Health Benefits and Medicinal uses of Moringa oleifera?

Moringa is gaining popularity and is called super food in the modern world due to the fact that it contains numerous health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and tissue protective properties. It is packed to the brim with nutrients having other health benefits. Basically, it is a native of India, Pakistan, and Nepal, and since centuries is used to prevent & heal diseases like heart disease, anemia, arthritis, diabetes, respiratory disorders, skin, and digestive problems. It is gaining popularity because of its leaves which are dried and grind to make a powder, which helps in treating many diseases, and its pods, roots, flowers, seeds, and fruits are also edible. Today we are going to discuss its benefits that are backed by modern science in detail.

Nutritious Value

Moringa oleifera is a huge tree, a native of North India and it does have a variety of names like drumstick tree, ben oil tree, and horseradish tree. It is immensely packed with vitamins, minerals, calcium, potassium, proteins and amino acids. Because of its leaves and pods, which are consumed in India & Africa. 1 cup of chopped leaves, about 21 grams have

• Protein: 2 grams
• Vitamin B6: 19% of the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance)
• Vitamin C: 12% of the RDA
• Iron: 11% of the RDA
• Riboflavin (B2): 11% of the RDA
• Vitamin A (from beta-carotene): 9% of the RDA
• Magnesium: 8% of the RDA

The western nations use the dried leaves as dietary supplements, either in a powdered form or as capsules. Pods also contain vitamins and minerals, but not as much as the leaves do. They contain a high amount of vitamin C in them. A single cup of sliced pods (100 grams) has 157% of your daily requirement. People living in developing countries often lack a diet that has enough minerals, vitamins, and proteins, and Moringa fills that gap. But to enhance the nutrients, you need to eat a well-balanced diet that contains whole foods.

Abundance of Anti-oxidants

Actually, anti-oxidant compounds combat with free radicals that are roaming in the body to harm health. The radicals might cause oxidative stress, thus causing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Moringa leaves have several anti-oxidants in it. These leaves have a sufficient amount of vitamin C and beta carotene, these also have

• Quercetin: This strong anti-oxidant helps in lowering the high blood pressure.
• Chlorogenic acid: It is also found in high amounts in coffee, chlorogenic acid helps to maintain blood sugar levels after meals.

A study was done on females, it was found that taking 1.5 teaspoons (7 grams) of Moringa leaf powder daily for 3 months significantly enhanced blood antioxidant levels. Moringa leaf extract can also be used as a food preservative. It maintains the freshness of various veggies and fruits for a longer period. Antioxidants fight free radicals, molecules that cause oxidative stress, cell damage, and create inflammation. Moringa has antioxidants that are known as flavonoids, polyphenols, and ascorbic acid in its leaves, flowers, and seeds. A study was conducted and it was found that leaf extracts had higher antioxidant activity, free-radical scavenging capacity, a higher self-effacing of lipid, proteins and DNA oxidation than flowers and seeds. This clearly shows that it prevents the damage and degradation that free radicals cause in the cells of various organs of the body, keeping them healthy and functioning normally with full enthusiasm.

Reduces Inflammation

A natural response to injury or infection is inflammation of the body. In fact, it is a natural process that protects the body from various chronic health problems, but if it lingers on for a long time it can create havoc in the body. Sustained inflammation causes heart disease and cancer. Majority of the organic fruits, veggies, spices, and herbs have anti-inflammatory properties, but all do not have the same degree and types of anti-inflammatory property in them as Moringa do. It all depends on the kind of compounds that are present in them. Even modern scientists do believe that Moringa contains isothiocyanates, which can be found in its leaves, pods, and seeds. But the study was conducted on a test tube and animals only, it yet is underway to see its effects on human beings.

Manages High Blood Sugar Level

The increased sugar level in the blood has created chaos all over the world, the main factor for causing diabetes. The whole world is running to find a permanent remedy that can control the level. It is yet to reach its destination. Diabetes makes the body an easy ground for many diseases to attack, especially ones that are connected to the heart. So, it becomes mandatory to keep the sugar level stable. A research was done and it found that Moringa does lower the high level. An experiment was conducted on 6 people and it was found that consuming 50 grams of Moringa leaves daily reduced the sugar level in blood by 21%. Even modern scientists believe that these effects are caused due to the presence of isothiocyanates in Moringa.

Protect Against Arsenic Toxicity

The whole world is suffering from arsenic contamination of food and water. Long-Time exposure to a high level of arsenic may cause health hazards. Even studies suggest the breakout of cancer and some heart disease, but even this research is limited to animals only. It is still going on to know the effects on humans. But the results are promisingly positive, let’s wait and see what future has in store for us regarding Moringa.

Moringa Can Lower Cholesterol

If you are having high cholesterol level your body becomes more prone to be an increased risk of heart disease. Fortunately, we have natural plant foods that can effectively reduce cholesterol such as flaxseeds, oats, and almonds. A study was conducted on both, animals and human beings and it was found that Moringa oleifera does have similar cholesterol-lowering effects.

It also reduces the diabetic symptoms, keeps the cardiovascular system healthy, supports the nervous system, protects the liver, accelerates the wound healing, has anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. Thus, Moringa leaves are highly nutritious and should be beneficial for people who lack essential nutrients in their diets. In fact, it is not far from acquiring the name in superfoods list.