Moringa Oleifera Supplement Guide
Moringa Oleifera (pronounced “more-ring-ga oh-la-fair-a”) is also known as the Benzolive, Horseradish or Drumstick tree, in some places it is even known as the miracle tree. It's a plant that is used to make medicine from its' roots, seeds, fruit, flowers and bark. It grows in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India as well as in the tropics.
Moringa can be harvested year round and may be the most nutritious, locally available food source. The fact that it grows easily and rapidly, makes it popular as a food source for impoverished areas and it has been used in India, Senegal and Malawi to boost and help supplement dietary nutrition.
Moringa’s Many Uses
A report by Fox news on Moringa stated, “This is one plant food that doesn’t display just one or two but numerous potential healing powers”. Virtually all of the various parts of the plant are used to treat infectious disorders, inflammation and various cardiovascular and digestive disorders, while improving liver function and helping enhance milk production and flow in nursing mothers. Moringas' uses are well documented in not only the most ancient healing systems of the world but in both the Ayurvedic and Unani systems of traditional medicine as well and its use has been linked to the prevention of about 300 diseases.
Rich in a variety of compounds linked to enhancing health like moringinine and moringine the plant also contains various polyphenols and antioxidants like rhamnetin,kaempferol and quercetin. The leaves seem to be getting the most attention, due to studies which suggest they may aid in reducing high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and eliminating water weight.
Studies also show that the leaves contain niazimicin a compound which may be linked to having anticancer and anti-tumor activities. While other compounds in the leaf appear to help in maintaining healthy thyroid regulation. There has also been research conducted that may point to antiviral action in cases of Herpes simplex 1. With all these amazing properties that are contained in this plant it is little wonder why it is so popularly supplemented for health and nutrition and sometimes known as the Miracle tree.
Remember for using or starting any dietary supplements, be sure to talk to your doctor or nutritionist first.
A “Swiss Army Knife” Of Nutrition
Nutritionally the leaves and pods of the Benzolive tree have been used used because the are rich in vitamins and minerals and even considered beneficial as a survival food. Almost all parts of the plant can be eaten. The pods and leaves are commonly eaten in parts of Africa and India. The pods generally are lower in vitamins and minerals compared to the leaves with the exception being vitamin C. One cup of fresh sliced pods contains 157% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
The leaves are considered an excellent nutritional source of many recommended vitamins and minerals. Eight ounces of chopped fresh leaves contain the following:
- Protein: 2 grams
- Vitamin A (from beta-carotene): 9% of the RDA
- Riboflavin (B2): 11% of the RDA
- Magnesium: 8% of the RDA
- Vitamin B6: 19% of the RDA
- Vitamin C: 12% of the RDA
- Iron: 11% of the RDA
Besides having all the recommended daily allowances shown above with a rich nutritional profile here are six other reasons Moringa is being hailed as a superfood one hundred grams of dried moringa leaf may contain
- 15 times the potassium of bananas
- 12 times the vitamin C of oranges
- 10 times the vitamin A of carrots
- 9 times the protein of yogurt
- 25 times the iron of spinach
- 17 times the calcium of milk
In western countries the leaves are far more popular in a dried form and are sold as sold as either a powder or in convenient capsule formats. Packed with nutrition, potassium, protein, calcium, beta carotene , you name it this plant’s got it! No wonder Moringa has been used as a dietary supplement for over 4000 years.
Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation is a natural response your body has to injury or infection. Although it may be an essential protection mechanism it can also become a major issue if it goes on to long. Chronic inflammation can lead to long term pain while also aggravating other conditions of the body. There is no system within the body that is immune to inflammation.
For example, many chronic diseases have been linked to sustained inflammation including cancer and heart disease. Thankfully, nature provides a way around this problem by offering natural supplements within a number of herbs and spices as well as fruits and vegetables that have known anti-inflammatory effects. One such example is the Moringa plant.
The phenolic acids, flavonoids and isothiocyanates contained in the plants pods seeds and leaves also appear to have anti inflammatory properties according to the Epoch Times. The trees reputed anti inflammatory properties have been used to treat stomach ulcers,traditionally. Moringa supplements, (sometimes called Ben oil or Moringa oil) has been shown in research to help protect the liver from chronic inflammation and has a unique property that it can resists rancidity unlike other vegetable oils.
Although research into Moringa Oleifera is limited, due to its relative ambiguity in western culture growing number studies are emerging. Many confirm that this remarkable tree is deserving of its traditional notoriety of reputed healing properties. In some studies undertaken by French researchers and published in the Dakar Med journal,it was discovered that moringa roots contain amazing properties that assist in making them a potent anti-inflammatory and may aid in the treating symptoms of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and bronchitis.
