The Endless Benefits of the 'Miracle tree' – Moringa (Suhanjna)
The Endless Benefits of the 'Miracle tree' – Moringa (Suhanjna)
What is
Moringa?
Miracle Tree (Moringa) |
The 'Miracle Tree,' Moringa leaves, Moringa oleifera, or
Indian Horseradish is a quick-growing, frost, and drought-resistant plant. Found
in the Indian Subcontinent, Asia, and Africa, Moringa leaves grows both in the
tropical and sub-tropical areas. Many people also commonly call it a 'drumstick
tree.' Due to it being able to withstand severe conditions, people widely
cultivate it throughout many regions of the world. Moringa leaves benefits are
endless and mainly include nutrition and health benefits. Every part of this
plant has nutritional or commercial value, making it highly profitable.
History and
background
Before we get into the Moringa leaves benefits, we should
discuss its history and background.
Indian Heritage:
We are aware that Moringa is mainly found in the Indian
Subcontinent. For thousands of years, people had used Moringa for many
different purposes. People used timber from it to provide building materials,
and they used its leaves and seeds for health benefits; for the intake of a variety
of proteins, minerals, and vitamins. This same tree is used by people in
everyday food items, herbal medicine, building products, tea, and drinks in
India. Mainly the Arabic and Indians used it in terms of fold medicine.
Where the name
Moringa comes from?
The name 'Moringa' is derived from 'murungai,' which comes
from Tamil's old language. Tamil is general spoken in southern India and
northeast Sri Lanka, where the people abundantly use the plant. The word
murungai means 'twisted pot,' and oleifera means 'oil-bearing.'
Miracle Tree (Moringa) |
Ayurveda
As far as 5000 years ago, people used Moringa plants as
medicine, but there are also records of it being used in Ancient Greek, Rome,
and Egypt. Referred to as the 'Miracle tree' or 'The Wonder Tree,' it was very
much used by Ayurveda people. There all of its parts were considered useful and
had abundant benefits. Often employed as digestion, spleen, and eye medicine,
it is added by people in food and drinks and many other ways. To this day, the
Moringa plant is still utilized in Ayurveda, where it is used the most in the
world.
Also, Read- Why do we need to plant more trees before 2025?
Taste and
structure of Moringa Leaf
The tree itself can reach up to 40 feet high and has droopy
and spindly branches weighed down by plump, long seedpods. The seedpod is long
and weighted and can be described as a long, thick, and rigid green bean.
Miracle Tree (Moringa) |
On the other hand, the Moringa leaves look like ordinary
leaves that are small in size, oval to obviate, or teardrop-shaped. You can
measure it to about an average of 1-2 centimeter in length and 0.5-1cm width.
The leaves are vibrant and shocking green feathery leaflets. These leaflets are
smooth, thick, and firm and grow in a trip-innate structure.
Nevertheless, how
does it taste?
Well, for the most part, the Moringa leaf tastes bitter. However,
with that bitter flavor, it has undertones of grass-like flavors. What's
exciting is that it has a horseradish-like heat to it as well. Being one
hundred percent edible, these can be cooked by you, like how you would cook
spinach. When the Moringa leaves are being cooked by someone, they release a
very different and distinguishable grassy aroma.
When we talk about the Moringa powder, you can describe its
taste as that of matcha, which has infused with notes of spirulina-like
blue-green algae. When added to water, the powder dissolves easily and gives a
very green vegetable like flavor, which is bitter yet slightly sweet.
Miracle Tree (Moringa) |
Moringa
Leaf Uses and Moringa Leaves Benefits
Moringa Plant, as a whole, has many uses. It has countless
benefits, and we cannot catalog it into a single list. However, we have tried
today to list the more obvious uses of the 'wonder tree.'
Miracle Tree (Moringa) |
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Oil
extraction and lubricants
The Moringa Leaves and seedpods are known to be rich in oil. You can extract its oil as a form of
machine lubricant, hair and body oil, and cooking. It is economical and a great
alternative to other expensive oils.
-
Libido
Say, due to stress or work overload, the body can tire out
and, in response, reduce the levels of testosterone. In a recent study on Moringa on animals,
you can see that Moringa helps lower the cortisol levels and increase the
testosterone levels. In another study, the increased sexual performance was
seen by some animals by suppressing the cortisol and increasing the
testosterone.
-
Hormone
balance
In the menopause period and similar situations, where the body is in stress and the hormone balance is off, Moringa powder can help. Researchers
saw a mixture of Moringa leaf and Amaranth leaf powder to improve the condition
by reducing oxidative
stress in a study. This feature and other factors help with hormone
imbalance.
-
Fighting
free radicals
Moringa is a pure and healthy plant that fights free
radicals. These free radicals enter our body through various means like
pollution, sun exposure, fried and junk food. They cause humans multiple
problems like premature aging, cell damage, and oxidative stress in general.
