It is known as a "miracle tree" or "Tree of Life" that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine in Asia and Africa for men and women due to its high nutrition content.
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| Moringa oleifera Tree |
Moringa Nutrition Facts
Moringa is rich in nutrients including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin) and B-6; folate, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. If you compare moringa with milk, oranges and spinach, then the nutrition in moringa excels.
The following moringa leaves nutrition chart shows that 100 g of moringa leaves have 4 times the vitamin A in carrots, 4 times the calcium and 2 times the protein in milk, 4 times the vitamin C in oranges and 3 times the potassium in banana [2]. Research have reported that moringa contains [2]:
Nutrition Moringa Comparison
Leaves (100g) Food (100 g)
Protein 6.7 gm Cow milk: 3.2 gm
Calcium 440 mg Cow milk: 120 mg
Potassium 259 mg Bananas: 88 mg
Vitamin A 6780 mcg Carrots: 1890 mcg
Vitamin C 220 mg Oranges: 30 mg how to grow moringa tree in containers | how to grow moringa from seeds | how to grow moringa from cuttings | keep moringa tree small and bushy | save moringa tree in winter | Moringa tree diseases
Health benefits of moringa YouTube video
Moringa is also very low in fats and contains no cholesterol. The nutrients in moringa are helpful to make body resistant to illness and disease. The antioxidants rich moringa helps to protect the body against harmful free radicals and also prevent cell damage and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. No wonder, moringa can cure many diseases as mentioned in the following paragraphs.
Table: Nutrients in Fresh and Dried Moringa Leaves [2]
| Principle | Fresh leaves | Dry leaves | Leaf powder | Seed | Pods |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories (cal) | 92 | 329 | 205 | — | 26 |
| Protein (g) | 6.7 | 29.4 | 27.1 | 35.97 | 2.5 |
| Fat (g) | 1.7 | 5.2 | 2.3 | 38.67 | 0.1 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 12.5 | 41.2 | 38.2 | 8.67 | 3.7 |
| Fiber (g) | 0.9 | 12.5 | 19.2 | 2.87 | 4.8 |
| Vitamins | |||||
| Vitamin B1 (mg) | 0.06 | 2.02 | 2.64 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Vitamin B2 (mg) | 0.05 | 21.3 | 20.5 | 0.06 | 0.07 |
| Vitamin B3 (mg) | 0.8 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 220 | 15.8 | 17.3 | 4.5 | 120 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 448 | 10.8 | 113 | 751.67 | - |
| Electrolytes | |||||
| Potassium (mg) | 259 | 1,236 | 1,324 | — | — |
| Minerals | |||||
| Calcium (mg) | 440 | 2,185 | 2003 | 45 | 30 |
| Iron (mg) | 0.85 | 25.6 | 28.2 | - | 5.3 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 42 | 448 | 368 | 635 | 24 |
| Copper (mg) | 0.07 | 0.49 | 0.57 | 5.20 | 3.1 |
| Sulphur (mg) | — | — | — | 0.05 | 137 |
From the above Table it is evident that moringa fresh leaves are high in calcium, potassium and vitamins. One can calculate the nutrition values of 1 teaspoon of moringa powder as below:
Calories = 4.6calFat = 0.085gProtein = 0.335gCarb = 0.625gCalcium = 22mgPotassium = 12.95mgVitamin C = 11mg
List Of Diseases Moringa Can Cure
Research on Moringa Benefits
Moringa has been used as a remedy for bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, inflammation, diabetes, heart health, cancer, joint pain, etc [3]. Scientists are looking into the following list of diseases that moringa can possibly cure or prevent or may be beneficial in some way. Actually, it is said that moringa can cure about 300 diseases.
Moringa Benefits in Diabetes
Moringa may be beneficial for people with diabetes or who are at risk of developing diabetes as consuming moringa may regulate blood sugar by reducing the absorption of glucose in the intestines.
Moringa contains important bioactive phytochemicals, such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, glucosinolates and isothiocyanates which are beneficial in diabetes, so it has been used as a natural anti-diabetic herb in India and other Asian countries since ages [4].
The research on the effects of moringa leaf powder on blood glucose levels carried out on rats and humans revealed some evidence of decreasing blood glucose level, but the evidence is not strong enough to recommend it as a treatment for people with diabetes [5].
Research on moringa oleifera leaf extract revealed that it may be used for the control of blood glucose and lipid concentration and prevention of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia [6]. A small research study on people with diabetes revealed that adding 50 grams of moringa leaves to a meal reduced the rise in blood sugar by 21% [7].
Moringa Antibacterial Benefits
The moringa plant have antibacterial properties, especially it has been found to be effective against a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). H. pylori can live in the lining of the stomach, causing irritation and swelling in stomach gastritis (stomach inflammation), stomach ulcers and stomach cancer. H. pylori bacteria is a a risk factor for developing stomach cancer and a major cause of gastritis gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Moringa Benefits For Cancer
Some research have suggested that moringa leaves and bark has anti-cancer benefits against Breast and Colorectal cancer cell lines by decreasing cell motility and colony formation in colorectal and breast cancer cell lines [8].
Moringa Benefits For High Blood Pressure
Moringa contains niaziminin and isothiocyanate compounds that help to prevent arteries from thickening, which in turn controls blood pressure.
Moringa Advantage For Central Nervous System
Many diseases associated with the central nervous system, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, Huntington’s, etc. affect activities such as inability to concentrate, memory loss, movement, balance, etc. Moringa leaves have been traditionally used to treat epilepsy and Alzheimer’s diseases [10].Moringa For Heart Disease
The moringa is good for heart health. It can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of heart disease.Moringa Good For Brain Health
The vitamins and minerals in moringa such as iron, potassium, and vitamins B and E are important for brain health. These nutrients may also help improve memory and cognitive function.