In 2011 studies were also published that noted that extracting and purification of certain chitin-binding proteins in the seeds of the plant also showed promising potential in relieving pain and inflammation.
Antioxidant
Moringa leaf extract is so high in antioxidant levels it can be used on meat to prolong its shelf life and act as a preservative by reducing tissue oxidation. Antioxidants are substances that help to reduce the free radicals in our bodies that can cause oxidative stress and may be linked to contracting chronic diseases like type two diabetes or heart disease.
Moringa leaf contains several antioxidant compounds, in addition to vitamin c and beta-carotene that studies have linked to beneficial health. Quercetin has been found in some studies to aid in lowering blood pressure and research has shown that supplementing Moringa leaf powder every day for three months may show promising increases in antioxidant levels in the blood.
Lower Blood Sugar
There have been several interesting studies that have shown links between taking Moringa supplements and reduction in blood sugar levels caused by antioxidants and compounds known as isothiocyanates.
The Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition did a study on diabetic subjects on blood and insulin response and the effects that some indian vegetables could have on them. Every day 30 people took moringa leaf powder, for a period of three months and according to researchers they seemed to show reduction in fasting blood sugar. Some as much as thirteen and a half percent. In another separate study that was published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology in November 2014, it appeared that adding moringa leaves to a meal may aid in reducing rising levels of blood sugar.
Chlorogenic acid is another of the antioxidant constituents contained in the leaves may be instrumental in moderating blood sugar levels after meals. This compound can also be obtained by drinking large amounts of coffee, but supplementing with Moringa can help you maintain healthy blood sugar without having to deal with coffee jitters and lack of sleep.
Lower Cholesterol
High levels of cholesterol in the blood stream have been associated with increasing your chances of heart disease. In traditional Thai medicine Moringa leaf extracts have been used for centuries as a cardiotonic. When research was conducted on the antiatherosclerotic and, hypolipidemic properties of the leaf extract after 12 weeks of treatment, it appeared to significantly lower the atherosclerotic plaque formation and reduced the cholesterol levels in the subjects.
Studies on both humans and animals have shown similar effects that M. Oleifera may be beneficial in lowering cholesterol, making Moringa a reliable cholesterol reducing supplement that is becoming more and more recommended by nutritionists and healthcare professionals. So although to be clinically useful, more scientific data is needed. However, don’t be surprised that if you are diagnosed with high cholesterol (as many Americans are) when your doctor refers you to take additional natural sources to work hand in hand with the medication that they also will prescribe. In fact, if your doctor hasn’t done so already, now is a good time to ask them about their recommended dosing of a Moringa supplement for your cholesterol.
A Potent Detoxifier
By attaching itself to harmful items and having a high fiber content that helps it work like a mop inside the intestines aiding in cleaning out leftover gunk from a greasy diet Moringa may help to rid the body of unwanted impurities. The isothiocyanates it contains have antibacterial properties that may help rid the body of H. Pylori, a bacteria linked to ulcers, gastritis and some forms of gastric cancer.
Studies by Uppsala University have shown that the seeds of the plant have been found to work better than many of the modern day synthetic materials currently in use for water purification. There is a protein which binds to impurities in the water and causes them to form clusters of material (flocs) which can then be easily filtered. When researchers studied the aggregates under a microscope they found that the clusters formed with the protein are packed much more tightly than modern day man made flocculating agents. Such flocs are more easily separated making for better water purification.
There is some speculation that moringa may have the same propensity to attach itself to harmful components and toxins inside the body as well giving it the potential to act as a possible system detoxifier but more clinical research on this matter needs to be conducted for results to be conclusive.
The leaves and seeds may also help to protect against arsenic toxicity which is increasingly important nowadays since groundwater contamination has become a global public health concern and there have been news reports that common staples such as rice may be contaminated.
An interesting observation is that in studies following the administration of M.oleifera seed powder, uptake of arsenic levels was reduced in the brain, kidneys, liver, blood and in other soft tissues as well.
Moringa supplements may be one extra defense in your arsenal to help keep your body free and clean of unwanted substances.With so many different types of toxins in our modern day society and more being discovered each day, our bodies can use all the help they can get ridding themselves of unwanted and unnecessary poisons we get from day to day living.
How Will Moringa Supplements Help You?
With all of it’s`s nutritional and beneficial properties Other cultures have known how to use this tree to improve their way of life on a daily bases. Why not see for yourself how you too can benefit by seeing what this “Miracle Tree” can do for you each day? Begin by including a Moringa supplement into your diet and see what it can do for you!
