Moringa has been used for thousands of years in Asia for medicinal and healing purposes. However, it is only in recent years that modern research has opened the eyes of the "Miracle Tree Moringa" and confirmed many of the health benefits that traditional folk medicine has known for millennia. Moringa is often called "natural multivitamin".
Packed with antioxidants, proteins and all nine essential amino acids. For example, in 100 grams of dried Moringa, there is twice as much protein as in 100 grams of yogurt and three times as much vitamin C as in 100 grams of orange. Time Magazine has already named Moringa the super food of the year and predicts it will be the next Quinoa.
What is moringa?
Moringa-i Himalayas Moringa is a tree originally from the Himalayas. It has what is absolutely best in arid environments where most other plants cannot survive, for example, in Darfur and southern Ethiopia. It is believed that there are at least a dozen different varieties of Moringa trees, but Moringa Oleifera is the most common. Moringa trees have been used in Indian medicine for over 5,000 years and there is evidence to suggest that they have also been used by ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. In the Philippines, they call it "mom best friend". In Senegal it is the "tree that never dies". Other names also used are "miracle trees" or "trees of life". Moringa is also called "horseradish" because of its spicy and slightly strong flavor. All parts of the Moringa tree are edible. The seeds, flowers and leaves can be used as food, while bark, roots, arms and the rest of the tree are often used as medicine. The leaves can be eaten either raw in salads or mixed in drinks. The Moringa tree grows extremely fast. Already in the first year it can reach a height of up to 8 meters, almost completely without water and fertilizer.
Moringa's many positive health effects have recently been used in folk medicine for over 5,000 years. For example, in the Ayurvedic health system, it is used as a cure or prevention against about 300 diseases. Over 1300 studies, articles and reports have been published on Moringa's many health benefits. So far, modern research has examined only a fraction of the many alleged health benefits. Here are health benefits that have pretty good scientific evidence:
1. Moringa is packed with nutrients and has been called "a natural multivitamin". The leaves are especially valuable in terms of nutritional content and are full of vitamins, minerals, proteins, plant nutrients and much more. In 100 grams of dried Moringa you will find:
- 9 times more protein than in yogurt.
- 10 times more vitamin A than in carrots
- 17 times more calcium than in milk
- 15 times more potassium than in bananas
- 12 times more vitamin C than in oranges
2. Moringa is rich in antioxidants
There are a number of reasons why we should get enough antioxidants, but the most important thing is that it protects the body from so-called "free radicals". In the body's metabolism, small amounts of harmful substances are always produced. Antioxidants act as the body's defender against these harmful substances. High levels of free radicals cause oxidative stress, which can contribute to a variety of chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. A variety of antioxidants have been found in Moringa leaves, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, quercetin (which can help lower blood pressure) and chlorogenic acid (which can contribute to moderate blood sugar levels after meals). In fact, a study conducted on women showed that seven grams of Moringa powder every day for three months led to a significantly increased amount of antioxidants in the blood.
3.Moringa can lower cholesterol
The higher the cholesterol, the greater the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. A total of eight out of ten men and six out of ten middle-aged women have cholesterol levels above what is the recommended value. Both animal and human studies have shown that Moringa has cholesterol-lowering properties. An animal study showed that the effects were comparable to the cholesterol-lowering drug Simvastatin.
4. Moringa protects the liver Moringa contains a large amount of polyphenols, which protects the liver from injury. Moringa can also reduce liver damage and fibrosis, as well as convert liver oxidation. Moringa oil can also restore liver enzymes to normal levels, reduce oxidative stress and increase liver protein levels.
5. Moringa improves wound healing Moringa can reduce the time the wound needs to stop bleeding, which means it reduces the time it takes for cuts, scrapes or other types of wounds to stop bleeding.