Moringa : The Miracle Tree

The Moringa tree is the most nutritious tree on earth! Just imagine; the Moringa tree can supply all the nutritional needs of humans, and provide cures for our many illnesses. The Moringa tree is so potent in nutrition that it is used to combat malnutrition in third world countries. In terms of medicinal value, India's traditional ancient ayurvedic medicine has identified 300 diseases that could be cured with the Moringa leaves. It is no wonder that the Moringa tree is regarded as the Miracle Tree. Other elevated names are “Tree of Life” and “Tree of Paradise”.

The Moringa tree is native to the foothills of the Himalayas. There are many other names for the Moringa in different countries. The name Moringa is most certainly derived from the name “Muringa” a Malayalam term, one of the many dialects of India. In India alone there are so many different names for it. In the Philippines it is called Malunggay. It is called kelor in Indonesia, and kalor in Malaysia. The Chinese name is “la mu” (辣木), in Mandarin or “lat mok” in Cantonese, which means “chilli-hot wood”. As the pods are shaped like drum sticks, it is also called drumstick tree. Its roots taste like horseradish, hence also called horseradish tree. Its scientific name is Moringa Oleifera.

This Moringa tree is very hardy and can easily grow even in harsh climates with poor soil condition. The tree is slender with drooping branches and grows to about 10 meters high. However, under cultivation, the branches are cut back for ease of reach to harvest the leaves and pods.

The Moringa tree is said to contain 90 nutrients and 46 antioxidants. It is reported that by weight per weight, Moringa leaves have 4 times the calcium of milk, 7 times the vitamin C of oranges, 3 times the potassium of bananas, 3 times the iron of spinach, 4 times the vitamin A of carrots, 2 times the protein of yogurt, 4 times the fiber of oats, and as much protein as in eggs.

Whatever they are, it can safely be confirmed that the Moringa tree has more calcium than milk, more vitamin C than oranges, more potassium than bananas, more iron than spinach, more vitamin A than carrots, more protein than yogurt and more fiber than oats.

The Morunga trees are very common in India and in South-east Asia. In Thailand, they are even used as garden fences. The two most commonly used parts of the Moringa tree are the leaves and the young pods. Locals eat the leaves in a variety of ways both as raw vegetable and as cooked dishes and soup. That is why it is also called the Vegetable Tree. The leaves are very nutritious; contain all the essential amino acids and are rich in protein, beta-carotene, iron, calcium, potassium and vitamins A, B and C. The leaves are also dried and crushed into powder and used in soups and sauces.

The pods are as nutritious as the leaves. The young pods are usually cut into smaller pieces and cooked in a variety of soups and curries. They can even be eaten raw like the leaves as salads. The seeds from the matured pods can be cooked like peas or are roasted as nuts. These seeds are also used for treatment of erectile dysfunction and are said to be able to prolong sexual activities. Aha!!

The pods contain as much as 40% of edible oil known as Ben oil. The name Ben oil is derived from the high concentration of behenic acid. The refined oil is clear and odorless but pleasant in taste. Ben oil is characterized by its unusually long shelf life. There are many uses of Ben oil apart from cooking. It is used as a perfume base as well as for fuel.



Developing countries are encouraged to plant the Moringa trees for its very practical uses. The trees are very hardy, and easy and fast growing even in harsh climate. The various parts of the plant are also very easy to use. The leaves can be dried and ground into powder and can be kept for months without refrigeration and without losing their nutritional potency. The Moringa tree is both a healthy food source as well as a medicinal treasure box.

Groups such as Church World Service, Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization, National Science Foundation, and others are encouraging the planting of Moringa trees in third world countries as an effective way to address health problems especially malnutrition and childhood blindness. The Moringa has sufficient vitamin A to prevent retinol deficiency which can cause blindness. Healthcare groups have found that with Moringa, malnutrition problems improved within days as compared with the slow results of conventional treatments, which usually took months.

Moringa treatments are especially effective on infants and nursing mothers. According to Optima of Africa, Ltd., a group that has been working with the tree in Tanzania, 25 grams daily of Moringa leaf powder will give a child the following recommended daily nutrition:

Protein 42%, Calcium 125%, Magnesium 61%, Potassium 41%, Iron 71%, Vitamin A 272%, and Vitamin C 22%.

Six tablespoons of leaf powder will provide nearly all of the woman's daily iron and calcium needs during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The pulp from the seeds after oil extraction can be used as fertilizer as well as a water purifier. Both these uses are extremely useful in under-developed countries which experience the lack of clean water for drinking and fertilizers for crops. Most parts of the Moringa tree can also be used for livestock fodder.

Perhaps the most well known personality on the Moringa usage in the under-developed countries was Lowell Fuglie, who died in Canada on 21 April 2010. Lowell was an American citizen who worked for 17 years in Dakar, Senegal, as the West Africa Regional Representative for the American relief and development agency Church World Service. Lowell had recorded countless instances of lifesaving nutritional treatments by using the Moringa. The consumption of Moringa leaf powder during times of starvation had saved many lives.

Every part of the Moringa tree is said to have medicinal value. The leaves, pods, seeds, flowers, bark, gum and roots, all have medicinal properties. These are the possible remedies :

• As an antiseptic
• Relieves rheumatism
• Antidote for venomous toxin
• Relieves skin infections
• Lowers blood sugar
• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces swelling
• Cures gastric ulcers
• Calms the nervous system

You can view a slide presentation of the benefits of Moringa by "Trees for Life" HERE :

And below are two youtube presentations.



The Moringa seeds are very resilient. They survive alongside the mother tree, and grow into seedlings just being left on the ground. My sister picked up a few very small seedlings from the walkway. They grew bigger in just a few weeks. She gave me two plants; one of which I recently planted on the ground in my garden. Take a look at the photo on the right. I hope it wiil grow into a healthy tree, and I shall get to enjoy the "fruits" of my labor in due course.

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