Moringa – Moringa oleifera

Detailed Description

Moringa is a traditional herb widely recommended for allergies, high blood sugar, and physical fatigue.

Botanical Information

Moringa commonly grows in the wild as a deciduous tree, with a trunk up to 30 cm wide and reaching heights of up to 13 or 14 meters. Its branches are pendulous and fragile, forming a sparse, irregular crown with brown bark. Moringa oleifera grows rapidly—up to a meter per year—and although it is typically deciduous, it can also be evergreen in some conditions. At the root system’s base is a tuber that allows the plant to survive dry periods.

The branches of Moringa oleifera are long, its leaves are either pinnate or bipinnate, alternate, petiolated, and glandular, and can be up to 60 cm long, with elliptical, ovate, or wedge-shaped forms. The cream-white or yellowish flowers are bisexual, about 2 cm in size, and borne in panicles up to 30–35 cm long. The primary flowering season is from February to April, and the second is in September, but Moringa may flower and bear fruit intermittently throughout the year. Its fruit is a twisted pod, ranging in color from beige to pink when young, turning green, and then brown when mature—measuring up to 20 cm long and 3 cm wide, containing up to 20 oil-rich seeds.

Origin and Distribution

Moringa oleifera likely originated at the southern foothills of the Himalayas, where it was revered as a 'miracle tree' and used in the traditional practices of local people. Over centuries, it has spread across the Indian subcontinent, into Arabia, Africa, Madagascar, Central America, the Caribbean, northern South America, Southeast Asia, and parts of Oceania. Nowadays, Moringa leaves are dried and powdered for use as a supplement for both malnourished children and athletes thanks to their rich nutrient content.

Moringa prefers tropical or subtropical climates with dry soils in regions with average annual rainfall, or fertile soils up to 2,000 meters elevation. Growth rate and fruit quality highly depend on soil quality. In some places, such as the Czech Republic, a few enthusiasts cultivate the plant.

Usage / Dosage

Moringa oleifera is heralded in literature as a multipurpose or “broad-spectrum” plant with many uses—even as a food staple. In India and Africa, its leaves are a regular part of the diet due to their rich array of vitamins, proteins, and minerals. The leaves are sold at local markets and eaten fresh in salads, cooked, or as a supplement. Athletes and children are often encouraged to consume Moringa for its nutritional value. The seeds can be roasted and taste like walnuts, or pressed to yield oil used in cooking, cosmetics, and even engineering or industry.

Moringa leaf powder is used in water purification: 0.2 grams of powder can clean 1 liter of turbid water through coagulation of impurities, which then settle to the bottom—a practice especially common in the Nile River regions.

The flowers are edible, and the roots—sharp and pungent in flavor—are often a horseradish substitute. Fiber from the bark and wood is used for ropes. The branches are valued fodder for livestock. The root is used traditionally for digestive complaints, confirmed intestinal parasites, and as an analgesic. The seeds provide systemic anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing effects. Practitioners recommend the leaves for treating scurvy symptoms and the initial stages of bone disorders.

In Ayurvedic medicine, Moringa is considered beneficial for nearly 300 different ailments and is regarded as a superfood due to its easily absorbed nutrients. Traditionally, the leaves and their juice are used for healing damaged eyes, allergies, asthma, bloating, anti-aging, high blood pressure, blood loss, bronchitis, cholera, colitis, diabetes, diarrhea, inflammation, and headaches.

In Southeast Asia, healers recommend Moringa for rheumatism, tuberculosis, nervousness, night blindness, hearing disorders, nausea, constipation, viral infections, and malnutrition. In other regions, it is applied locally for acne, wound healing, and leg ulcers.

Cold-pressed Moringa oil demonstrates proven anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, used internally or in the cosmetic industry for massage oils and aromatherapy. The seeds have laxative properties; in Africa Moringa is also used to relieve pain and fever.

In Southeast Asia, the flowers are consumed as a stimulant, diuretic, and bile secretion aid. Cooked in milk, they are used as an aphrodisiac in Africa, either eaten directly or added to baked goods, pasta, soups, sauces, milk, or tea. Local students consume Moringa to enhance late-night study sessions. It is also used to support mental alertness, physical energy, weight loss, and stress relief.

Several laboratory studies on concentrated Moringa extracts demonstrated a significant antioxidant effect against free radicals in cell cultures. For this reason, Moringa may be recommended preventively for aging and cardiovascular diseases. There is also evidence of moderate reductions in blood sugar levels with Moringa use.

Moringa is high in vitamin E, which offers antioxidant properties, and in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A that supports the eye’s photoreceptive cells. The presence of vitamin A makes Moringa a great source to support vision health and relieve eye fatigue.

Moringa’s nutrients are recommended for pregnant women—whose metabolic requirements are higher—and women in midlife for hormonal and psychological balance, particularly during menopause, helping with hormonal fluctuations.

Moringa's minerals can help supplement calcium deficiencies related to reduced bone density and potential osteoporosis during menopause.

Preclinical animal studies suggest a significant effect of Moringa components in lowering lipid particles in plasma, possibly helping to prevent high cholesterol and atherosclerosis.

Active Compounds

Moringa contains 11 vitamins (including beta-carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, ascorbic acid, cholecalciferol, tocopherol, and vitamin K), omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids for healthy brain function, omega-9 for cardiovascular health, minerals (potassium, phosphorus, calcium, copper, manganese, magnesium, zinc, iron), proteins, anti-inflammatory agents, essential and non-essential amino acids, cytokines, antioxidants, xanthines, polyphenols, flavonoids, chlorophyll, and dietary fiber.

Traditional Dosage

For tea, drink up to three times daily, each time 150–200 ml of an infusion made from 4–10 g of dried Moringa in about 95°C water. In capsule form, take 3–5 capsules twice daily (three times daily if under physical stress); for children, use half the adult dose. For powder, mix 1–2 teaspoons into food or beverages, 1–2 times a day.