No matter what ails you, moringa can help! After you read this list of moringa benefits, you’ll understand why moringa is also celebrated as the “Tree of Life.” Prized since ancient times, moringa is now known as the most powerful and sustainable superfood in our time.
The moringa tree is native to Asia and Africa, and well utilized in Ayurveda from India for thousands of years.
Moringa seed pods are long, green and it’s no surprise they’re known as drumsticks in India – they’re sometimes over a foot long! The tasty pods are sliced and cooked into soups and curries, particularly in southern Indian soups known as rasaam and sambar.
The amazing thing about the moringa tree, is that all parts of the tree, including the leaves, fruits and seeds, bark and roots, can be used as food, as medicine, or for skin care. This is where moringa shines compared with other herbs, even those that have amazingly fantastic medicinal properties – because moringa has nutritional properties that really qualify it as a superfood.
That is to say, if you were starving and no other food was available, you’d probably be able to survive on the vegetable pods and the leaf powder alone, due to their super-nutritional properties!
Moringa trees are often cultivated in drought-stricken areas around the world where food is scarce, because they grow quickly and easily flourish. Moringa is so nutrient-dense that it is used with great success to combat child malnutrition.
It thrives particularly well in tropical and subtropical climates, and is now grown around the world; on tropical islands, in Latin America and in the USA, in places like California and Arizona.
Moringa belongs to a large group of shrubs and trees that are part of the Brassica family, a sort of cousin to broccoli, kale and collards. The flavor of the vegetable pods is milder than their cousins, more like a cross between asparagus and spinach. Although there are numerous varieties of moringa, the one that has the most healthful benefits and is therefore most widely cultivated, is moringa oleifera.
Because all parts of the moringa can be used for various health purposes, we’ll discuss the benefits of each part in the sections below.
NOTE: Herbs are powerful! The natural chemical compounds in moringa can have corrective actions on the digestive tract, which in most people is a good thing…
HOWEVER, be aware that moringa could cause you to have looser bowel movements, so please do not over do it with moringa leaf powder!
Suggestion: Start with the equivalent of of ½ teaspoon per day for one week, and gradually work up to 1 teaspoon per day if you have no uncomfortable reactions.
Moringa, in any form, is not suggested for pregnant women.
Health Benefits of the Moringa Tree
Moringa Leaf Powder Benefits
Moringa leaf powder is nearly unsurpassed due to its variety of curative and nutritive properties. With twice as much protein as yogurt and spinach, plus an abundance of amino acids, moringa can be added to soups or to baby formula.
When taken as a medicinal, moringa leaf powder has the following attributes:
- anti-diabetic – lowers blood sugar levels
- aids brain health – by stimulating neuronal development and regulating brain pathway signals
- combats fatigue – provides energy due to high iron content
- treats blood pressure
- treats depression
- treats fevers
- antiseptic and anti-microbial – can be used topically as a poultice and taken internally to protect against infection
- anti-cancer – inhibits tumor formation by reducing cancer cell growth, notably effective in prostate cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer among others
- enhances immune function – Regarding moringa and immunity, another interesting point: In Tanzania, as far back as 2008, anecdotal experiences show that combining moringa leaf together with artemisia annua was powerful in helping people reverse immune deficiency – evidenced by reversal of HIV positive diagnosis to HIV negative in some cases!
- improves eye health (due to high Vitamin A content)
- anti-inflammatory – contains antioxidants that significantly reduce prostate enlargement in men (BPH), as well as treating other inflammatory conditions
Moringa Pods (Vegetable) Benefits
The long drumstick-shaped moringa vegetable pods can be cooked and eaten like other vegetables. The pods are usually cut and de-seeded, then boiled or steamed, as additions to soups, casseroles, or as a side dish. Moringa pods contain most of the same beneficial properties as the moringa leaf powder, plus they:
- are an excellent source of Vitamin C
- treat joint pain
- treat liver and spleen
- contain an abundance of anti-oxidants
Moringa Root Benefits
As a food, moringa root powder can be used as a replacement for horseradish and when taken as an herbal remedy the root powder:
- treats inflammation and edema
- relieves fever or cold symptoms
- functions as a cardiac tonic
Moringa Bark Benefits
The bark of the moringa tree also has curative benefits such as:
- treats toothache – functions as a painkiller
- anti-cancer – dissolves tumors and heal ulcers
- treats sores and skin infections – when used topically as a poultice
- treats eye infections
Moringa Seed Oil Benefits
The seeds of the moringa pods have also been prized through the ages for their curative properties. The oil, cold-pressed from the seeds, was treasured in Egyptian times for use in beauty treatments and to protect skin from the ravages of the desert climate. Additionally, moringa oil:
- treats various skin diseases
- reduces fine lines and wrinkles
- helps wounds heal
- repairs damaged hair and scalp – used as a topical treatment (either warm oil treatment or by adding regularly to natural shampoo)
- aids sleep – by rubbing onto temples when retiring
- treats gout – external use
- controls blood sugar levels and balances cholesterol levels – taken internally
- soothes dry skin – moisturizing
- treats burns
How Moringa Is Sustainable
Moringa is one of the easiest and fastest growing trees available. In addition to being a miracle tree for health and nutrition, moringa trees can help replenish nutrients and re-carbonize deficient soil, thereby increasing soil fertility. This is especially important in areas that are suffering from drought and desertification.
Moringa is inexpensive and easy to grow in areas that are not prone to freezing and that have tropical climates. Morings is one of the most sustainable superfoods on earth!
Conclusion
The moringa tree, or tree of life, is a miracle tree that provides not only nutritional benefit as a food source, but also has super strong medicinal actions. Moringa is seriously deserving of the “Superfood” accolade! A truly sustainable plant, moringa trees grow quickly and all parts can be harvested (without harming the plant) and the benefits are there to enjoy with minimally processing.
If you’re interested in trying moringa leaf powder for any of the numerous health benefits outlined above, you won’t be disappointed. If you’re hard-core, you can take moringa as powder by the 1/4 teaspoon with a little water; it tastes kind of grassy; not strong or bitter like some herbs can be.
Or, if you want to avoid that, you can easily take moringa in capsules or in various products, such as tea or in energy bars.
If you live near an Asian or Indian market, you can sometimes find fresh moringa “drumsticks” available for cooking at home.
For anyone who has a garden and is interested in being more self-sufficient, you can buy moringa seeds if you live in a climate that will suit moringa trees.
And in terms of preparedness, with all the talk these days of supply shortages in grocery store, anyone who is into prepping or being prepared – just in case – would surely want to keep some moringa powder on hand for nutrition, as well as for health remedy needs!
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. Any material herein is the expressed opinion of the authors and is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment, nor has it been evaluated by any regulatory agency. All use of information herein is solely at the risk and discretion of the reader. Have a blog? This post is for sale. Contact us.