Scientifically Proven Benefits of Moringa (Tea, Powder, Leaves)
Moringa oleifera is a plant with many health benefits due to its antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Moringa powder supplements help fight inflammation and pain, keep your heart healthy, and promote good liver health. You can also drink moringa tea to improve cognitive function, boost your digestive health, and even assist in losing weight.
Because moringa powder and tea are so good for your health, moringa is sometimes called the “miracle tree.” Moringa leaves contain high levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and iron. The rich nutritional value of the moringa plant leads many people to class moringa as a superfood.
In this article, you will learn about the scientifically proven health benefits of taking moringa powder or drinking moringa leaf tea.
Please read on to see how moringa can help you lose weight, prevent the symptoms of diabetes, boost cardiovascular health, and treat depression.
What is Moringa?
Moringa oleifera is a tropical tree that grows in the Himalayan Mountains in northern India. Moringa is also called the drumstick tree, horseradish tree, miracle tree, ben oil tree, or malunggay.
Research into the health benefits of moringa has shown that moringa leaf is rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential phytochemicals (plant-based antioxidants). The medicinal properties of moringa have been linked to preventing cancer, treating infection, managing diabetes, and improving nutrition. (1)
Every part of moringa tree has health benefits
The amazing thing about the moringa tree is that each part of the tree can be used to treat various health conditions.
The journal Nutrients reported that each part of the Moringa oleifera plant has antimicrobial properties, each with their own use. (2)
Moringa leaves. The most nutritious part of the moringa plant is the leaves. You can eat moringa leaves like spinach or powder them and add to sauces, soups, and smoothies.
Scientific research has shown that leaves from the moringa plant are rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. The drumstick plant also contains vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and B-group vitamins. In fact, moringa leaves have more than double the amount of calcium than milk! (1)
Moringa immature pods. The immature seed pods, called “drumsticks” are used as a green vegetable in Asian curries and soups and remain high in vitamin C even after being boiled.
Moringa pods contain almost 50% fiber, and 30% of the pod content is important amino acids. Pods are also high in potassium, manganese, and magnesium. (1)
Moringa seeds. Seeds can be removed from the pods and prepared as peas or nuts. The seeds have a potent antibiotic effect and are particularly good for fighting Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.
Moringa seeds contain 35% protein and are used to treat inflammatory bowel condition, arthritis, gout, and epilepsy. (1)
Moringa flowers. You can make a therapeutic tea with moringa flowers that have potential use for lowering cholesterol, treating urinary problems, managing arthritis symptoms, and treating infections.
Moringa flowers contain fatty acids that have antioxidant properties that help to reduce inflammation. (1)
Moringa roots. Moringa is also called the horseradish plant because the roots have taste of horseradish. Studies have found that moringa roots have powerful antibacterial and antifungal properties. Researchers have also found that moringa root bark acts as a cardiac stimulant. (1, 2)
Moringa gum. Like other parts of the moringa plant, moringa gum is also antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. (1) Moringa gum also has emulsifying properties that can be used in pharmaceutical preparations. (3)
Moringa seed oil. The oil that is extracted from moringa seeds can be used in cooking, as a food supplement, or as a cosmetic product. Scientists say that moringa seed oil contains 76% polyunsaturated fatty acids and can be used in place of olive oil. (4)
The seed cake left after the oil extraction can be used as an insecticide, (36) as organic fertilizer, (37) and in purifying waste water treatment as a natural coagulant. (38)
Moringa sap is used to make blue dye in Jamaica. (39)
What is Moringa Powder?
Moringa powder is made by drying moringa leaves and grinding them into a fine, green powder.
One of the reasons why moringa powder is so good for your health is that it contains important minerals. For example, moringa leaf powder contains iron which is 14 times more than beef. (1)
Scientists have found that moringa leaves contain a unique combination of compounds like quercetin, zeatin, kaempferol, and caffeoylquinic acid. These antioxidants are essential for a healthy immune system and to lower cholesterol. (5)
Moringa leaf powder also contains flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, and other compounds with medicinal properties. (6)
What is Moringa Tea?
Moringa tea is a caffeine-free nutritious drink that is full of antioxidants that benefit your health.
You make moringa oleifera tea by adding hot water to a teaspoon of moringa leaf powder and stirring well. You can also buy moringa tea bags that you infuse in a cup of hot water just like regular green tea or black tea.
The best kind of moringa tea to buy is organic moringa tea as you can be sure that there are no toxic chemicals in the leaf or stem powder.
Benefits of Moringa Tea
You can get the health benefits of moringa leaf tea by starting each day with a cup of “tree of life” tea.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 1 teaspoon moringa tea powder (4.5 g) contains 120 mg calcium which is about 12% of your daily calcium requirement. The same amount also gives you 2.16 mg of iron which is more than 10% of daily iron requirement for adult. (7)
Research published in 2018 found that moringa herbal leaf tea is extremely good for your immune system. Moringa leaf and stem tea are good sources of antioxidants and can help to prevent oxidative stress in the body. (8)
Moringa tea is also associated with weight loss, preventing diabetes, protecting against cancer, and improving cognitive function. (2)
What Moringa Is Good For: Scientifically Proven Benefits of Moringa Tea and Moringa Powder
Is moringa good for you? Scientific evidence revealed that all parts of the moringa tree are good for your health. Moringa has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Moringa leaves are also good for diabetics because they can help regulate blood glucose levels. Moringa powder is helpful for weight loss. (5)
Let’s look at the many benefits of drinking a cup of moringa tea every day or adding moringa powder to your favorite smoothies.