Moringa, which has many antioxidants, fights this and helps you live a longer
life.
-
Nourishing
the skin and hair
Whether oral intake in the form of food or powder or using Moringa
leaf oil, it leaves your hair, nails, skin healthy, shiny, and strong. It also
helps improve bone density and makes it stronger.
-
Nutrients
Moringa Leaves, powder, seed, oil, and roots all provide
nutrients. The Moringa plant contains many minerals and vitamins. Moringa
contains seven times more vitamin C than oranges do, and fifteen times more potassium
then a banana.
Other than that, the Moringa plant has abundant amounts of
calcium, proteins, iron, and amino acids that keep the body healthy and
balanced. They also help in building muscle mass and heal internal and external
wounds quickly.
-
Antioxidants
Humans found Moringa oleifera to have many antioxidant plant
compounds. It is very rich in antioxidants, and mostly they are found in the
leaves of the Moringa plant. These antioxidants help in various ways, like
lowering cholesterol level, lowering blood glucose levels, removing toxicity
from the body, help digestive issues, and many more.
Miracle Tree (Moringa) |
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Building
materials
The Moringa tree has a strong thick trunk. In ancient times
and even now, its timber is used for building products like tables, chairs,
shelters, and many other wooden products. The wooden parts make them reliable
as they are available in a large quantity worldwide.
-
Erosion
control
Due to natural disasters or human actions, soil erosion
occurs, which means that fertile land is stripped of its nutrients, upper soil
layer, rocks, and sediments and becomes barren. The moringa tree has strong and
thick roots that can store large amounts of water and resist erosion. You can
often see farmers planting Moringa trees on hills and hillsides. They help
prevent not only erosion but also resist land sliding. The seedpods and leaves
of the tree also help with the fertility of the land.
-
Source of
food
Every part of the Moringa tree is useable, and many parts of
They are edible. Mostly the leaves, which have been a source of food for many
civilizations in the past and even now, are taken as food options.
Other than the leaves, the roots, barks, pods, seeds, and
flowers are edible. The leaves and seeds are dried commercially, then ground
into a powder form, and sold.
-
Water
filtration
All parts of the Moringa tree are unique and have excellent
properties, but the seeds have another function other than just providing
nutrients to the body. It helps in the filtration of water. The seeds of this plan the t have special purification abilities.
You can filter the water bodies that have sediment
impurities excellently with the Moringa seeds. They also have anti-microbial
properties that clean out any harmful bacteria from the water. Practical and unprocessed
seed powder may sediment more than 90 percent of bacteria from within raw
water.
Medicinal properties
The Moringa leaves benefits are countless, but their
contribution to folk medicine and ancient medicine in Indian Subcontinent,
Arab, Africa, and other countries made them such a reliable and cultivated
species. That is why, even today, Moringa is used by humans in medicines, and
researches are being done by scientists every day to find out where and how
Moringa leaves benefits us. These are the top medical diseases that have been
seen by researchers to improve with the Moringa plant.
i.
Cancer
ii.
Diabetes
iii.
Rheumatoid
arthritis
iv.
Memory
v.
Lowering
blood sugar levels
vi.
Reduction
of inflammation
vii.
Lower
cholesterol
viii.
Protection
against arsenic toxicity
ix.
Liver
protection
x.
Treatment
of edema
How to
administer it?
It is safe to eat Moringa in any form. You can eat the
leaves as one would eat salad, or you can cook them like spinach. You can add
it to your rice or pasta or any other dish. Blend it into a smoothie or infuse it
to form tea; you can even drink it. The dry leaf and seed powder wish can also be
dissolved into water and drank as it is.
On the other hand, you can boil, roast, toast, or cook them
in any way you like. The flowers as well can be eaten as it is. You can bake
them, fry them, steam them, and even eat them raw. It is so safe that you can
even add it to their baby's milk!
Miracle Tree (Moringa) |
What is the best way to take Moringa? The answer is in
capsule form. In capsule form, the moringa extract is completely additive-free,
is 100 percent natural, and safe for the body. Manufacturers make it for those who
want quick and accurate doses and are on the move.
Precautions
and Risks
Unless you have an allergy to Moringa, there are no known
health risks as of yet. Humans found its properties to be 100 percent safe and
consumable by any person, whether it's a baby or an older person.
Still, you should always consult your doctor and, in case of
a baby, a child practitioner to see if you can take Moringa. Do not administer Moringa
if you have any allergies to it or are suspicious.
Conclusion
At the bottom line, we can say that Moringa is truly a Miracle tree. People have called it the same more than 5000 years ago. Still used in many parts of the world, many cultures and societies utilize Moringa leaves and seed benefits. Its benefits surpass expectations, and if you are wondering if you should take its advantage as well, then go for it.
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