MoringaTree.co.za - A Nutritional Miracle

Site menu:

Home More Info Nutritional Analysis Other Uses ORDER Buy Books Care Info & Articles Links Contact

It is truly amazing how jam-packed full of nutrients the Moringa Leaves, Pods and Flowers are.

If every household had access to Moringa then malnutrition would be wiped out. Wealthier Households would have no need to purchase artificial supplements.



MORINGA LEAVES











Dr. Frank Martin states in 'Survival and Subsistence in the Tropics' that "among the leafy vegetables one stands out as particularly good, the Horseradish Tree. The leaves are outstanding as a source of Vitamin A and, when raw, Vitamin C. They are a good source of B Vitamins and amoung the best plant sources of Minerals. The Calcium content is very high for a plant. Phosphorus is low, as it should be. The content of Iron is very good (it is reportedly prescribed for anemia in the Phillipines). They are an excellent source of Protein and a very low source of fat and carbohydrates. Thus the leaves are one of the best plant foods that can be found."

In his 'Edible Leaves of the Tropics', he adds that the Leaves are incomparable as a source of the sulphur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine, which are often in short supply.  


The following figures reflect gram-for-gram comparisons with Moringa leaves:

Proteins, the building blocks of our bodies, are made of amino acids. Usually, only animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy contain all of the essential amino acids. Amazingly, Moringa leaves also contain all the essential amino acids required for Human Protein Synthesis. 
 
2 times the Protein of Yogurt  (wet weight)
                                              
8 1/2 times the Protein of Yogurt (leaf powder)




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 is essential for the brain and nerves. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium. Moringa leaves are even better.

3 times the Potassium of Bananas (wet weight)


15 times the Potassium of Bananas (leaf powder)






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 (wet weight) 

10 1/2 times the Vitamin A of Carrots (leaf powder)







Iron is necessary for many functions in the body including formation of haemoglobin, brain development and function, regulation of body temperature and muscle activity. Lack of iron directly affects the immune system; it diminishes the number of T-Cells and the production of antibodies. Besides haemoglobin, iron is a component of myoglobin, the cytochromes, catalase and certain enzyme systems. Iron is essential for binding oxygen to the blood cells. The central function of iron is oxygen transport and cell respiration. Spinach is high in Iron, Moringa has even more.


3 times the Iron of Spinach (wet weight)


12 times the Iron of Spinach (leaf powder)







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 (wet weight)


16 1/2  times the Calcium of Milk (leaf powder) 







NUTRIENT COMPARISONS PER 100 GRAMS


Moringa Oleifera: Natural Nutrition for the Tropics by Lowell Fuglie



 "For a child aged 1-3, a     100 g serving of               fresh leaves would           provide all his daily           requirements of calcium,   about 75% of his iron       and half his protein           needs, as well as             important amounts of       potassium, B vitamins,     copper and all the             essential amino acids. As little as 20 grams of leaves would provide a child with all the vitamins A and C he needs."

"For pregnant and breast-feeding women, Moringa leaves and pods can do much to preserve the mother's health and pass on strength to the fetus or nursing child. One 100 g portion of leaves could provide a woman with over a third of her daily need of calcium and give her important quantities of iron, protein, copper, sulfur and B-vitamins." 

"One rounded tablespoon (8 g) of leaf powder will satisfy about 14% of the protein, 40% of the calcium, 23% of the iron and nearly all the vitamin A needs for a child aged 1-3. Six rounded spoonfuls of leaf powder will satisfy nearly all of a woman's daily iron and calcium needs during pregnancy and breast-feeding."

During pregnancy and breast-feeding, women are most at risk of suffering from nutritional deficiencies. 
The table below shows the percent of the RDA of various nutrients for a nursing mother eating six rounded tablespoons (about 50 g) of leaf powder daily. It also shows the percent of the RDA for a 1-3 year old child with one rounded tablespoon of powder added to its food, three times daily. 

  
From Moringa Oleifera: Natural Nutrition for the Tropics by Lowell Fuglie


THE MORINGA PODS


The fruits (pods) are initially light green, slim and tender eventually becoming dark green and firm and grow up to 120cm long. The immature green pods, called ‘drumsticks’ are generally prepared in a similar fashion to green beans and have a slight asparagus taste. The seeds can be removed from more mature pods and eaten like peas or roasted like nuts.

MORINGA OLEIFERA NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF LEAVES AND PODS Analysis of Moringa pods, fresh (raw) leaves and dried leaf powder have shown them to contain the following per 100 grams of edible portion:
	Pods	Leaves	Leaf Powder
Moisture (%) Calories Protein (g) Fat (g) Carbohydrate (g) Fiber (g) Minerals (g) Ca (mg) Mg (mg) P (mg) K (mg) Cu (mg) Fe (mg) S (mg) Oxalic acid (mg) Vitamin A - B carotene (mg) Vitamin B -choline (mg) Vitamin B1 -thiamine (mg) Vitamin B2 -riboflavin (mg) Vitamin B3 -nicotinic acid (mg) Vitamin C -ascorbic acid (mg) Vitamin E -tocopherol acetate (mg) Arginine (g/16g N) Histidine (g/16g N) Lysine (g/16g N) Tryptophan (g/16g N) Phenylanaline (g/16g N) Methionine (g/16g N) Threonine (g/16g N) Leucine (g/16g N) Isoleucine (g/16g N) Valine (g/16g N)	86.9 26 2.5 0.1 3.7 4.8 2.0 30 24 110 259 3.1 5.3 137 10 0.11 423 0.05 0.07 0.2 120 - 3.6 1.1 1.5 0.8 4.3 1.4 3.9 6.5 4.4 5.4	75.0 92 6.7 1.7 13.4 0.9 2.3 440 24 70 259 1.1 7 137 101 6.8 423 0.21 0.05 0.8 220 - 6.0 2.1 4.3 1.9 6.4 2.0 4.9 9.3 6.3 7.1	7.5 205 27.1 2.3 38.2 19.2 - 2,003 368 204 1,324 0.57 28.2 870 1.6% 16.3 - 2.64 20.5 8.2 17.3 113 1.33% 0.61% 1.32% 0.43% 1.39% 0.35% 1.19% 1.95% 0.83% 1.06%

From Moringa oleifera: Natural Nutrition for the Tropics by Lowell Fuglie



 THE MORINGA FLOWER

  The Moringa Tree takes about 8 months to a year to     flower and continues flowering all year round in ideal       conditions.

 
The flowers are pleasantly fragranced, white or cream coloured and are borne profusely in axilliary drooping panicles 10-25 cm long.

They contain good amounts of both calcium and potassium. They can be eaten raw in salads or cooked or used to make a tea

When cooked they have a taste similar to mushrooms.




  The seeds contain 40% oil known as     Ben Oil. The oil is highly nutritious and     has a fat composition similar to Olive     Oil.

 

The oil contains a potent anti-oxidant which makes it highly resistant to rancidity.

Including Ben Oil in the diet will ensure the supply of many essential fatty acids which are utilised by the body to construct cellular membranes and other structures.

Please remember that as with any vegetable oil, Moringa oil is best used raw and not heated. Heating damages the molecular structure of the fats in a similar way to Hydrogenation.

Please Also See:

USE FAITH DROPS Miracle Mineral Supplement Known to have  AMAZING RESULTS with HIV, Cancer, TB, Candida, Herpes & Viruses & Negative Bacteria of all kinds