It’s a pleasant Tuesday to talk about the many health benefits of haritaki.
Haritaki is a well-known plant in Ayurveda. Some other terms for haritaki are Terminalia chebula, black myrobalan, chebulic myrobalan, Harad, Karakkaya, and Kadukkai.
I’ve compiled a list of the health benefits of haritaki that I’ve seen online.
1. Haritaki Is A Source Of Valuable Nutrients
Haritaki contains different vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, copper, iron, manganese, potassium, and selenian.
It also contains behenic acid, gallic acid, stearic acid, and tannic acid.
2. Promotes Weight Loss
Some claim that haritaki is good for losing weight.
Its fiber content can make you feel fuller and prevent you from eating too much.
It’s also said that it’s an appetite suppressant.
3. Haritaki Relieves Arthritis
Haritaki has been used for both its anti-inflammatory qualities and analgesic qualities.
This means that it is helpful for people like me who are suffering from joint pains caused by arthritis or gout.
4. Can Be Used To Clean Your Eyes
In Ayurveda, haritaki has been used together with water as a good eyewash.
It is able to help treat conjunctivitis, reduce eye dryness, stye infections, and heals certain eye infections.
5. Haritaki Treats Respiratory Disorders
Haritaki has the ability to help treat certain respiratory disorders like coughs.
To help relieve coughs, you just create a mixture of water, haritaki powder, and honey.
Regularly drinking this potent combination should help relieve your coughs.
You can also use the same mixture to treat gingivitis and sore throat.
6. Improves Sexual Health
Haritaki is popular to be a good aphrodisiac.
It’s said to be able to promote longevity and vitality.
Apparently, it is also able to stimulate sexual desires.
7. Haritaki Promotes Hair Health
Haritaki is traditionally used in keeping healthy hair.
They use the haritaki powder together with coconut oil to massage your scalp.
It’s able to help with problems like dandruff and lice. It is also able to prevent hair loss.
They even say that it can make your hair look thicker and healthier.
8. Improves Skin Health
Haritaki is used for cleaning wounds.
Apparently, it is able to promote healing and prevent infections.
Besides cleaning cuts and wounds, it is also used to treat some skin disorders like acne, lip sores, skin fungus, skin rashes, sores, ulcers, and more.
The effectiveness of haritaki on your skin has been linked to it as having antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory qualities.
9. Haritaki Helps Manage Diabetes
Haritaki has been traditionally used in India and Southern Asia to decrease the fluctuation of blood glucose in your body.
It is a good natural method of controlling blood sugar levels.
Here’s a study conducted on diabetic rats that shows how effective the extracts from haritaki are.
Another popular herb in Ayurveda that can be helpful against diabetes is bibhitaki.
You can check my article about its health benefits here.
10. Promotes Good Oral Health
In a published study on Oral Health & Preventive Dentistry, it showed that haritaki as a mouthwash may help prevent the development of cavities.
Haritaki was able to decrease the levels of bacteria in saliva that’s linked to the development of cavities.
11. Haritaki Improves Your Brain Functions
Haritaki is considered to be a nootropic.
This means that this herb is a cognitive enhancer which can enhance your cognitive functions, creativity, memory, and even motivation.
They assume that it’s because haritaki improves oxygenation which in turn opens up neuro-pathways that’s good for different brain functions.
12. Helps With Pain Relief
Haritaki can be helpful in pain management.
A study published in the Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology tells you that the test participants who were given haritaki have been observed to now have higher pain tolerance and pain threshold.
They were compared to another group of test participants who were exposed to a placebo effect.
Another study suggests that it is helpful in treating knee pain of people who are suffering from knee osteoarthritis.
13. Haritaki Improves Digestive Health
Haritaki is able to promote good digestion.
This in turn is able to prevent or treat certain digestive disorders like constipation. This is probably haritaki is considered to be a mild laxative.
It is also consumed to cleanse your colon.
Just to add, haritaki is also a source of fiber which is always good for your digestion.
14. May Help Reduce Cholesterol Levels
A study conducted on mice showed that consuming haritaki helped in decreasing the overall cholesterol levels of these animals. You can check this study to know more about this.
Researchers even noticed a decreased level of triglycerides.
Studies have been conducted on animals so more research needs to be done to know if there will be significant effects on humans.
15. Haritaki Treats Hemorrhoids
Haritaki can also be used to relieve hemorrhoids.
Some use haritaki powder and dissolve it in water and use the water for a bath.
They claim that it should help with reducing the swelling and promoting healing.
16. May Increase Antioxidants In Your Body
It would seem that haritaki has the ability to increase the levels of antioxidants in your body which are helpful in fighting oxidative stress.
In Cell Biochemistry and Function, they’ve noted that this herb was able to boost the concentrations of different antioxidants in your body like glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
The study was conducted on aging rats.
Conclusion
These are just some of the health benefits of haritaki.
Just like other herbs in Ayurveda, I’m not quite familiar with haritaki even with its other names.
Probably because it’s not native in our country so I don’t see it that much.
In any case, I would’ve tried haritaki for its ability to be helpful with my arthritis condition. Therefore, this is my favorite health benefit of haritaki on the list.
Which health benefit of haritaki will you need the most?
Btw, make sure to ask first your doctor or medical professional if you’re OK in consuming haritaki for its health benefits just to be safe.
Please share this article with someone who can benefit from it.
I hope everyone is staying strong with all that’s happening around us.