health and bring a natural glow. (11)(12)(13)

Amla powder is good for hair

Amla powder is one of the most powerful solutions for fixing dandruff and excessive hair fall. Drinking a glass of amla juice or applying an amla hair mask is beneficial to obtaining the desired result. (14)(15)

It’s convenient for regular use –

Imagine grating, and deseeding amla every morning for your vegetable juice. Does it sound doable for every day? Mornings are one of the busy hours in almost every household. Therefore you need some convenience to match your time with your health goal.

It is like an instant drink. All you need to do is take a teaspoon of powder and stir in water. That’s all, the basic amla drink is ready.

Generally good in quality –

As I always mention – be an informed and aware consumer. Amla powder available in the market is mostly a single-ingredient product. That means it contains only dehydrated amla and nothing else. No preservatives, artificial colors, sweeteners, or additives are added to this powder. Therefore you can be assured of the quality of the powder.  However, don’t forget to check the ingredient list.

It’s pocket friendly –

There are various ranges of amla powder available in the market. It may cost starting from rupees 60 to 200/- for 100g. You may pick any as per your choice.

You may think that you will get a kilo of beetroot in just rupees 150 – 170/-. Then paying this much for only 100 g may sound very expensive.

Remember, to get 100 g of amla powder you may need 1 – 1.5kg of fresh amla. Then also consider the hassle of making it into powder. So the cost is not that high comparing the convenience and health benefits you are going to avail yourself.

How to make amla powder at home?

Making amla powder at home is not a complicated process. However, it’s time-consuming for sure. If you are planning to prepare the powder at home, consider the following steps –

• Wash the amla well under running water and clean the soil and dirt.
• Soak the water using a clean kitchen towel.
• Grate the amla and discard the seeds.
• Spread the grated amla on a clean plate.
• Keep it under the sun for a few days for drying.
• Do check the amla in between to ensure complete drying.
• Once fully dried, pour the amla flakes into a grinder and grind them.
• Your amla powder is ready.
• Collect and store it in a clean dry glass jar.
• Store it in a cool dry place or in your refrigerator for long-term use.

Is there any side effect of amla powder?

 Amla powder is high in potassium, an important element to regulate blood pressure. Thus if you are struggling with low blood pressure, you may avoid taking it on a regular basis.

As amla powder is high in potassium, patients with kidney problems should not take it.

If you are allergic to amla, needless to say, you must avoid it. You may experience nausea, stomach ache, headache, etc after having it.

Consult a nutritionist before giving amla powder to pregnant or lactating women.

Where to buy amla powder?

Now a day, amla powder is easily available online as well as in your nearby health store. The price range varies between rupees 60-200/- for 100 g of powder.

Pro tip: Always check the ingredient list before buying. There should be only one item – carrot powder – in the ingredient list or should mention 100% of pure edible amla powder on the package.

Looking for amla powder online? Check this link –

https://amzn.to/3OZI59L

Also read about–

Beetroot powder

Carrot powder

Spinach powder

Bottom Line

Fresh amla has its own health benefits. Making fresh juice every morning may be difficult in your busy morning. Dehydrated amla powder is an instant drink and can supply a major portion of your daily requirement of vitamin C. You can carry it anywhere you travel and ensure the health benefits.