9 Benefits of the Moringa Tree (and How to Use It)

There are many benefits of the Moringa Tree, but we're going to focus on 9 of those benefits. We'll also give you great information on how to use moringa in your daily diet!

Though it can feel like a new superfood is introduced to the health scene almost every week, some plants truly stand out from the rest. People across the planet are considering the moringa tree to be a miracle of the natural world, thanks both to its versatility and impressive health benefits.

The widespread popularity of this exotic plant means that it’s now possible for you to try it no matter where you live. Should you add moringa to your daily routine? Let’s see what it offers your health and find out.

The Key Benefits of Moringa:

• Reduces inflammation
• Rich in antioxidants
• Helps lower blood sugar
• Helps lower cholesterol
• Protects the liver
• Heart healthy
• Promotes healthy skin
• Supports brain health

What is Moringa?

Known colloquially as the ben tree, horseradish tree, vegetable tree, drumstick tree, and even the “never die tree,” Moringa is a small Central Asian species long valued in Ayurvedic medicine for its medicinal properties. Thirteen varieties of the moringa tree exist today, but one species (Moringa Oleifera) is by far the most common.

Part of moringa’s renown today comes from its reputation for being a survivor. This surprisingly hardy plant thrives even in poor soil and drought conditions, can grow up to 10 feet per year, and bounces back quickly after harvesting. In fact, many communities regularly cut moringa trees down to the stump to encourage it to develop a bushy undergrowth that is perfect for animal forage.

The entire moringa plant is edible, including the bark, flowers, roots, seeds, and fruit. Eaten raw, moringa leaves have a peppery taste reminiscent of watercress, and when cooked they adopt the consistency of spinach. For those in North America though, the most common way you’re likely to encounter this wonder plant is as a powdered supplement made from the leaves.

Thanks to its fast-growing, low-maintenance tendencies, moringa is an optimal nutrition source for communities across the planet, and a frequent addition to programs designed to fight malnutrition in India, Africa, and Latin America. However, the plant’s impressive health benefits mean that almost everyone should consider adding it to their diet.

Nine Benefits of Moringa

As you peel back the layers behind its potential, moringa only looks more impressive as a health supplement. Below are some of the most significant benefits of adding this versatile plant to your diet.

1. Rich in Nutrients

Flush with vitamins and minerals, freshly chopped moringa leaves provide you with almost unsurpassed nutrition in the plant world. Just one cup contains 19% of your recommended daily value of vitamin B6, 11% of iron and vitamin B2, and 9% of your vitamin A and magnesium requirements.

Equally impressive is moringa’s amino acid content. As a complete protein, the plant is considered to have the highest known plant protein ratio, bringing close in equivalency to the protein found in animal products. And because moringa is non-allergenic, it’s the perfect option for those who choose to avoid soy-based foods.

2. Produces a High-Quality Cooking Oil

When cold-pressed, moringa seeds produce a versatile cooking oil filled with impressive levels of healthy monounsaturated and saturated fats. Delicious when used raw as a salad dressing, moringa oil also has a high smoke point that makes it exceptional for frying and sautéing. And don’t be afraid to buy the big bottle- this oil never goes rancid.

3. Fights Free Radical Damage

Research shows that moringa leaves contain ample amounts of antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols, which makes them ideal for fending off oxidative stress and cell damage. The plant’s compounds can also suppress the inflammatory enzymes that are triggered by free radicals. This reduces your risk of developing chronic diseases like arthritis, obesity, certain cancers, and even heart disease.

4. Supports Brain Health

Thanks to high levels of antioxidants and vitamins E and C, moringa is a natural neuro-enhancer that has even shown potential as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. This is because its natural compounds can fight off neural degeneration and improve brain functioning while improving the functioning of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

The result? You get a healthier brain that can better manage your mood, stress responses, and physical processes like circulation and digestion.

5. Reduces Diabetes Symptoms

High blood pressure is a big problem for millions of people, but supplementing your diet with moringa leaves can make a difference in your levels. A concentrated leaf powder can lower blood sugar levels, meaning that it works to regulate oxidative stress levels in diabetic patients and provides protection against cell damage.

