In Ayurveda, Haritaki is wonder medicine and is used to cure many types of diseases. The miraculous herb has astringent, rejuvenating, laxative and purgative properties.
You can use it for digestive health, disease prevention, detoxification, dropping unwanted body fat, better skin and hair and much more.
To enjoy the health benefits of Haritaki, you should know how to prepare the Haritaki powder, the best type to take it, and some other dosage facts related to it.
Don’t wait, scroll down to know some interesting facts about Haritaki and why it is called the wonder medicine in Ayurveda.
Table of Contents
What Is Haritaki?
This is a wonder fruit grown on Haritaki Tree(Terminalia Chebula Tree). It has unique characteristics which make him universal remedy of all diseases in Ayurveda.
This is one of the major component of wonder Ayurveda medicine known as Triphala Powder. Haritaki Trees are found in deciduous forests of India, especially in the northern region.
Fruits, Roots, and bark of this tree are used to prepare herbal medicines. Haritaki Fruit is a drupe-like fruit vary in size between 2 to 4.5 cm length and 1.2 to 2.5 cm in breadth having five longitudinal ridges.
Oval in shape and turns green to blackish in color as ripening depend upon its variety. The taste of its fruits are sweet, sour, bitter and astringent depend upon its type which is discussed below in different types of Haritaki section.
It is called by different names in different languages in India like “Harad” in Urdu and Hindi, “Kadukkai” in Tamil,”Hirada” in Marathi, “Hilikha” in Assamese and “Horitoky” in Bengali.
Health Benefits Of Haritaki (Terminalia Chebula)
Haritaki, the wonder medicine has several health benefits, out of which few are listed below:
1. Haritaki Can Prevents Hair Loss And Removes Dandruff
Hartaki is a very useful remedy for hair fall in the form of Haritaki herbal oil. The health beenfits of Haritaki for hair is known from ages. It also prevents Dandruff and Lice infection. Regular use of Haritaki oil is good for your hairs.
You can buy it online or make at your home. To make Haritaki oil, heat a cup of coconut oil in a pan and add three haritaki pods(fruit). Once it has turned brown and the outer shell cracks, take it out of flame and let it cool.
When it cools down, store it in a bottle and use according to your need.
2.Haritaki Can Constipation
Haritaki is a natural laxative and contains dietary fibers which are digestive agents fights with constipation. This health benefit of haritaki is for Constipated Patients.
Constipation Patients take Haritaki in the form of Haritaki Powder with water as a drug dosage to fight with constipation. You can buy it online or make it at home.
To make haritaki powder at home, take haritaki fruit, remove the seed from it and sundry the peel of the fruit.
Take the peel and churn it in the grinder to make a powder. Store the powder in the bottle and use it with water whenever needed.
3. Haritaki Can Removes Acne And Ulcers
Haritaki has antibacterial properties which make it very effective for treating acne and ulcers. Take haritaki powder and boiled water, make a paste and apply it on acne and ulcer spotted skin.
It heals acne very quickly and prevents scars from forming. Haritaki can give you significant skin health benefits with regular use.
4. Haritaki Can Fights With Skin Allergies
Haritaki is very useful in fighting with skin allergies. It treats skin allergies in the ears and nose caused by earrings and nose ring. Ornaments made of Gold and Silver don’t cause any skin allergy but artificial jewelry made of metal cause allergies and skin rashes.
Haritaki Paste is the best remedy for this problem. To make a Haritaki paste, take haritaki fruit and rub it on sandalwood stone with little-boiled water. After rubbing it against sandalwood, you found light green color paste, take this paste and apply on the infected skin.
5. Haritakin Can Prevents Cough And Cold
It is a very useful remedy for preventing cough and cold naturally. The dosage of Haritaki powder mixed with honey will treat a cough and cold effectively. It also cures gingivitis and sore throat.
6. Haritaki Can Boosts Immunity
Haritaki acts as an immunity booster and increases longevity if it’s powder is taken regularly fried in ghee. This health benefits of haritaki is outbound.
It can help you prevent a variety of health ailments.
