The health benefits of Moringa include relief from stomach disorders, allergies, and edema.
The antioxidant power of Moringa aids in liver protection, diabetes, eye protection, cardiovascular health, bone health, urolithiasis, wound healing, healthy hair, and skin.
It is rich in antibacterial and antifungal properties that help to fight against infections.
It is rich in phytonutrients, which are effective for preventing various medical conditions such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, bronchial asthma, sickle cell disease, nephrotoxicity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, anemia, and obesity, as well as helping to build a strong immune system.
Moringa oleifera, also known as drumstick tree, is a highly valued and versatile plant which belongs to the Moringaceae family.
It is a fast growing, deciduous tree that is native to India and is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas all over Asia, Africa, and South America. It is widely known by many other names, including Horseradish tree and Ben oil tree.
Although modern science has recently discovered its value, Moringa has been imparting a multitude of benefits across various cultures since ancient times. It was valued by the Romans, Egyptians, and Greeks for its medicinal impact on a range of ailments.
Today, its usage has been encouraged by various humanitarian organizations to combat malnutrition and its effects in poverty-stricken regions, mainly due to its economic viability and rapid growth.
The Moringa tree has thick, whitish bark with droopy, fragile branches and long, green, oval-shaped leaflets. In Ayurvedic therapy, it is valued for its impressive range of therapeutic uses, commonly attributed to its antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties. In some areas, it is simply known as ‘shigru’.
Moringa leaves and pods are a nutritional powerhouse that provides a great range and amount of essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It is a rich source of essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.
It also contains a significant amount of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B-6, folate and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The mineral wealth of Moringa includes calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc.
It contains very low amount of fats and offers no harmful cholesterol.
Health Benefits of Moringa
Moringa contains an immense wealth of healthy components and phytonutrients. Due to its extraordinary and unmatched range of medicinal benefits, it was named the “miracle tree” during the food crisis in Africa.
In the Philippines, it is referred as a mother’s best friend because of its galactagogic properties. Moringa plant offers a rich blend of powerful antioxidants such as kaempferol, caffeoylquinic acid, zeatin, quercetin, rutin, chlorogenic acid, and beta-sitosterol.
These powerful antioxidants found in Moringa possess high free radical scavenging capacity and have shown its therapeutic value in curing the damage caused by oxidative stress.
The benefits of Moringa include the following:
Edema: Moringa extracts are beneficial in the treatment of edema. Research studies have confirmed that treatment with moringa oleifera root extract, which possesses anti-inflammatory qualities, has been significantly effective in inhibiting the development of edema.
Moreover, the studies suggest that the efficacy of moringa herb stands equal with the potent anti-inflammatory medicine indomethacin in the treatment of such painful conditions.
Liver Protection: Moringa extracts exert a hepatoprotective effect on the liver. Research studies have validated the effectiveness of moringa leaves against the liver damage caused by anti-tubercular drugs as well as its stimulating effects in speeding up the recovery process.
It helps to restore the levels of glutathione content in the body and prevents radiation-induced hepatic lipid peroxidation. This protective effect is attributed to the presence of phytochemicals such as catechin, epicatechin, ferulic acid, and vitamin C found in Moringa.
Stomach Disorders: The isothiocyanates present in moringa are effective in the treatment of abdominal disorders such as constipation, gastritis and ulcerative colitis.
Studies have shown that moringa extracts can be considered as an effective herbal alternative to a range of commercially available antacids and antihistamines.