16 Mar Moringa: The ruler in green superfoods

I love quick and easy information on the small things we can do that make a big impact on our health.  Here’s a fast read on a generous health-giving plant, the moringa tree.

Moringa is a grand and fast growing tree native to India but also found in Thailand, Africa, Taiwan and the Philippines. It has been used in traditional Indian medicine for a very long time. Even though moringa is entirely edible from leaves to roots, we are going to zone in on the leaves which offer a spectacular boost in nutrition.  Despite the size of this immense tree, its leaves are feathery small. They are harvested and dried to be consumed as a green powder.  The leaves are rich in various antioxidants, have cholesterol-lowering properties, help to lower blood sugar, own antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and offer anti-inflammatory substances.  Its high chlorophyll content is oxygenating and alkalizing to the body and the impressive nutrient content is sure to give you extra energy.
One serving (around 1 tsp) provides approximately 92 nutrients, 46 antioxidants, 36 anti-inflammatories, 18 amino acids, 9 essential amino acids.

More specifically, it contains:
22% daily value of Vitamin C
41% daily value of Potassium
61% daily value of Magnesium
71% daily value of Iron
125% daily value of Calcium
272% daily value of Vitamin A

How to consume Moringa leaf powder

Like many whole food powders, you can mix moringa powder in smoothies, juice, yogurt, soups and sauces –  so just about anything!  The powder has a ‘green grass’ taste, resembling that of wheat grass powder.  If you are used to that taste, 1 teaspoon can be mixed with 1/2-1 cup water (and lemon juice for extra liver cleansing!) as a draft.  To make things interesting, you can drink the powder as a tea. For a cold infusion, fill a  2 quart sealer jar with water and add 2 Tbsp. moringa powder adding honey to taste, ginger root slices and zest of lemon. Shake the jar before drinking. For a warm drink, use ½ tsp moringa powder per cup of hot water. Let steep for 5 minutes and add the above ingredients for flavour. You may increase the amount from 1 tsp to 2 tsp, a couple times a day.

*Caution: moringa powder can have laxative effects in larger amounts.  It is not recommended for pregnant women.