Moringa Powder Can Help You Lose Weight
Enjoying a caffeine-free cup of moringa tea once or twice a day can help you lose weight.
Scientific research has shown that moringa leaf tea can help to manage complications associated with obesity. Consuming moringa tea benefited weight regulation and also help to improve the gut’s microbiota. (9)
The results of other trials involving mice showed that Moringa tea can help to lower obesity-related health issues like high cholesterol and high levels of fat in the blood. After the 10-week trial period, subjects who consumed moringa tea with the diet lost 14% more body weight than those who didn’t take Moringa. (10)
Clinical trials on humans have shown that moringa extracts could assist in losing weight when combined with other herbs. A trial involving 50 obese adults found that a combination of moringa leaf extract, curry leaf extract, and curcuma helped boost weight loss. (11)
A cup of moringa tea containing 1 tea bag (1.5 grams) of moringa has no calories and no caffeine. (7)
Moringa Extract Has Antimicrobial Properties
Drumstick extract is also beneficial for you because the powdered leaf contains antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Research published in 2014 revealed that extracts of Moringa bark have antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Scientists said that moringa extracts could be used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. (12)
Moringa seeds also have antimicrobial activity. Extracts of moringa seeds are effective at eradicating strains of S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and Bacillus subtilis. (13)
Moringa Powder Helps Fights Inflammation and Pain
Moringa oleifera tea has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that can help manage chronic inflammatory conditions.
Long-term inflammation can lead to chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.
Scientific research has found that compounds in moringa root extracts help suppress inflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory markers. Researchers say that regular consumption of moringa can help to treat inflammatory conditions. (14)
Other studies have shown that consuming moringa seed extract helps to reduce gastrointestinal inflammation that is associated with inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease. (15)
Science backs up the traditional use of moringa leaves as a remedy for pain and inflammation. (16)
Learn about other foods that help lower inflammation in your body.
Moringa Powder Can Help Alleviate Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Regular consumption of tea made with moringa powder can help to manage inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
Lab trials have found that bioactive compounds in moringa leaves help inhibit inflammatory markers in the body. Researchers have discovered that the whole moringa plant has medicinal value in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Moringa plant extracts are effective for helping to resolve inflammatory-related diseases. (17)
Other studies have confirmed that Moringa oleifera leaf extracts help treat pain and inflammation. (18)
If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, find out what else you should eat to reduce arthritic pain and inflammation.
Moringa Powder May Help Prevent Degenerative Brain Diseases
Drinking moringa leaf tea could help to prevent degenerative brain diseases. Pure Moringa leaf extract can help improve brain function and delay the onset of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.
The reason that moringa leaf benefits brain health is because it is a rich source of antioxidants like vitamin C and E. There is also evidence to suggest that moringa leaf extracts help to regulate neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This helps to enhance memory and improve concentration. Scientists claim that antioxidants like vitamin C and E in moringa leaf can help treat Alzheimer’s Disease. (19)
Researchers also found that moringa leaf extract can be safely taken in higher doses without adverse effects. (19)
There is a scientific evidence to suggest that moringa seeds have anti inflammatory activity that can help treat Parkinson’s Disease. (20)
Find out about supplements that can help to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Moringa Powder Benefits Diabetics Because It Regulates Blood Glucose
Dried moringa leaves and moringa tea can benefit you if you suffer from type 2 diabetes. One of the medicinal benefits of moringa is that it helps to regulate glucose levels in the blood.
Animal studies involving rats have found that supplementing the diet with moringa helped improve glucose intolerance. The effect of moringa on glucose levels was, in part, due to the high fiber content and the antioxidant quercetin. (21)
One small study involving 30 women found that taking 1 ½ teaspoons (7 grams) of moringa leaf powder for 3 months helped to lower fasting blood glucose. (22)
Researchers also have found that moringa leaf or moringa seed extract can help to prevent cognitive problems associated with high blood glucose levels. (23)
Find out how consuming okra is good for managing symptoms of diabetes.
Moringa Powder Promotes Good Liver Health
Taking moringa capsules containing leaf extract can help to reduce inflammation in your liver and remove toxins.
Experiments on guinea pigs found that moringa leaves help to lower cholesterol and fat levels in the liver. This can help to prevent a buildup of fat in the liver that is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (24)
Other lab trials have found that moringa oleifera benefits liver health because it helps to remove harmful toxins. (25)
Find out 5 worst habits that can damage your liver’s health.
Moringa Powder Is Good for Your Heart Health
Putting a teaspoon of moringa powder in hot water to make a moringa herbal tea is a great way to keep your heart healthy. Drinking moringa tea helps protect your cardiovascular health because it can lower blood pressure, improve heart function and reduce cholesterol levels.
