Terminalia Chebula- Health Benefits, Uses and Important Facts

About Terminalia chebula:

Terminalia chebula (family: Combretaceae), also known as Harde or Haritaki in India, is an astringent herb with a "cold" and "dry" temperament that is widely used in traditional medicine of India and Iran to treat various diseases. These diseases include dementia, constipation, and diabetes. In Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), this tree is known as halileh or halilaj and the fruit is used to develop treatments. According to ITM, Terminalia chebula can help to Astringe the body tissues, which may help to treat conditions like diarrhea and hemorrhoids. The cold and dry qualities of this herb may also help to relieve inflammation and soothe irritated skin.

Harad has phenolic acids, benzoic acids, cinnamic acids, flavonoids, beta-sitosterol (a plant sterol used to lower cholesterol levels), and glycosides, all of which have antioxidant properties. Harad also has things like amino acids, fatty acids, and fructose that are good for you.

Terminalia chebula uses in Ayurveda:

It is used a lot in ayurvedic medicine to treat a wide range of illnesses and help people feel better. It is one of the three important fruits used in "Triphala" (Three Myrobalans), an ayurvedic generic medicine that is known all over the world for being good for your health. According to Ayurvedic texts, it balances the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) and can be used as an Ayurvedic herbal tonic with many health benefits.

In Ayurveda, Haritaki was used to heal wounds on the outside of the body and as a mild laxative to help heal the digestive system from the inside.

Effects on dosha:

The divine fruit has five different tastes: Katu (sour), Tikta (bitter), Kashaya (dry), Madhura, and Amla Rasa (sour taste). It shows the Laghu (light) and Rukhsana (dry) gunas, the Ushna Virya (hot potency), and the Madhura Vipaka (sweet metabolic property). It is Tridoshic, which means that it balances all three doshas, which are Vata (air), Pitta (fire and air), and Kapha (earth and water). This balances and improves the health of the whole body.

How to identify a Haritaki tree?

This tree is a member of the Combretaceae family. It is called Harad in Hindi, Kadukkai in Tamil, Karakkaya in Telugu, and Haritaki in Bengali. Haritaki trees lose their leaves every year and grow mostly in tropical and subtropical areas of India, Nepal, China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The trees are quite tall, reaching 30 m in height, and have oval leaves that grow on the branches in pairs. They have flowers that are dull and whitish-yellow, and they smell very strong and unpleasant. The fruits are drupe-shaped and yellow to orange-brown in colour. There are five clear longitudinal ridges on their surface.

Haritaki and its varieties:

• Vijaya Haritaki is found in the Vindhya mountain ranges. It is used to treat most illnesses.
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• Chetaki Haritaki: The fruit's three-layered skin is used to clean the body, and it is most common in the Himachal region.
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• Rohini Haritaki: This type of haritaki has round fruits that are mostly used to heal wounds and treat the effects of taking in harmful substances. There are a lot of these grown in Sindh.
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• Putna Haritaki: This type has small fruits with big seeds that are mostly used on the outside of the body. It is usually found in the Himalayas.
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• Jayanti Haritaki: The tree has yellow flowers, and the dried fruits are used to treat all kinds of illnesses. They are most common in Gujarat's Saurashtra region.
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• Abhaya Haritaki: This type of fruit has a five-layered skin that is used to treat eye problems. It is grown in the Champa region of Chhattisgarh.
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• This type of Haritaki, called Amrita Haritaki, has a thick fruit pulp that can be used for Panchakarma. It grows in the Champa Bhagalpur region.

Health benefits of Haritaki:

Haritaki is very good at lowering blood sugar levels because it has a property called hypoglycemic. When you eat this "wonder fruit," the beta cells in your pancreas start making insulin. It slows down the process by which starch turns into glucose. So, using haritaki powder on a regular basis effectively lowers blood sugar levels and relieves many diabetic symptoms, such as having to go to the bathroom often, having a lot of thirst, losing weight, etc.

Haritaki is one of these traditional remedies that has strong properties that help the brain. The powerful antioxidants and flavonoids in this myrobalan improve a person's ability to remember, focus, concentrate, stay calm, and be alert. As a brain tonic and stimulant, haritaki slows the progress of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and dementia in people who take it in different ways. It is good for your memory, helps you think, solve problems, and improves other cognitive skills. Elements in the plant that protect neurons stop memory loss and ease stress in the brain.

Haritaki has a lot of health benefits, and one of the most important ones is that it is very good for both men and women's sexual health. Because it has strong Rasayana properties. Rasayana is the Sanskrit word for "alchemy" and means "something that stays strong throughout life." As a natural aphrodisiac, it helps reduce stress and anxiety and boosts libido by getting the hormones going. It makes both men and women more fertile, helps with a number of reproductive problems, and makes men stronger and more sexually active.

Haritaki is a traditional remedy for improving gut health and treating a wide range of gastrointestinal problems, such as esophagitis, heartburn, diarrhoea, flatulence, peptic ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux disease, indigestion, constipation, flatulence, and stomach pain. Because the fruit is carminative, it helps break down food in the stomach and intestines, increases the production of digestive juices, and makes it easier for the body to absorb nutrients through the intestines. It helps get rid of gas in the stomach, which makes the stomach feel less tight, full, and painful.

Haritaki is a very important part of getting rid of extra fat. It cleanses the body by getting rid of AMA toxins and reducing sudden hunger pangs and the desire to eat unhealthy foods. It stops LDL cholesterol, or "bad cholesterol," from building up in the body. This speeds up the metabolism and makes it easier for the body to lose weight.

Add a spoonful of haritaki powder to a glass of warm water to get rid of extra fat and get a slim body with good muscle tone.

Haritaki has strong antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties that are used not only to get rid of bacteria and germs in the body but also to treat wounds and help them heal faster. Since ancient times, this miraculous herb's bioactive compounds have been used to treat skin problems like sores, ulcers, skin fungus, etc.