Despite its strong taste, moringa is quickly becoming a popular nutrition supplement in the U.S.
All parts of the moringa tree — including the seeds, pods and leaves — have long been used in other parts of the world for their nutritional properties. This article looks at what moringa is and some of its most beneficial uses, including disease prevention and even water purification.
WHAT IS MORINGA?
Often referred to as the “miracle tree,” the fast-growing moringa tree is actually native to northern India.
The most well-known and widely used part of the tree are its seeds, which have been part of a traditional diet in Asia and Africa for centuries.
Today, moringa is readily available in various forms, including capsules, extracts, oils, powders and teas. The seeds can also be roasted and eaten like nuts, and the flowers can be used to make tea. The easiest way to consume moringa is in powder form, made from dried leaves. The taste is much milder than the seeds, and dried leaves actually contains higher amounts of nutrients than the fresh versions.
Overall, moringa is highly valued for its nutritional benefits. It’s also been used for non-food purposes like biodiesel production and as an ingredient in beauty products (1).
BENEFITS OF MORINGA
1. Moringa Is Rich In Nutrients
Moringa is rich in vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds.
One cup (140 g) of moringa seeds contains (2):
- Calories = 37
- Carbohydrates = 8.5 g
- Protein = 2 g
- Fat = <1 g
- Vitamin C = 235 percent daily value
- Iron = 350 percent daily value
- Potassium = 13 percent daily value
- Magnesium = 28 percent daily value
- Calcium = 3 percent Daily Value
Note the exceptional amounts of iron (350 percent of daily value) and Vitamin C (235 percent).
Moringa seeds also contains 19 of 22 amino acids, including all 9 essential amino acids, which your body can’t produce itself. This is similar to other well-known “superfoods” seeds like sunflower and chia seeds (3).
Meanwhile, the pods are especially fibrous, which can help with digestive issues.
Even with this impressive amount of nutrients, moringa is very low in calories.
2. The Moringa Plant Combats Malnutrition
In developing nations, where malnutrition is more prevalent, moringa can be a lifesaver. In fact, many communities and villages are cultivating the moringa plant in order to make it a staple part of their diet.
Along with its impressive amount of vitamins and minerals, moringa is a good source of protein and essential fats.
The leaves have even been used as a multivitamin supplement because of their high amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, and zinc, all essential for growth and development.
The tree is also resistant to drought and can withstand dry and hot climates, making it an excellent, nutrient-dense food source for impoverished communities.
3. Can Be Used for Water Purification
Boasting antimicrobial properties, moringa seeds also play a powerful role in water purification in developing nations. When you extract the oil from moringa seeds, it leaves a protein-rich “cake” behind. This can inhibit bacterial growth and be used to purify water for humans and animals (3).
Because moringa is easy to grow in abundance, this is a simple, cost-effective way to prevent waterborne diseases.
4. Acts as an Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant
Research shows that moringa seeds contain a powerful mix of health-promoting antioxidants (4). They offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which may help symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
In mouse studies, moringa seed extract functioned as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, improving symptoms of ulcerative colitis (UC). This data suggests a similar effect could be seen in humans (5). Another study found that boiling the seeds increased the availability of both antioxidants and iron (6).
5. Boosts Heart Health
Various studies have found that moringa seeds may improve heart health by reducing triglycerides, oxidative stress and inflammation.
They contain high levels of monounsaturated fats, which can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and may decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke if replacing saturated fat.
In one lab study done on rats, the consumption of moringa seeds decreased oxidative stress and protected heart cells while reducing inflammation (7). Another study on rats found that moringa seed powder reduced cardiac fibrosis, triglycerides and heart rate, and improved overall cardiac function (8).
6. Moringa Supports Digestion
Due to its high fiber content, moringa pods may be beneficial for your digestion.
Each pod contains around 47% fiber and can help you digest regularly and easily (9). Keep in mind, though, that whether you’ll benefit from an increase or decrease in fiber depends on your situation. It’s also unclear if this would be considered low FODMAP and suitable for IBS as it has not been tested.
7. May Help Fight Cancer
Moringa seeds have been shown to slow the growth of cancer cells in various lab studies.
A protein extracted from moringa seeds has been shown to slow the growth of liver cancer in both human and animal cells by up to 71% (10). In another lab study, moringa seed extract kept breast cancer cells from significantly growing and spreading (11). Liver and colon cancer cells have also been shown to decrease significantly when treated with moringa seeds (12).
Although this research only reflects lab studies and cannot be applied to humans, the results are promising.
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