Moringa

Moringa Moringa is native to Asia and parts of Africa. It derives its name from the native Tamil word for drumsticks “murungai”. People in India use it both for its health benefits and as a food item.

The Moringa plant grows widely in the sub-Himalayan region and is commonly used in various traditional medicine systems in India. In traditional medicine, in the region, it is used for many uses including antimicrobial, diuretic, stimulant, tissue-protective, tonic, and antiseptic. Both its leaves and fruit are used for their health benefits.¹

Health Benefits of Moringa

Source of Beneficial Nutrients

Moringa is an important food, in developing countries, as an excellent source of various nutrients. In developed countries, it has been used by vegans to provide specific nutrients. As a source of nutrition, both its dried and powdered leaves and fruits are used. Moringa leaves are high in quality protein, iron, magnesium and Vitamin B6, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A, while the pods of the Moringa plant are also an excellent source of Vitamin C. To receive these benefits, Moringa would need to be consumed in higher levels, greater than that provided by consuming Moringa in a capsulised form. Therefore it is suggested that a powdered form of Moringa is consumed.²
Rich in Antioxidants

Moringa is a rich source of a variety of antioxidants, and therefore it may help prevent multiple chronic ailments, and may also exert cardioprotective action. It has also been found that consuming Moringa can positively assist in an anti-aging program.³
Lowers Cholesterol

Laboratory studies show that Moringa has cholesterol-lowering and cardiotonic effects. In high cholesterol rats, twelve weeks of treatment with Moringa considerably reduced cholesterol levels. It helped prevent the development of atherosclerosis and some of its effects were comparable to well-known drugs in animal models. However, to understand its exact role in heart health, additional well-designed studies in humans are needed.³
Lowers Blood Sugar

In India, Moringa is recommended as a vegetable that can help fight diabetes. It is suitable for regular consumption and modern studies show that its frequent use as a food in a person’s diet may help lower blood glucose levels. Researchers think that this glucose-lowering effect is due to the phytocompounds found in Moringa.⁴

Reduces Inflammation and Pain

Moringa leaves possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. They also seem to have a local anesthetic effect. Therefore, Moringa can be used in a wide range of conditions to help suppress pain and overcome inflammation.⁵
Anti-Asthmatic Effect

Use of Moringa has been found to have positive benefits on asthma sufferers. In one study, twenty patients were given 3 grams of Moringa seed powder daily for three weeks. After three weeks, patients reported a considerable improvement in symptoms and a lower number of asthma attacks. Diagnostic tests confirmed the improved expiratory volume and peak flow rates of these test patients.⁶
Anti-Spasmodic

Lab studies show that use of Moringa can help reduce acetylcholine-induced contractions, which means that Moringa may help overcome spasms. This may be another way in which it may help in painful conditions, related to spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs like the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, menstrual cramps, and so on.⁷
Boost Immunity and Hepatoprotective

Studies show that use of Moringa may increase a person’s white blood cell count and significantly lower the liver enzymes and inflammatory markers.⁸

Side Effects of Moringa

Moringa is safe for regular use, as is evident from its prolonged use in specific population groups. In some parts of the world, like India and Africa, Moringa is commonly consumed as a food item. Further, more modern toxicological studies confirm that it is safe even at quite high dosages.⁸

Properties

Anti-Aging³
Anti-Inflammatory³^,⁷^,⁸
Antimicrobial¹^,²
Antioxidant³
Antiseptic²
Antispasmodic⁷
Asthma⁶
Cardiovascular Support³
Cholesterol³
Diabetes / Blood Sugar⁴
Digestive Function²
Diuretic²^,⁷
High/Good Levels of B Vitamins¹^,²
High/Good Levels of Iron²
High/Good Levels of Magnesium²
High/Good Levels of Phytochemicals / Phytocompounds²
High/Good Levels of Vitamin A²
High/Good Levels of Vitamin C¹^,²
Immune Booster⁸
Liver Health⁸
Menstrual Cramps⁵
Pain Relief⁵

References