Moringa Benefits For Pregnant and Lactating Mothers
The fresh moringa leaves and moringa powder also improve the milk production of pregnant and lactating mothers and are used to treat anemia [11].Moringa For Weight Loss
The moringa has so many health benefits, but can it aid weight loss? Yes, moringa may help with weight management as it is a low-calorie food and its high vitamin B content helps with efficient digestion.Moringa Improves Digestive System
Moringa improves gut health. Moringa is a good source of fiber, which can help keep the digestive system healthy.Medicinal Uses of Different Parts of Moringa Tree
Every part of moringa tree including leaves, bark, pods, roots, seeds, flowers and fruit have medicinal uses as given below [12]Moringa Leaves Uses / Moringa Powder Benefits
Moringa powder and leaves can treat many diseases or offer benefits.
Treatment of asthma, bronchitis, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, flu, malaria, diarrhea, headaches, heart burn, pneumonia, scurvy, syphilis, skin diseases, eye and ear infections, blood pressure and cholesterol, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-atherosclerosis properties.
Benefits of Moringa Seeds
Treating hyperthyroidism, Crohn's disease, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, cramp, epilepsy, and sexually transmitted diseases
Medicinal uses of Moringa Root bark
Cardiac stimulant, antiulcer, and anti-inflammatory agent
Medicinal uses of Moringa Flower
For cold and urinary problems, hypocholesterolaemia, antiarthritic agents
Medicinal uses of Moringa Pods
Treatment of diarrhea, liver and spleen problems, joint pain
Side Effects and Risk Factors of Moringa
The question is can eating moringa be risky or does moringa have side effects? If yes, then what are the side effects of taking moringa?
- Very few side effects of taking moringa have been reported. Eating fresh moringa leaves and pods do not have any significant side effects. However, some people may experience stomach upset or abdominal pain, if consumed in large quantities.
- Pregnant or nursing women are advised not to eat moringa.
- If you consume moringa everyday it may reduce your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. So it is advised to discuss it with a doctor before you use moringa extract or moringa capsules, as taking these may interfere with your regular medicines for diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc.
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References
2. Gopalakrishnan L., Doriya K., Kumar D. S. (2016). Moringa Oleifera: A Review on Nutritive Importance and its Medicinal Application. Food Sci. Hum. Wellness 5 (2), 49–56. 10.1016/j.fshw.2016.04.001.
C. Gopalan; B. V. Rama Sastri; S. C. Balasubramanian, Nutritive Value of Indian Foods. Hyderabad: National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research. pp. 66, 78 919710.
3. Piyush Kashyap, Shiv Kuma, Charanjit Singh Riar, Navdeep Jindal, Poonam Baniwal, Raquel P. F. Guiné, Paula M. R. Correia, Rahul Mehra and Harish Kumar, Recent Advances in Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) Leaves Bioactive Compounds: Composition, Health Benefits, Bioaccessibility, and Dietary Applications, Antioxidants 2022, 11(2), 402.
3. Fang Wang, Yifan Bao, Chen Zhang, Libin Zhan, Washim Khan, Sahifa Siddiqua, Sayeed Ahmad, Esra Capanoglu, Krystyna Skalicka-Woźniak, Liang Zou, Jesus Simal-Gandara, Hui Cao, Zebin Weng, Xinchun Shen & Jianbo Xiao, Bioactive components and anti-diabetic properties of Moringa oleifera Lam, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 62:14, 3873-3897, (2022) DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1870099
5. Frederick S. Owens, et al., The effects of Moringa oleifera on blood glucose levels: A scoping review of the literature, Complementary Therapies in Medicine (Churchill Livingstone),Vol. 50, pp 102362 (2020).
6. S. Adisakwattana and B. Chanathong, Alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity and lipid-lowering mechanisms of Moringa oleifera leaf extract, Eur. Rev. Med. Pharmacol. Sci. 2011 Jul;15(7):803-8. PMID: 21780550 (2011).
7. Felicia William,S. Lakshminarayanan and Hariprasad Chegu, Effect of some Indian vegetables on the glucose and insulin response in diabetic subjects, International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Volume 44, 1993 - Issue 3,
8. Abdulrahman Khazim Al-Asmari, Sulaiman Mansour Albalawi, Md Tanwir Athar, Abdul Quaiyoom Khan, Hamoud Al-Shahrani, and Mozaffarul Islam, Moringa oleifera as an Anti-Cancer Agent against Breast and Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines, Pone. 2015; 10(8): e0135814 (2015).
9. A. Sparman , Combination of Moringa oleifera, Bryophyllum Pinnatum and Vitamin C in the Management of Key Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease, Nat. Prod. Chem. Res, 5 doi: 10.4172/2329-6836.1000276 (2017).
10. A.G. Bakre, A.O. Aderibigbe and O.G. Ademowo, Studies on Neuropharmacological Profile of Ethanol Extract of Moringa oleifera Leaves. Mice. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2013;149:783–789. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.08.006.
11. L.J. Fuglie, The Miracle Tree: Moringa oleifera, Natural Nutrition for the Tropics. Church World Service; New York, NY, USA (1999).
12. Zahidul Islam, S. M. Rashadul Islam, Faruk Hossen, Kazi Mahtab-ul-Islam, Md. Rakibul Hasan, and Rezaul Karim, Moringa oleifera is a Prominent Source of Nutrients with Potential Health Benefits, Int J Food Sci. 2021; 2021: 6627265.