7. Haritaki Can Prevents Diabetes
The health benefits of haritaki lie in regulating blood sugar levels and decrease insulin sensitivity in the body, so it is a very useful remedy Diabetes patients. One more thing as many diabetic medicines has side effects along with regulating blood sugar levels, but haritaki do not have any side effects at all.
8. Haritaki Can Helps In Weight Loss
Haritaki is a natural blood purifier. It helps in remove toxins from the body and keeps digestive system on track as it contains dietary fibers which help in digestion of food.
Taking Haritaki in the form of powder daily regulate hunger and combined with balanced diet and regular exercise will aid in weight loss naturally.
9. Haritaki Can Help To Clear Skin
Haritakin is a natural skin cleanser. It purifies your blood from inside to make your skin look clearer and brighter.
It works by removing the dead skin cells from the skin and causing the growth of new skin cells.
10. Haritaki Can Aid In Digestion
Regular intake of Haritaki can aid in the functioning of your digestive tract. It works by forming a healthy intestinal environment and increasing the absorption of nutrients from the food you eat.
Moreover, it is also a mild laxative that can aid in removing all the waste from your body and improving your metabolic rate at the same time.
However, with the initial intake you might feel little bloated or mild gastrointestinal issues but within a week your bowel movement will improve and all the indigestion issues will clear off in no time.
11. Haritaki As An Anti-oxidative Agent
The Ayurvedic herb Haritki has another health benefit because of its anti-oxidation properties. It has powerful anti-oxidants like ellagic acid, gallic acid, chebulic acid, flavonol glycosides, selenium and vitamin C. These can help you protect from cancer and other chronic diseases by eliminating the oxidative stress on the body.
12. Haritaki As An Anti-bacterial Agent
The dried Haritaki fruit has strong antibacterial and antiviral properties. So, this is another health benefit of haritaki to prevent bacterial and viral infections.
So, it can also act as a health tonic by preventing any bacteria’s or viruses to grow in your body.
13. Haritaki Is A Tonic For Nervous System
Studies suggest about the health benefits of haritaki for your nervous system. It can work by strengthening the weak nervous system and promoting the power of senses.
14. Haritaki Can Heal Wounds
Haritaki has anti-inflammatory properties. You can enjoy the health benefit of Hairtaki if you get wound or a bruise.
Apply the paste of haritaki fruit on the affected area to fasten the healing process and reducing any inflammation or redness.
15. Haritaki Can Cure Dental Issues
You can enjoy the health benefits of Haritaki if you suffer from dental issues. Haritaki can cure bleeding gum, ulcerated gum, and swollen gums.
It works on it as it has astringent and anti-inflammatory properties.
16. Haritaki Can Treat Urinary Tract Infections
if you suffer from urinary tract infections, you can use haritaki to get a permanent cure. It works by killing the bacteria, reducing the symptoms, and enhancing the bowel movement to remove the waste and toxins from your body.
However, this health benefit of Haritaki takes a lot of time to give you a permanent cure.
17. Haritaki Can Strengthen Muscles And Joints
Haritaki is a powerful Ayurvedic herb that can enhance the longevity of tissues, muscles, and bones in your body. It can make you fit and keep you energized all day long.
Types Of Haritaki
According to Bhavaprakasha(Ancient Indian Scripture), there are seven types of Haritaki(Terminalia Chebula) available in different places, which are explained below.
1.Vijaya
Universal remedy for all diseases, found in Vindhya Mountains of India
2.Rohini
Useful in wound healing and available in Pratishtanaka. Fruit is circular in shape is it’s identification.
3.Putana
Used for external application and available in the Sindh. Small fruits with big seed are its identification.
4.Amruta
Useful for panchakarma(detoxification) and available in Champa, Bhagalpur Area in India
5.Abhaya
Useful for eye diseases available in Champa, Bhagalpur Area in India. Five creases on fruit skin are its
6.Jivanti
Useful in all diseases and available in Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Fruit is yellow in color is it’s identification.
7.Chetak
Useful for purgation and available in Himachal Pradesh. Three creases on fruit skin are its identification
Out of these seven types, Vijaya is considered best.
