Moringa oleifera flowers
[Photo credit: jemasmith]
Some General Information
The Moringa Tree is beginning to be grown across Africa, and is truly called a ‘miracle tree’.
All parts of the tree are edible and nutritious. The leaves, leaf powder, pods, seeds, flowers, roots and bark offer an array of protein, calcium, minerals, iron and several important vitamins. In some countries, such as Niger, farmers already grow the tree as a cash crop.
( http://gbgm-umc.org/health/aidsafrica/moringatree.stm)
The tree has been promoted as a possible ‘cure’ for malnutrition. For example, Moringa Oleifera blog gives a good comparative table:
Moringa leaves compared to common foods
Values per 100gm. edible portion
Nutrient Moringa Leaves Other Foods
Vitamin A 6780 mcg Carrots: 1890 mcg
Vitamin C 220 mg Oranges: 30 mg
Calcium 440 mg Cow’s milk:120 mg
Potasium 259 mg Bananas: 88 mg
Health Benefits
Herbal Home Remedies writes on the Benefits of the Moringa leaf. I hadn’t realised until reading the post that the leaves of the tree are used extensively in Ayurveda medicine in India.
Thinking about India led me to Silusfood who writes:
Do you know of the most nutrient rich tree in the world that grows really fast,its root,bark,leaves,flowers and pods can cure more than 300 diseases (according to Ayurveda),whose leaves,flowers and pods are edibles and are used to conjure up culinary delicacies, and can even purify water–but has been overlooked by modern medicine?Yes,we are talking about the Moringa or “drumstick” tree (moringa oleifera) an “all-natural multi-vitamin” and a natural energy booster and its leaves contain high amounts of Vitamin A (four times more than carrots), Vitamin C (seven times more than oranges), protein (twice that of milk), iron(three times the iron of spinach) calcium (four times more than milk) and potassium (triple the amount in bananas) and are low in fat and carbohydrates.The leaves and pods are highly effective in preventing/reversing vision related problems and respiratory ailments, especially in children.The juice from the moringa leaves is believed to stabilize blood pressure, the flowers are used to cure inflammations, the pods are used for joint pain, the roots are used to treat rheumatism, and the bark can be chewed as a digestive and the gum that exudes from the stem is used to treat headaches.It is antibacterial, stimulant, anti-epileptic rubrifacient, carminative, stomachic, abortif, cardiotonic, antispasmodic, anti-flatulent and antiparalytic and and a good cleanser.
Use in Africa
I found this article from the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin with information on its use in Eritrea.
This truly is a remarkable tree – don’t you agree?
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