MORINGA LEAVES – Contains Power of Eight Essential Amino Acids that our Body Cannot Manufacture

Moringa Leaf

Moringa leaves commonly called drumstick tree leaves, name is Moringa Oleifera. The Drumstick tree is a common sight in India and has been planted and propagated around the world due to its popularity of health benefits.

Moringa flowers and buds are also used for cooking along with leaves. The drumstick is sold as a vegetable during season. Drumstick when cooked in Sambhar gives a unique flavor. Drumstick pickles are very popular in India and is readily available round the year.

Moringa is one of the most powerful health-enhancing plants. Drumstick plant leaves can treat nearly 300 diseases, there are references in India’s ancient tradition of Ayurveda. Recent scientific research has proven that these humble leaves are in fact a powerhouse of nutritional value.

Benefits of Moringa leaf:

There was a campaign initiated by WHO to plant more drumstick trees in the developing countries as the entire plant has nutritional and medicinal benefits.

Drumstick plant leaves are an excellent source of nutrition and natural energy booster. Moringa leaves are a power house of nutrients.

• Moringa leaves have many medicinal properties.
• Moringa leaves are soothing. It helps lower blood pressure and is a sleep aid. Used to treat anxiety too.
• Moringa leaves can control glucose levels in cases of diabetes.
• Moringa leaves juice is used as a skin antiseptic.
• Moringa leaves are used to kill intestinal worms
• Moringa leaves can be used to relieve cold by inhalation. Boil leaves in water and steam inhale. Follow steam inhalation 2 times and you can definitely see the difference.
• A soup made by boiling a tablespoon of leaves in 2 cups of water with salt, crushed black pepper and a few drops of lime juice helps treat several respiratory diseases like asthma, tuberculosis and bronchitis.
• Moringa leaves and buds when applied on the forehead relieves headache.
• Moringa leaf is a good purgative. The leaves when consumed will act as a laxative relieving constipation problems.
• Moringa leaves has detoxifying effect, also known for its ability to purify water.
• Moringa leaves act as a coagulant by attaching itself to harmful material and bacteria .The leaves when ingested attack parasitic worms.
• Moringa leaves provide multi vitamin too in the following ways:

• Mineral Contents in Drumstick Leaves

• Vitamin A — Four times as in Carrot.
• Vitamin C — Seven times as in Orange.
• Potassium – Three times as in Banana
• Calcium – Four times Calcium as in Milk.
• Protein – Two times Protein as in Yogurt.

• Eating Moringa leaves is believed to increase a woman’s milk lactation and is sometimes prescribed for anemia. The juice of moringa leaves when mixed with honey and followed by a drink of coconut water,  2 – 3 times a day will work as a wonderful remedy for diarrhea and dysentery .
• Moringa leaves have better proteins than Soy. Moringa is considered to have the highest protein ratio of any plant so far identified, with the protein in Moringa being comparable in quality to that of soy.
• Moringa protein is better than soy protein as it is non-allergic. Proteins are digested into smaller units known as amino acids. Moringa contains 18 of the 20 amino acids required by the human body including all eight of the essential amino acids found in meat products. Now with cost booming Meat is a luxury most people around the world cannot afford. The body cannot manufacture those eight essential amino acids and must get them through the food we eat. Moringa is one of very few plants that contain all eight.
• Moringa leaves and extract cake increases milk production in cattle.
• Moringa leaves does not have impurities, no adverse reactions recorded till date.

A simple recipe with moringa leaves , flowers and buds :

Moringa leaves torran:

Ingredients:

Fresh moringa leaves- 2 cups. Include flowers and buds too ( wash and place in a sieve to drain water)

1 medium Onion – Chop to fine pieces

For grinding:

2 green chillies cut length wise, Garlic pods- 4 nos, Cumin seeds -1/4 tsp ,

Fresh coconut grated – ½ cup, Turmeric -1/4 tsp

Grind the ingredients coarsely.

For seasoning:

Oil -2 tsp , Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp, Rice- 2 tsp , curry leaves-1 stem

Salt to taste

Procedure:

Add oil in a flat bottom pan. When hot , season with mustard seeds, rice and curry leaves. To this add onion, when translucent add the leaves. Saute and cook it under steam in a low flame. Now add salt and the grinded paste. Mix thoroughly till it is of dry consistency. Coconut relieves the bitter taste of the leaves and is a good combination with rice or hot pulkas.

Note: Usually in Indian dishes seasoning includes dhals but for Moringa leaves dishes rice is used. When fried in oil rice becomes white  and crispy.

Enjoy various ways to include the leaves and vegetable in your diet. Stay healthy.