Amla hair care tips to use Indian gooseberries in murabba, masks, oil, shampoo and diet for healthier, shiny hair

Indian gooseberries or amla are considered to be the elixir for hair as they have both preventive and curative properties like – it prevents the breaking of hair as well as cures pigmentation, inflammation, greying of hair, etc. Furthermore, the leaves of the plant too, are utilised for hair care and while consuming gooseberries has its added advantages to the whole body, they can also be used externally to cater to the needs of the hair and scalp.

They are a local favourite, especially among the women folk as the Indian gooseberries have various preparation ranging from pickles, chutneys, curries, juice and even the famous murabba. Amla has a plethora of benefits but a famous one is it has beneficial effects on the hair, thoroughly cleanses the scalp and hair, contains antibacterial properties which is also the reason it is included in a lot of hair products and in a way, is a master of all trades for your hair.

We have all heard throughout the years about the therapeutic benefits of amla, or Indian gooseberry but did you know this particular component can work wonders for your hair? In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Archana Batra, Dietitian, Nutritionist, Physiotherapist and a Certified Diabetes Educator, shared, “Amla helps to nourish your hair from the roots up because it is a high source of vital nutrients. Additionally, it stops greying and strengthens and smooths out your hair.”

She suggested, “You can greatly enhance the health of your hair by including amla in your diet. It lessens free radicals and oxidative stress and the vitamin C in amla boosts your body’s natural immunity. One raw Amla fruit consumed daily for eight to twelve weeks can promote hair development. For an additional hint of flavour, dip it in a little honey. The best benefits can be obtained by consuming fresh amla juice first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or by taking amla powder twice day with water after meals. If you think amla’s flavour is a little too strong, you can eat it as a murrabba candy and use it as a side dish with your food.”

According to Dietician Vidhi Chawla, Founder of Fisico Diet Clinic, consuming Indian gooseberries help the hair be stronger and also caters to discolouration of hair brought about by nutrient deficiency. She gushed, “It soothes the scalp and so, reduces dandruff caused by inflamed follicles. They bring back dull hair to life by providing the shine required to the hair, whilst conditioning it as well. Traditionally, Amla was used to promote hair development instead of hair growth because of its property to produce collagen protein. So including gooseberry in some form or the other in your diet contributes to the nutrition needed for your hair.”

She recommended a murabba recipe for Hair Growth:

Step 1: Take some gooseberries and clean them. After which using a fork try to create holes in the gooseberries.

Step 2: Take some water, just enough to cover the gooseberries completely, and put it for boiling, after which add the required amounts of jaggery and 1 tablespoon of cardamom powder.

Step 3: Once, the syrup starts lathering, add the cleaned gooseberries to the syrup, and let it boil with the gooseberries.

Step 4: Once the syrup is soaked by the gooseberries, take the gooseberries out and season it with white sesame seeds.

Spilling the beans on a whole one-ingredient hair care routine that can be based on Indian gooseberries, Ruchita Acharya, Founder of Glow and Green, advised:

1. Starting with a hair oil – Amla juice could be squeezed and then heated with coconut or almond oil. Into this, you could add a few curry leaves and aloe vera gel. Once the solution is heated well enough, it can be strained and bottled. When needed, this oil could be mildly heated and applied.

2. A hair mask – A hair mask especially made to reduce split ends would lead to amla juice mixed with yoghurt and henna powder. This helps the hair with cleansing and removing toxic material from the scalp. Yoghurt/Curd helps the hair moisturise and retain hydration, thus helping with frizzy hair.

3. Shampoo – A really good amla shampoo to make would be drying hibiscus flowers and leaves, gooseberries and making a powder of them. Then this powder mixture should be added with either reetha powder or shikakai powder and then honey could be added as well. All this could be made into a paste by adding a little water, turning it into a really good hair cleanser.