What is Moringa Oleifera?
Moringa oleifera is an extremely nutritious plant. Not only is the fruit of the plant important, but also the roots, leaves, seeds, and pods. This specie belongs to the Moringaceae family of plants. Its tree is quite huge. Leaves are of yellowish green color and have small white flowers.
Moringa oleifera is perfect for treating malnutrition because this plant is not difficult to cultivate. You can easily cultivate it in tropical and subtropical regions. The plant is strong enough to tolerate changing climatic conditions, dryness, and heat. Moreover, you can cultivate it in any soil, but slightly acidic soil is recommended for better results.
Moringa powder contains more nutrition than many vegetables and other products, hence, proving beneficial to health. It contains vitamin A in abundance, almost ten times more than carrots. Vitamin C is seven times more in moringa oleifera than in oranges. Twenty-five times more iron and fifteen times more potassium than spinach and bananas. Lastly, Proteins are nine times more than other dairy products.
Nutritional Makeup of Moringa Oleifera
The complete nutritional breakdown of leaves, seeds, and pods of moringa oleifera is given below.
Macronutrients of Moringa Oleifera
| Nutrients | Seed | Dry leaves | Fresh leaves | Moringa Leaf powder | Pods |
| Calories (cal) | – | 329 | 92 | 205 | 26 |
| Protein (g) | 35.97 | 29.4 | 6.7 | 27.1 | 2.5 |
| Fat (g) | 38.67 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.1 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 8.67 | 41.2 | 12.5 | 38.2 | 3.7 |
| Fibre (g) | 2.87 | 12.5 | 0.9 | 19.2 | 4.8 |
Micronutrients of Moringa Oleifera
| Nutrients | Seed | Fresh leaves | Dry leaves | Moringa Leaf powder | Pods |
| Magnesium (mg) | 635 – 645 | 42 | 448 | 368 | 24 |
| Iron (mg) | – | 0.85 | 25.6 | 28.2 | 5.3 |
| Potassium (mg) | – | 259 | 1236 | 1324 | 259 |
| Copper (mg) | 5.20 – 5.45 | 0.07 | 0.49 | 0.57 | 3.1 |
| Sulfur (mg) | 0.05 | – | – | 870 | 137 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 75 | 70 | 252 | 204 | 110 |
| Calcium (mg) | 45 | 440 | 2185 | 2003 | 30 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 4.5 – 4.15 | 220 | 15.8 | 17.3 | 120 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 751.67 – 760 | 448 | 10.8 | 113 | – |
| Vitamin B1 (mg) | 0.05 | 0.06 | 2.02 | 2.64 | 0.05 |
| Vitamin B2 (mg) | 0.06 | 0.05 | 21.3 | 20.5 | 0.07 |
| Vitamin B3 (mg) | 0.2 | 0.8 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 0.2 |
Nutritional Value of Moringa Oleifera
Moringa oleifera contains many essential nutrients in large quantities, which is why it has many health benefits that depict its nutritional value.
Moringa Oleifera Fights Against Arsenic Toxicity in Body
Due to pollution, water bodies have become infected with high levels of arsenic. Arsenic is a metal that is highly injurious to health due to its carcinogenic properties.
Studies have shown that seeds of moringa oleifera are good for fighting against arsenic in the body because it contains many alkaline elements and amino acids that reduce arsenic-induced toxicity in the body.
Anti-inflammatory Nutritional Components in Moringa Oleifera
Any internal or external injury leads to inflammation in the body. They further result in severe pain and unrest, deteriorating the whole body’s mechanism and health.
If the inflammations last longer in the body, they can trigger many other health issues such as heart problems and lower functioning of organs.
But if you consume fair amounts of moringa oleifera, you can avoid such conditions because it contains isothiocyanates in its leaves, pods, and roots. It is a strong anti-inflammatory chemical compound and poses no harmful side effects to the body.
Cholesterol Balancing Ability of Moringa Oleifera
Cholesterols have different types. Some are good for the body, while some are extremely bad. But, for sound health, you have to check the intake of both cholesterols and try not to exceed the benchmark because bad cholesterols can lead to severe heart problems such as heart attacks.
Sometimes, we do not realize and intake excessive amounts of fats that may increase cholesterol levels in the body. Moringa oleifera can help with this scenario because it can lower the cholesterol levels in the human body and improve overall health. So, if you are eating a lot of fatty food items, make sure you consume a fair amount of moringa oleifera too.
Large Quantities of Antioxidants in Moringa Oleifera
Moringa oleifera contains antioxidants in abundance. Therefore, you cannot easily fall prey to the accumulation of free radicals in your body, hence oxidative stress and muscle disruptions.
The two most important antioxidants in moringa leaf powder are Chlorogenic acid and Quercetin, which regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure and keep you in good health. This depicts that moringa powder is good against diabetes and can also treat blood pressure problems resulting in good heart health. Moringa leaf powder can also increase blood platelets.
Apart from good health, the antioxidative nature of moringa is helpful in the organic preservation of food and inhibits its oxidation or contamination.