The American Journal of Hypertension reports that moringa seed extracts help to protect against cardiac diseases due to improved heart function. Moringa extracts improved the function of the left ventricle which is often associated with heart failure and heart attack. (26)
Learn about easy lifestyle choices that can greatly reduce your risk of a heart attack.
Moringa pods help to lower blood pressure
Extracts from parts of the moringa tree help to improve your cardio health because they can lower your risk of hypertension.
Extracts from moringa pods contain 2 important compounds that have anti-hypertension properties. (27)
Find out what else you can do to reduce hypertension naturally.
Moringa leaf extracts help reduce cholesterol levels
You can greatly reduce your risk of a stroke or heart attack by regularly consuming moringa capsules or drinking moringa tea because they help lower cholesterol.
Animals’ studies have shown that leaf extracts from the moringa plant have a definite cholesterol-lowering potential. (28)
Other studies have shown that moringa tea made with the flowers help to lower cholesterol serum levels. (1)
Find out other ways to lower cholesterol naturally without having to resort to medication.
Moringa Powder Boosts Wound Healing
The antibacterial properties in moringa leaf extract mean that moringa can be used to treat wounds and make them heal quicker.
One scientific study found that using moringa leaf extracts in wound dressings is a cost-effective way to treat wounds. Moringa prevented the spreads of bacterial infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. (29)
Learn about types of wound drainage and how to properly care for wounds to help them heal without scarring.
Moringa Powder May Protect Against Gastric Ulcers
Moringa powder doesn’t just help skin wounds to heal quicker. Moringa leaf tea can also help protect against gastric ulcers and gastrointestinal disorders.
Research has discovered that ingesting moringa leaf extracts may help treat gastric ulcers. The phytochemicals and alkaloids in moringa leaf extract can help protect against gastrointestinal disorders. (30)
Find out what else you can do to prevent and treat peptic ulcers naturally.
Moringa Powder Can Help Improve Mood and Help Treat Depression
Moringa tea can be used to help treat various disorders associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.
There are no clinical trials showing that moringa itself can enhance mood and improve feelings of well-being. However, some lab trials have found that moringa leaves can help improve the function of antidepressants like Prozac. The antidepressant effect of moringa was due to compounds in moringa that work similar to antidepressant medication. (31)
This means that taking moringa along with antidepressants could result in being able to lower your dose of medication.
Find out what other natural methods for relieving depression can help lift mood and alleviate feelings of despair.
Moringa Powder May Enhance Sexual Function
Moringa tea can benefit men because it acts as a natural aphrodisiac and can prevent sexual dysfunction.
Scientists have discovered that there are a number of mechanisms why moringa can improve male sexual health. For example, the antioxidants help protect sperm from oxidative stress. Other compounds help to reduce erectile dysfunction and increase testosterone. (32)
In conclusion, the researchers found that moringa can be a beneficial remedy for stress-related sexual dysfunction.
To help boost your sex drive, learn about other foods that are natural aphrodisiacs.
Moringa Powder has Anticancer Properties
Many parts of the moringa plant contain bioactive compounds that can help to kill off cancerous cells in tumors.
Trials in the laboratory have found that moringa leaf, bark, and seed extracts can destroy breast cancer and colorectal cancer cells. Scientists discovered that moringa leaves and bark contain known anti-cancer compounds like eugenol, hexadecenoic acid ethyl ester, and isopropyl isothiocyanate. (33)
Other studies have found that moringa oleifera root extracts are more potent against cancer cells than leaf extract. (34)
Of course, more research needs to be done to examine the effects of moringa extracts in treating human cancer.
To lower your risk of developing cancer, find out the best foods that help protect against cancer and what cancer-causing foods you should definitely avoid.
How to Use Moringa Powder and the Correct Dose
There are many ways to enjoy the amazing health benefits you get from consuming moringa powder or moringa extracts.
For example, you can kick-start your day with a large dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Just mix a teaspoon of pure organic moringa powder in a cup of hot water and drink it. You can boost the therapeutic properties of moringa tea by adding a spoon of raw honey.
Moringa tea has a mild flavor with earthy overtones.
You can also add a teaspoon of moringa to your smoothies, soups, or sprinkle some on your salads.
A more convenient way to take moringa leaf powder is to buy moringa capsules. Many manufacturers recommend taking between 1.5 and 2 grams of moringa powder a day.
There is no recommended dose of taking moringa for its health benefits. Doctors from WebMD say that taking up to 6 grams of moringa a day for 3 weeks did not show any adverse side effects. (35)
Moringa Side Effects
Generally, moringa is safe to take in appropriate measures. You can safely eat moringa leaves fresh or dried, and the seeds and pods are also edible.
Doctors advise against consuming moringa root as its extracts may contain dangerous toxins.
Pregnant and breast-feeding women are advised to avoid moringa due to insufficient information on its safety.
Where to Get Moringa Products
You can get the moringa oil (like this one) for skin and hair, as well as other parts of the moringa tree at your local natural health store and online.
Always make sure that the products you buy are organically certified (like this one in powder form, and this one in capsule form) to ensure they are pesticide free.
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