Amla Nutrition Facts (Indian Gooseberry): Calories, Vitamin C & Health Benefits
Amla — the Indian gooseberry — is the fruit every Ayurvedic text and every modern nutrition label agrees on: nothing else grown at scale in India packs this much vitamin C into so few calories. But the numbers you see quoted online swing wildly, from 300mg to 900mg of vitamin C per 100g. This guide breaks down the amla nutrition facts that actually hold up — sourced from ICMR-NIN's Indian Food Composition Tables and USDA data — along with the macro and micronutrient profile, evidence-based benefits, and how much you should realistically eat.
1. What Is Amla?
Amla (Phyllanthus emblica, also called Emblica officinalis) is the fruit of the Indian gooseberry tree, native to India and widely cultivated across the subcontinent. Sanskrit texts call it Amalaki, and it's one of the three fruits in Triphala and the primary ingredient in Chyawanprash — two of Ayurveda's most enduring formulations.
The fruit itself is small, round, pale green to yellow, and intensely sour and astringent when eaten raw. That sourness comes from a combination of very high vitamin C content and a dense load of tannins — the same tannins that, unusually, help stabilize the vitamin C rather than letting it degrade.
Amla is eaten fresh, dried, powdered (churna), pickled, candied (murabba), or juiced. In Indian households it shows up as a monsoon-season fresh fruit, a year-round powder stirred into water, or an ingredient in hair oils and skincare — though the nutrition case rests entirely on how it's eaten, not applied.
2. Amla Nutrition Per 100g
Values below are for fresh, raw amla, edible portion. ICMR-NIN's IFCT 2017 is the reference standard for Indian food composition; USDA figures are shown alongside where available, since lab values vary by variety, region, and ripeness.
| Nutrient | Amount per 100g (ICMR-NIN, fresh) | Amount per 100g (USDA range) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 58 kcal | 44–70 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 13.7 g | 10–14 g |
| Protein | 0.5 g | 0.9–1 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g | 0.6 g |
| Dietary fibre | 3.4 g | 4.3 g |
| Vitamin C | ~600 mg | 300–900 mg (variety-dependent) |
| Calcium | 50 mg | 25–50 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg | 0.3–1.2 mg |
| Potassium | — | ~198 mg |
| Vitamin A | trace | ~290 IU |
The spread in vitamin C values isn't sloppy data — amla's ascorbic acid content genuinely varies with cultivar, growing region, and how ripe the fruit was at harvest. For everyday reference, treating fresh amla as roughly 500–600mg vitamin C per 100g is a defensible, commonly-cited middle ground.
3. Vitamin C Content: Why Amla Stands Out
An orange delivers about 53mg of vitamin C per 100g. Amla delivers 10 to 12 times that in the same weight — which is where the "20 oranges in one amla serving" comparison comes from (based on average fruit sizes, not per-100g weight).
What actually makes amla unusual isn't just the quantity — it's the stability. Vitamin C is normally heat-labile; cooking or drying most fruits destroys much of it. Amla's tannins bind to the ascorbic acid and slow its degradation, which is why amla powder and even cooked preparations like murabba retain a meaningful fraction of the original vitamin C, unlike, say, cooked citrus.
Practical retention estimates across processing methods:
- Fresh amla: ~100% retained
- Fresh juice: ~80–90% retained
- Murabba (sugar-preserved): ~50–70% retained
- Sun-dried powder: ~30–50% retained
One 100g serving of fresh amla (roughly 2 medium fruits) comfortably exceeds the ICMR RDA for vitamin C (40mg/day for adults) many times over.
4. Macronutrients
Amla is a low-calorie, low-fat, low-protein fruit that leans almost entirely on carbohydrate and fibre for its caloric content.
- Energy: ~58 kcal per 100g — lower than most common fruits (banana: ~89 kcal, mango: ~60 kcal)
- Carbohydrates: ~13.7g, mostly as complex carbs and natural sugars; amla is notably less sweet than most fruits due to its sour, astringent taste profile
- Protein: ~0.5g — negligible as a protein source
- Fat: ~0.1g — essentially fat-free
- Fibre: ~3.4g, split between soluble fibre (which slows glucose absorption) and insoluble fibre (which supports bowel regularity)
This macro profile is what makes amla useful in diabetes-conscious diets: high fibre and low sugar density mean a smaller glycemic impact than most fruit of comparable size.
5. Micronutrients
Beyond vitamin C, amla contributes a modest but useful spread of minerals and secondary vitamins:
- Calcium: ~50 mg/100g — supports bone density, though not a primary calcium source
- Iron: ~1.2 mg/100g — meaningful when paired with amla’s vitamin C, which enhances non-heme iron absorption from other foods eaten in the same meal
- Potassium: ~198 mg/100g — supports fluid balance and blood pressure regulation
- Vitamin A: small amounts, contributing to eye and skin health
- B-complex vitamins: trace amounts of thiamin (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6)
- Polyphenols and tannins: gallic acid, ellagic acid, emblicanin A and B, corilagin, quercetin, kaempferol — not classical “nutrients” but the compounds responsible for most of amla’s antioxidant activity
The iron-vitamin C pairing is worth calling out specifically for Indian vegetarian diets, where non-heme iron sources (lentils, leafy greens) benefit substantially from being eaten alongside a vitamin C source like amla.
6. Health Benefits (Evidence-Based)
The claims made about amla are extensive; the ones with actual clinical or mechanistic backing are narrower. Here's what current research supports:
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Amla's polyphenol and tannin content gives it one of the higher ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) values recorded among fruits. This translates to measurable reduction in oxidative stress markers in supplementation studies.