It doesn’t take much moringa to make a difference for diabetes. One study revealed that taking 1.5 teaspoons of leaf powder daily for three months reduced blood sugar levels by almost 14 percent, and another found that adding 50 grams of moringa leaves to a meal instantly prevented blood sugars from rising by 21%. Add a little moringa to every meal, and your blood sugar levels should drop down to safe levels.

6. Protects the Liver

High concentrations of polyphenols in moringa leaves and flowers have a big benefit for your body- they protect the liver against toxicity and damage. As the liver is responsible for blood detoxification and fat metabolism, keeping it functioning properly is paramount for good health. By reversing oxidation, moringa can reduce your risk of fibrosis and restore your liver enzymes to normal levels while also increasing the liver’s protein content to normal levels.

7. Clearer, Healthier Skin

A diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can work miracles on your skin, and moringa has ample amounts of both. These compounds promote healthy cell production and regeneration while reducing inflammation, retaining suppleness, and preventing wrinkle formation. Your hair, scalp, and nails will also benefit, thanks to moringa’s amino acid content and its ability to promote blood circulation through your scalp, which improves the number of nutrients it can take in.

8. Natural Water Filtration

If you’re ever in a bind without potable water, moringa seeds can bring you closer to achieving a clean water supply. When crushed, these seeds act as a natural binding agent that clumps together salts, sand, 90 to 99 percent of present bacteria, and other impurities in unfiltered water. This makes them sink to the bottom so that they are simple to strain out, bringing your water one step closer to being safe to drink.

How well will it work? Research shows that the effectiveness of this low-tech purification method is comparable to using expensive chemicals like aluminum sulfate, which can be toxic to people and the planet. The amount of moringa seed powder necessary depends on the beginning water quality, but a single ground seed can treat up to four liters.

9. Better Bowel Movements

The moringa tree is full of fiber, meaning that eating regular servings will keep you, well, more regular. Each serving is over a quarter fiber content, so adding moringa to your daily diet will keep your colon working as it should.

Best Ways to Use Moringa

Understanding the benefits of moringa and knowing how to take it are two different matters, especially if you live far from where the tree grows naturally. An easy solution is to buy moringa leaf powder and incorporate it daily into your favorite dishes. Dried Moringa leaves retain almost all the nutrition of fresh ones, and their concentrated form makes it easier to maximize the health benefits of one teaspoon serving at a time.

On its own, moringa has a mild, nutty flavor, making it perfect for subtly boosting the nutrition content of your favorite dishes. You can sprinkle moringa powder into soups and sauces or add a scoop to your morning smoothie. If you prefer a more comforting concoction, consider dissolving it into hot water for a soothing tea. Or, make things simple by taking it in capsule form like a multivitamin.

If you have a fresh supply nearby, there’s no limit to the creative uses you can put the moringa plant to. The immature seed pods can be cooked like fresh green beans, and you can prepare the seeds of full-grown pods like you would fresh peas or nuts. Moringa leaves can also be sautéed precisely like your favorite greens, meaning that you can serve them as a side dish to complement most meals.

Note: While the entire moringa tree is safe to eat, pay attention to the quantity you consume, as too much at once can produce a mild laxative effect if your body hasn’t adjusted to it. Stick to less than one teaspoon a day until you see how your digestive system responds, and slowly raise your dose from there.

Take Moringa For Your Health and Wellness

“Superfoods” abound on grocery store shelves today, but moringa remains in a class all its own. By adding this wonder plant into your regular diet, you’ll be benefiting almost every physiological system and supporting the promotion of a sustainable industry as well.

What’s not to like? Try incorporating dried moringa leaf powder into your health plan, and it might soon become a standard part of your routine.

Sunwarrior’s Ormus Supergreens, in Natural and Mint flavor, combines moringa with whole leaf powders and juice powders from alfalfa, wheat grass, barley grass and oat grass to provide your body with essential minerals and chlorophyll.

Get the benefits of moringa today!

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