Fruits · IFCT 2017
Amla (Indian gooseberry): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, fresh amla gives just 24 kcal, 7.8 g dietary fibre and 252 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. That vitamin C figure ranks 1st of all 130 foods with a value in the tables, and 100 g covers about 315 per cent of a man's and 388 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. A single small amla goes a long way.
About amla (indian gooseberry)
Amla, the Indian gooseberry, is a hard, pale green, ribbed fruit from a hardy tree that grows across India's dry forests and farms, with large orchards around Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh and in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. It ripens in the cool months after the monsoon and is so sour and astringent that few people eat it plain. IFCT 2017 records it as nellikka in Malayalam, nellikkai in Tamil, usirikaya in Telugu, betta nelli in Kannada and aanla in Odia.
Amla sits at the heart of Indian home preserving. Murabba, slow-cooked in sugar syrup, is a north Indian winter staple; Andhra kitchens make usirikaya pachadi and pickle; Kerala soaks nellikka in brine with green chilli; and dried, powdered amla is a main ingredient of chyawanprash. It even colours chole: Punjabi cooks boil chickpeas with dried amla to give the gravy its deep brown shade.
What amla (indian gooseberry) brings to a meal
- 01
The top vitamin C food
At 252 mg per 100 g, amla ranks 1st of 44 fruits and 1st of 130 foods for vitamin C. 100 g meets more than three times the daily requirement of an adult man or woman.
- 02
High fibre, very few calories
Its 7.8 g fibre per 100 g ranks 4th of 43 fruits, while energy is only 24 kcal, 40th among fruits. Few foods give so much fibre for so little energy.
- 03
Helps iron absorption
Amla has 1.25 mg iron of its own per 100 g, 7th of 43 fruits. More usefully, its vitamin C helps the body absorb the iron from dal, greens and millets eaten in the same meal.
- 04
Some vitamin B6
100 g provides 0.27 mg vitamin B6, about 11 per cent of a man's and 14 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Beyond vitamin C and fibre, amla carries little else.
Amla (Indian gooseberry) nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 24 kcal | 1% | 1% |
| Protein | 0.3 g | 1% | 1% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 4.4 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 7.8 g | ||
| Free sugars | 3.4 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.2 g | ||
| Water | 87 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.04 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.02 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.08 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 28 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 20 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Iron | 1.25 mg | 7% | 4% |
| Zinc | 0.05 mg | 0% | 0% |
| Magnesium | 6 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Phosphorus | 22 mg | ||
| Potassium | 223 mg | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.12 mg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 252 mg | 315% | 388% |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.01 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.03 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.12 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.27 mg | 11% | 14% |
| Folate (B9) | 8 µg | 3% | 4% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.11 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 1.6 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Amla (Indian gooseberry): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fruits/amla/
Where amla (indian gooseberry) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 43 fruits and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In fruits | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 252 mg | 1st of 44 | 1st of 130 |
| Dietary fibre | 7.8 g | 4th of 43 | 55th of 182 |
| Iron | 1.25 mg | 7th of 43 | 122nd of 242 |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | 25th of 41 | 131st of 160 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 28 mg | 24th of 42 | 140th of 202 |
How amla (indian gooseberry) is eaten
- Amla murabba: whole fruit pricked and slow-cooked in sugar syrup, eaten one piece at a time in winter.
- Usirikaya pachadi or pickle in Andhra, tempered with mustard and fenugreek and fired up with red chilli.
- Nellikka uppilittathu: amla soaked in salted water with green chilli, a Kerala favourite.
- Grated raw into a chutney with green chilli, ginger, coriander leaves and salt.
- Dried amla boiled with chickpeas to darken Punjabi chole.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Before you plan around it
Amla is very sour and astringent, and a large glass of amla juice on an empty stomach can bring on acidity or heartburn in some people. Murabba and candy are tasty but loaded with sugar, which undoes much of the fruit's appeal for anyone watching blood sugar; fresh fruit, pickle or chutney avoids that. Vitamin C falls with long cooking, drying and storage, so fresh amla gives the most. With one fruit covering a day's need, vitamin C tablets are rarely necessary for someone who eats amla.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about amla (indian gooseberry)
How much vitamin C is in amla?
IFCT 2017 lists 252 mg vitamin C per 100 g of fresh amla, the highest of 130 foods in the tables. That is about 315 per cent of a man's and 388 per cent of a woman's daily requirement, so one or two fruits cover a day's need.
Is it good to drink amla juice daily?
A small amount of diluted fresh juice is a reasonable way to get vitamin C, though many people find it causes acidity on an empty stomach. Eating the whole fruit keeps its 7.8 g fibre per 100 g, which juice largely loses. People on regular medication should check with their doctor before starting a daily habit.
Does amla murabba still have vitamin C?
Some, but less than fresh amla. Long cooking in syrup and months of storage reduce vitamin C, and murabba adds a large amount of sugar. As an occasional winter treat it is fine; for vitamin C, fresh amla, chutney or pickle does better.
What is amla called in South India?
IFCT 2017 records nellikka in Malayalam, nellikkai in Tamil, usirikaya in Telugu and betta nelli in Kannada. In the north and west it is amla, in Assamese amlakhi, and in Odia aanla.
Related foods and tables
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Lemon (juice)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Orange
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Currants
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Karonda
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Amla vs Orange
Side by side, per 100 g.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
All fruits
44 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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