The Miracle of Moringa Tree Leaves (Moringa Oleifera),
commonly called the 'drumstick tree", and 'horseradish tree' is native to
India but has been planted around the world and is naturalized in many locales.
Moringa is one of the most powerful health-enhancing plants. While many things
found in Nature can have one or two health benefits. Recent scientific research
has proven that these humble leaves are in fact a powerhouse of nutritional
value.
An
individual needs sufficient amounts of certain vitamins, minerals, protein and
other nutrients to maintain a healthy body and physical well-being. The Moringa
tree is an excellent source for many of these nutrients and can be a valuable
source for many people.
Just
100 grams of fresh Moringa leaves will provide a child ages 1-3 with all his
daily requirements for calcium, about 75% of his iron and about half of his
protein needs, as well as important supplies of potassium, B vitamins, copper
and all the essential amino acids. For a pregnant or breast-feeding woman, 10
grams of fresh Moringa leaves can supply over a third of her daily calcium
requirements as well as provide necessary quantities of iron, protein, copper,
sulfur and B vitamins.
Protein: Proteins are the “building blocks of life” and instrumental
in the creation and maintenance of body muscle. There are 21 amino acids
utilized by the body and although the body is able to manufacture most that it
needs, there are several amino acids that must be acquired from a person’s
diet. These “essential” amino acids are listed in the chart above
(argentine, histidine, lysine, tryptophan, phenylanaline, methionine,
thereonine, leucine, isoleucine, valine). Usually, only animal products
such as meat, eggs, and dairy contain all of the essential amino acids.
Amazingly, Moringa leaves also contain them all.
Carbohydrates: Compounds heat and energy for the body and the primary fuel
of the brain. Deficiency can cause the body to divert proteins and body
fat to produce needed energy.
Fat: Fat is the most concentrated form of energy for the body
and while excessive amounts can be damaging, some body fat is essential for
insulation under the skin and protection of vital organs. It is also an
important supply of energy for the body during times of famine.
Fiber: Fiber aids in digestion and is an important part of a
healthy intestinal tract.
Calcium
(Ca): Very important during the childhood
years, calcium builds strong bones and teeth and assists in blood
clotting. Deficiencies are common in pregnant and breastfeeding women and
can cause rickets, bone pain and muscle weakness. Calcium builds strong
bones and teeth, and helps prevent osteoporosis. Milk provides a lot of
calcium, but Moringa leaves provide even more. 4 times the Calcium of Milk.
Magnesium
(Mg): Magnesium helps the body to maintain
and repair cells while providing energy. Deficiencies can result in
weakness, tiredness, vertigo, convulsions, nervousness, cramps and heart
palpitations.
Vitamin
A: Vitamin A acts as a shield against
diseases of the eyes, skin and heart, diarrhea, and many other ailments.
Carrots are very high in vitamin A, but Moringa leaves are even higher. 4 times
the vitamin A of carrots.
Vitamin
C: Vitamin C strengthens our immune
system and fights infectious diseases including colds and flu. Citrus fruits
such as oranges and lemons are full of vitamin C. Moringa leaves have even
more. 7 times the Vitamin C of oranges.
Potassium:
Potassium is essential for the brain
and nerves. Bananas are the excellent source of potassium. Moringa leaves are
even better. 3 times the Potassium of Bananas.
However
some health benefits are highlighted:
Energy
Booster
Moringa
leaf is best known as an excellent source of nutrition and natural energy
booster. This energy boost is not based on sugar, and so it is sustained.
Moringa is also soothing. It helps lower blood pressure and is a sleep aid. Its
detoxifying effect may come from Moringa's ability to purify water. Moringa
acts as a coagulant attaching itself to harmful material and bacteria. It is
believed that this process is taking place in the body as well.
Natural Multivitamin
While
the continued use of Moringa for food and medicinal purposes by cultures in
separate and distant parts of the world attest to its beneficial effects,
Moringa is a recent “discovery” of modern science. The leaves of Moringa
Oleifera are nature's multi-vitamin providing 7 x the vitamin C of oranges, 4 x
the calcium of milk, 4 x the vitamin A of carrots, 3 x the potassium of
bananas, and 2 x the protein of yogurt. On top of that, science is proving
Moringa to be a power house of nutrients; 90 are known to date, with the possibility
of more yet to be identified. If that were not enough, Moringa has no known
impurities, with no adverse reactions ever recorded.
Better Protein Than Soy
Moringa is considered to have the highest protein ratio of
any plant so far identified, with the protein in Moringa being comparable in
quality to that of soy. Food scientists once believed that only soy had protein
comparable to meat, dairy, and eggs. Now they have added Moringa to that very
short list. Some even consider Moringa protein better than soy protein as it is
non-allergic. Proteins are digested into smaller units known as amino acids.
Moringa contains 18 of the 20 amino acids required by the human body including
all eight of the essential amino acids found in meat products. (Meat is a
luxury most people around the world cannot afford). The body cannot manufacture
those eight essential amino acids and must get them through the food we eat.
Moringa is one of very few plants that contain all eight.
Role In Weight Loss
Moringa
leaves are low in fat and highly nutritional. Because they are packed with so
many nutrients, they offer dieters a healthy alternative to eating many higher
calorie foods, according to the Moringa Garden Circle. Moringa leaves provide
42 percent of the recommended daily minimum requirement for protein, and 125
percent of the recommended daily minimum requirement for calcium. The B
vitamins in moringa leaves also help you digest and convert foods to energy and
may increase your metabolism, according to MoringaTreeofLife.com. Moringa
leaves may be eaten raw, cooked or taken as a tea, making them a convenient
food and nutrition source. Most evidence pertaining to moringa leaves and
weight loss is anecdotal, however, so always consult your health care
professional before using moringa leaves for weight loss.
Ingestion
Moringa
leaves are often eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable in places where the tree is
native or cultivated, according to the Environmental Society of Australia.
Crushed moringa leaves are available in a dry powder that may be stored on a
shelf for years without deterioration or loss of nutrients. The powder is also
packaged into gelatin capsules for use as as a food supplement. Dieters may
steep and drink moringa leaf tea daily for its low-fat, low-calorie nutritional
value.
Medicinal Qualities of Moringa Leaves
- Juice from the leaves is believed to have a stabilizing effect on blood pressure and is used to treat anxiety. It is believed to control glucose levels in cases of diabetes.
- Mixed with honey and followed by a drink of coconut milk 2 or 3 times a day, leaves are used as a remedy for diarrhea, dysentery and colitis.
- Leaf juice, sometimes with carrot juice added, is used as a diuretic. Eating leaves is recommended in cases of gonorrhea because of the diuretic action.
- Leaves and buds are rubbed on the temples for headache.
- A poultice is made from fresh leaves and applied to reduce glandular swelling.
- Leaf juice is used as a skin antiseptic.
- Leaves are used to treat fevers, bronchitis, eye and ear infections, scurvy, and catarrh (inflammation of the mucus membrane).
- Leaves are considered to be anthelmintic ( able to kill intestinal worms).
- Leaves are used as a purgative.
- Eating leaves is believed to increase a woman's milk production and is sometimes prescribed for anemia.
References
- Moringa Garden Circle: Moringa Oleifera
- "Trees for Life Journal": Moringa Oleifera: A Review of the Medical Evidence for Its Nutritional, Therapeutic, and Prophylactic Properties; JW Fahey; Dec. 1, 2005
- Environmental Society of Australia: Beating The Drum For The Moringa
- MoringaTreeofLife.com: About Moringa
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