The Amazing Moringa Tree

We recently discovered a “super-food” that grows right here on our little island, along with all the great fruits and spices available. We started doing a little more research and were absolutely amazed by the nutrition from this one tree, and baffled at the same time. There is too much information available on the internet to share here in this small post, so we are just touching on some of the highlights - the list of benefits seems endless...

We found one of these plants growing wild at the side of the road when we visited Carriacou, and we brought home the end of a tiny branch with some of the leaves, flowers and a couple of seed pods.

Some cultures call it “The Miracle Tree,” it is said to be effective in treating upwards of 300 conditions and maladies in the human body. Virtually every part of this amazing tree, from its roots to its flowers, and has been used for thousands of years to as a natural medicine to benefit people all over the world.

Moringa grows in tropical and subtropical areas, where malnutrition seems to be most prevalent. It was as if people had a goldmine in their backyard and simply didn’t know it. When people found out about it they also didn’t know why it worked, they just knew that it did. In ancient India, Maurian warriors were fed Moringa leaf extract at the war front to provide them with extra stamina and strength.

Also known as the Tree of Life, Moringa is one of the most complete, nutrient-dense plants on Earth and that has been supported by science with hundreds of clinical studies. It is proven to reduce inflammation, boost immunity, lower blood pressure, fight fatigue, increase energy, protect skin from aging, improve digestive health and more.

Nutritionally, Moringa leaves are 27 percent protein (containing all essential amino acids) and have seven times the amount of vitamin C compared to oranges, four times the vitamin A of carrots, and four times the calcium of milk by dry weight, so that is the drawback... a person would have to consume a lot of Moringa to obtain “super-food” levels of these nutrients. But for under-fed and under nourished populations, the Moringa tree is truly helpful. Moringa packs more nutrition than spinach and is used to treat a plethora of conditions, such as malnutrition, acute and chronic inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and compromised immunity.

The University of California (UC Davis), has studied the anti-inflammatory effects of Moringa for the past five years. This is important because of the growing overweight and obese global population. According to the 2016 Global Nutrition Report, nearly 2 billion of the 5 billion adults worldwide are overweight or obese and one in 12 has type 2 diabetes. Malnutrition (both under- and over-nutrition) is a major risk factor for noncommunicable chronic diseases, which include four core groups: diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, all of which are closely linked with low-grade chronic inflammation.

Moringa is loaded with health and beauty supporting vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, making it a true super-food in every sense of the word. It is particularly high in selenium, calcium, iron, vitamin E, magnesium and B vitamins in addition to varying amounts of other phyto-nutrients and antioxidants, like beta-carotene and vitamin C. The high levels of anti-oxidant properties and can lower LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, which some people say lead to reduced risk of heart disease.

Ground into a powder, Moringa is used as a natural health multivitamin. The powder is commonly used in soups and sauces. Another option is to use Moringa powder, or in a supplement form, added to smoothies, soups, and other foods for extra nutrition. Moringa powder has a distinctive "green leaf" flavor, so you may want to start out slowly when adding it to your meals. The leaf powder can increase blood antioxidant levels. In one study, 30 women took seven grams of Moringa leaf powder every day for three months. This reduced fasting blood sugar levels by 13.5%. The powder can also be steeped in hot water for a soothing tea with tons of benefits. We like to use a tea ball filled with fresh or dried leaves. I like mine with a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar added - delicious.

Christopher Calapai, D.O., an Osteopath based in New York, who specializes in nutritional guidance and anti-aging medicine, concurs with the assertion that many of its benefits include “more energy, better sleep, improved mood, stable blood sugar and blood pressure, better digestion, pain relief due to decreased inflammation, and weight loss.

The leaves are the most nutritious part of the plant, and can be cooked and used like spinach. Fresh leaves can be used in your meals as they have a flavor similar to a radish. You can also toss them like a salad, blend them into smoothies.

The immature seed pods are about the size of a 6 inch long green bean and are commonly called "drumsticks" (not like chicken drum sticks... but real sticks used by drummers!). They are prepared by parboiling, and cooked in a curry until soft. The seed pods are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, and manganese. One cup of fresh, sliced pods (100 grams) contains 157% of your daily requirement for vitamin C.

These are the mature seed pods that we picked in Carriacou and opened to peek inside. The seeds, are sometimes removed from more mature pods and eaten like peas or roasted like nuts. They contain high levels of vitamin C and moderate amounts of B vitamins and dietary minerals. They are also the seeds that are used to grow a new tree.

The seed oil has been used for its ability to regenerate skin cells. Many of the major skin cream companies now have Moringa seed oil in their high-quality skin products like anti-aging cream. Moringa oil has been mentioned as a very useful oil in the medicinal books of Greece and Rome. It is great for topical use on the skin and the hair. It is used for all types of skin issues and conditions, such as a moisturizer for dry skin because of very high amount of omega- 9 fatty acid ( oleic acid ) in the oil. It also makes the skin quite smooth, because of the behenic acid in it. It helps to heal cuts, burns, psoriasis, eczema, scar tissue, diaper rash, athlete’s foot, gum disease, vaginal dryness, all kinds of rash, even to clear eyes from burning - amazing.

Mature seeds can yield 38–40% edible oil called Ben Oil from its high concentration of behenic acid. The refined oil is clear and odorless, and resists rancidity. It is also a nice cooking oil with a soft, appealing taste. However, it's very expensive and costs about 7 times more than a good olive oil.

We went out to buy some gardening tools and other stuff that we need to plant the seeds that we got from the pods (pictured). I found an excellent website with details on "how to", and it will be interesting and fun for us to see if we can make them grow.

Moringa leaves are very small (smaller than a Canadian dime) so a grower would need to harvest a lot of them. About seven pounds of Moringa leaves will yield one pound of leaf powder after they are crushed. The leaves are placed away from direct sunlight to dry (for about a week here in Grenada), after which they are crushed to create a power, or just packed up for dry tea leaves.

While I don't necessarily recommend that you go out and plant a Moringa tree in your backyard, you may want to give the leaves or powder a try if you come across some at your local health food market. Do a Google search for more info or check news stories when you get the chance. We just started using this and try to have some every day.

Even after brewing, the remaining Moringa leaves still have a large amount of nutrients, so after you finish with the tea, eat the leaves by adding them to a meal.

This bag of dried leaves made right here in Grenada is 4 inches X 6 inches X 2 inches thick, weighs 28 grams, and costs about CAN$3.50. It makes a lot of tea.