Lipid and cardiovascular markers. Several human trials using amla powder or extract have reported improvements in total cholesterol and LDL, with some studies showing 15–25% improvements in lipid parameters over supplementation periods of 6–12 weeks.
Blood glucose regulation. Amla's fibre slows carbohydrate absorption, and small trials suggest improvements in fasting and post-meal glucose levels with regular intake. It is a supportive dietary addition, not a substitute for glucose management.
Digestive support. The fibre and natural stimulation of digestive enzyme activity support regularity — one of amla's more consistently reported traditional and modern uses.
Skin and hair. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of topical amla gel showed measurable improvements in skin hydration and elasticity over 84 days. Oral amla syrup has also shown improvement in hair growth markers in small trials on androgenetic alopecia, though this evidence base is thinner than the cardiovascular and antioxidant data.
Immune support. Amla is described as an immunomodulator rather than a simple immune "booster" — it appears to help regulate immune response rather than non-specifically stimulate it, though this mechanism needs more human trial data to be considered firmly established.
What amla is not: a proven treatment for cancer, a verified anti-aging cure, or a substitute for medical management of diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Most of the strongest evidence comes from small trials or animal/in-vitro studies — promising, but not yet at the level of a first-line clinical intervention.
7. Fresh vs Dried vs Juice vs Powder
| Form | Vitamin C retention | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh fruit | ~100% | Maximum nutrient density, fibre intact | Short seasonal availability, very sour/astringent |
| Fresh juice | ~80–90% | Quick vitamin C dose, easier to consume daily | Fibre is lost or reduced; often diluted or sweetened commercially |
| Murabba (preserve) | ~50–70% | Year-round availability, milder taste | High added sugar — offsets some metabolic benefits |
| Dried powder (churna) | ~30–50% | Convenience, long shelf life, easy dosing | Lowest vitamin C of all forms; quality varies widely by brand and storage |
Fresh amla or fresh juice will always give you the most complete nutrient profile. Powder is the most practical for daily year-round use but should be treated as a supplementary vitamin C source, not the primary one — the retention loss is real.
8. How Much Amla Should You Eat Daily?
There’s no formal RDA specifically for amla, but based on typical usage in Indian dietary and Ayurvedic practice, reasonable daily intakes are:
- Fresh amla: 1–2 medium fruits (20–30g each), roughly 40–60g total
- Amla juice: 20–30ml, ideally diluted with water, once daily
- Amla powder: 1–3g (roughly ½–1 teaspoon), typically taken with warm water on an empty stomach
This is well below the 100g reference serving used in nutrition tables — you don’t need a full 100g serving to get a meaningful vitamin C dose, since even 20–30g of fresh amla covers the daily requirement several times over. More is not proportionally better past this point; excess amla mainly adds acidity without added benefit.
9. Side Effects
Amla is generally safe in food-level quantities, but a few things are worth knowing:
- Acidity and gastric irritation. Amla’s sourness and tannin content can aggravate acid reflux or gastritis in sensitive individuals, especially on an empty stomach in concentrated forms like powder.
- Blood sugar interaction. Because amla can lower blood glucose, people on diabetes medication should monitor for additive effects and consult their physician before adding concentrated amla supplements.
- Blood thinning interaction. Amla has mild anticoagulant properties in some studies; caution is advised for those on blood-thinning medication.
- Excess iron/mineral interference. Very high tannin intake (from excessive powder use) can, in theory, interfere with mineral absorption if taken alongside iron-rich meals — moderate quantities do not pose this risk.
- Allergic reactions. Rare, but possible, particularly with concentrated supplements or extracts rather than the whole fruit.
None of these are reasons to avoid food-level amla intake for most healthy adults — they’re reasons to avoid mega-dosing powders or extracts without guidance, especially if you’re on existing medication.
10. FAQs
Is amla better than an orange for vitamin C?
Per 100g, yes — amla delivers roughly 10 times more vitamin C than an orange. But orange is eaten in much larger quantities per serving, so the practical gap in a typical serving is smaller than the per-100g numbers suggest.
Does cooking destroy amla's vitamin C?
Partially. Amla's tannins slow vitamin C degradation better than most fruits, but heat still causes losses — fresh and lightly processed forms (juice) retain the most; dried powder and sugar preserves retain less.
Can diabetics eat amla?
Yes, in moderate amounts — its low glycemic load and fibre content make it diabetes-friendly, and some evidence points to modest glucose-regulating effects. Anyone on diabetes medication should still monitor levels when adding concentrated amla products.
Is amla powder as good as fresh amla?
Not quite — powder typically retains only 30–50% of the original vitamin C. It's convenient and still useful, but fresh fruit or juice is nutritionally superior where available.
How much amla is too much?
There's no established upper limit, but more than a few grams of powder or more than 2–3 fresh fruits daily offers diminishing returns and raises the risk of acidity or gastric discomfort in sensitive individuals.
Can I take amla on an empty stomach?
It's a common traditional practice, but people prone to acidity or gastritis may find it irritating and should take it with food instead.
11. References
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT) 2017.
- United States Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central.
- Gul, M., Liu, Z., Haq, I., et al. (2022). Functional and Nutraceutical Significance of Amla (Phyllanthus emblica L.): A Review. Antioxidants, 11(5), 816.
- Avinash, P. G., Hamid, Shams, R., et al. (2023). Recent Insights into the Morphological, Nutritional, and Phytochemical Properties of Indian Gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica) for the Development of Functional Foods. Plants, 13(5), 574.
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin C — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
