How to use amla or Indian gooseberry for high cholesterol

Worried about your rising cholesterol levels? Control it now with amla or Indian gooseberries.

Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : March 16, 2016 9:51 AM IST

High cholesterol is something most of us have to worry about. We hardly think twice about how our wayward eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle has on our health and then have to pay the price in some or the other form of a lifestyle disease. High cholesterol level invites heart diseases such as atherosclerosis and stroke. And if your cholesterol levels go through the roof, then you don't have much of choice but to take blood thinning drugs, follow a strict diet and exercise every day. However, there are many natural remedies you can use to control your blood cholesterol levels and one of them is Indian gooseberry or amla.

Amla is also used in Ayurvedic medicine. Apart from being rich in vitamin C, amla is a storehouse of antioxidants and minerals. However, various clinical studies show that Indian gooseberry interferes with cholesterol absorption from food and also stops the action of the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase that plays an important role in the formation of cholesterol. Amla reduces total cholesterol (TC) level, LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) and triglyceride (TG) level. It is also known to increase High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) level [1]. Confused about HDL and LDL? Here's what they actually mean.

Apart from controlling blood cholesterol levels, amla also has an anti-diabetic effect and also helps controls hypertension.

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How to use amla for reducing cholesterol levels

Drinking a cup of amla juice every day is the easiest and safest way to incorporate it in your diet. But make sure you drink fresh amla juice every day. To make the juice at home follow this procedure:

Cut two gooseberries into small pieces and remove the seeds.
Grind the gooseberries with a cup of water in a blender.
Strain it using a muslin cloth or a fine strainer.
Add a pinch of black salt or a teaspoon of honey before drinking.

Image source: Getty Images

Reference:

1. Gopa B, Bhatt J, Hemavathi KG. A comparative clinical study of hypolipidemic efficacy of Amla (Emblica officinalis) with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme-A reductase inhibitor simvastatin. Indian Journal of Pharmacology. 2012;44(2):238-242. doi:10.4103/0253-7613.93857.