Nutritional Value Of Haritaki
Haritaki Fruit is very nutritious for a human being as it contains essential vitamins, minerals and protein. It is a rich source of Vitamin C and minerals like selenium, manganese, potassium, iron and copper.
Haritaki also has plants chemicals like tannic acid, Che bulimic acid, gallic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and behenic acid.
Ayurvedic Properties Of Haritaki
According to Bhavaprakasha(Ancient Indian Scripture), this is known as “The King Of Medicines” in Ayurveda because of these ayurvedic properties:
1. Rasa (Taste)
All six except salt, mainly astringent, sweet, sour, pungent, bitter.
2. Virya (Potency)
It’s very warm.
3. Vipaka (Post Digestive Effect)
It’s vipaka is sweet.
4. Guna (Quality)
It’s guna is light and dry.
Unique Property
Maintain the balance of all three doshas that is Tridosha(Humors)
Effect On Doshas
- It is very useful in the vitiation of all three senses of humor, but it is particularly used to balance Vata (Air humor).
- Balance the Air(Vata) if taken with Ghee(Buttery Oil).
- It helps to balance the Fire(Pitta) if taken with Shakara (Sugar/Coarse Jaggery).
- It helps to balance the Water(Kapha) if taken with Lavan(Rock Salt).
- Balance all the three Doshas that is Vata, Pitta, and Kapha if taken with Gud (Jaggery).
Haritaki also helps to improve the digestion. It detoxifies and nourishes all the body tissues.
Following are some uses of Haritaki according to Ayurveda:
- It helps to detoxify and nourish all the status (body tissues).
- it is best for purifying the channels of the body that is called “srotoshodhan.”
- Improve the digestive system & helps in healthy digestion of food.
- Strengthen the nerves & five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell & taste).
- Helps in maintaining normal body temperature.
- It helps in strengthening the female reproductive organs like a uterus.
How nutritious is haritaki?
From the above section and Ayurvedic properties of Haritaki, let’s now know about its health benefits.
From Where To Get Haritaki?
This herb is available in Ayurvedic Shops in the form of Haritaki Tablets, Haritaki Capsules, Haritaki Oil; Haritaki Powder also called Haritaki Churna and Haritaki Fruit.
You can buy it from there, or you can buy it online. One Pound of Haritaki Fruit costs you around $15 to $20, and its powder costs you between $8 and $10 or more.
Hope you got your haritaki fruit, powder, tablet/Capsule. Now you want to know about it’s dosage, how to take it?
How To Take Haritaki? (Haritaki Dosage)
If you have haritaki powder, you can take 1-6 grams of powder along with co-drink or ingredient based on disease and season(read Ritu Haritaki given below)once or twice a day.
If you have Haritaki Tablets or Capsules you can have one tablet/capsule twice a day. Consult your Ayurvedic Doctor before taking this Dosage.
Ritu Haritaki
Ritu means Season and dosage of haritaki with different ingredients according to the season is called Ritu Haritaki. . Let’s know more about this.
1.Vasant Ritu(Spring)
In Spring season, take it along with Madhu(Honey)
2.Greeshma Ritu(Summer)
In Summer, take it along with Guda(Jaggery)
3.Varsha Ritu(Rainy)
In Rainy Season, take it along with Saindhava(Rock Salt)
4.Sharat Ritu(Autumn)
In Autumn Season, take it along with Sharkara(Sugar)
5.Hemant Ritu(Early Winter)
In Early Winter Season, take it along with shunti(Ginger)
6.Shishira Ritu(Winter)
In Winter Season, take it along with Pippali(Long Pepper)
As Haritaki has various health benefits but due to its astringent and hot nature, it has some side effects, let’s know about them.
Side Effects Of Terminalia Chebula
Being Wonder Medicine, Haritaki also has some side effects.
You should avoid this herb during the following cases:
- Don’t use this herb during pregnancy as its use may reduce production of Breast Milk.
- People with a lean body, weak immunity, low strength, excessive sensual activity, fasted for a long time avoid taking
- Alcoholics avoid taking Haritaki
- Do not give it to children under five years of age
