Superfood Moringa

[daojones]

I'm looking into taking Moringa. I am unsure about the best form to take it in and am unsure if its worth taking. I heard it was better than spirulina, as there are no potential issues with heavy metals.

Am just looking for some bums experience with Moringa - how did it help you? why did you take it? what form?

[runner11]

I don't have personal experience with this, but my understanding from a TCM point of view is that these "superfoods" are so nutritious that it can overload and weaken the spleen, similar to juicing. I think it may be good in moderation for someone who is already very healthy and strong. I know its not ginseng, but I it reminds me of the saying that taking ginseng while your sick has the effect of "locking in the dragon," which keeps you sick for longer. If anyone with more knowledge can chime in though, I'd be interested to hear their opinion or personal experience.

[suninmyeyes]

A friend of mine takes it as an energy booster , as she works as energy booster due to unfriendly work hous .

She told me that in Africa they use it as water purifier in some places .

[daojones]

Interesting point from the TCM perspective. I wonder about the veracity of super food claims..how much actually gets absorbed and such. I picked up some pills of moringa. Will report back if anything is interesting.

[Apech]

The moringa was sacred in Ancient Egypt ... the title of 'he who is under his moringa tree' being applied to Horus and Thoth ... it was valued for its oil which is called 'bright' to link to the Eye of Horus.

 

No idea of its food value though.

[Xienkula1]

http://www.apjtcm.com/zz/2012s2/49.pdf

 

http://www.moh.gov.mm/file/Medicinal%20Plants%20of%20Myanmar.pdf

 

Not surprising it is packed with micro and macro nutrients and is encouraged to be used as a counter measure against malnutrition in west Africa, and has been consumed in south east Asia for its health benefits for quite some time. In Myanmar it is known as Dant - da - lun and can help a woman produce breast milk. In Siddha medicine, it is the seeds that can purify the water, the oil from the seeds has long been esteemed for its cosmetic properties. The seeds in Siddha medicine have been used to revive male potency. benzylisothiocyanate is a class of phytocompounds known as isothiocyanates, found in all cruciferous vegetables in the mustard family and have been found to be metabolised by the liver into compounds which reduce inflammation and thus can help prevent cancer. It also allegedly has antiviral qualities. 1 tsp of moringa leaf powder a day can substitute to some degree your multivitamin pill and it is probably more bio-available.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Xienkula1

[Stosh]

Moringa may have two times the protein of yogurt !

SO regarding protein

that means one can eat two GRAMS worth of yogurt or one gram worth of ...DRY moringa LEAVES!! Yum

Most pills are on the order of one to two grams , It is rather obvious that moringa is not a significant amount of protein taken as a pill,,( any more than eating a two gram chicken pill per day would be.)

Though the vitamin value may be of greater potential impact ,, I havent seen any study describing the bioavailability of the powder ,( since the cell walls are cellulose, its important to know)

 

The great advantage of the plants is their hardy nature (because they can grow in really crappy places)

but I havent yet seen anything regarding the productivity per acre... (so the supplement you-we may eat , may be the only tiny morsel of food some poor folks didnt get to consume)

 

An interesting addition to the worldwide palate which requires further investigation before I would consider jumping on a bandwagon about.

[Xienkula1]

well of course it's way over-hyped....but I really like it especially when the seed pods are cooked in lentils....tastes like asparagus, it's a yummy traditional food that is richer than most.

[Stosh]

well of course it's way over-hyped....but I really like it especially when the seed pods are cooked in lentils....tastes like asparagus, it's a yummy traditional food that is richer than most.

Oh, they sell the pods too? I thought it only came in dust form.

Ill look for it.

[Xienkula1]

Oh, they sell the pods too? I thought it only came in dust form.

Ill look for it.

Go to Sri Lankan or Tamil grocery stores where they are called mrgungakai.....just chop them into finger sized pieces and cook in until tender in a dahl soup, with spices and tamarind, this is known as sambar, you can find some pretty good recipes online. Delicious, but very heating, that's why the tamarind is important! Nope not just in dust form, if you live in a city where there is a Sri Lanka town, you can sometimes even get the fresh leaves, much better than the dust which of course looses nutrient value over storage time. But you are right that there is an issue with the west getting whiff of the latest superfood and then consuming. On the one hand this increases demand and so increases supply and supports farmers growing such crops, on the other, it could be eating into the supply of those who need it the most.

[Practitioner]

I can't believe the hype of Moringa really. Well of course, for westerners who are not really exposed to the plant, of course the "exotic" appeal of it certainly has something to do with people's fascination.

 

But for someone who lives in southeast asia, sheesh, this stuff grows wild in everybody's backyard.. It is completely plain jane to us. I was floored once I started to see people to go nuts and start to market this kind of stuff. Moringa this, moringa that, wow with the stuff people are yelling about it, I should live forever eating our native chicken soup in which we put it in.

 

Not bashing the plant here. Just giving a personal reaction to the sudden craze for the whole thing.

 

The differences in perspective and culture are quite fascinating.. "super healthy coconut water" and "amazing moringa" are both staples of even the poorest farmer's diet here in a third world country.

[blindeye]

I bought some capsulated moringa and tried taking morning, noon and evening times and taken with or without food.

Enzymes and proteins may not be there after a drying process, but minerals remain which may be a great benefit if the right ones are present. Oils go away during drying as well. Taken with food was usefull and gave vitality. With water was unoticeable unless my heartrate was up first. It seems like a bulk form would be economical and used as a tea best if in a dried state.