What is Moringa?

What is Moringa?

Move over matcha. Moringa — or moringa oleifera, to be specific — is the latest trend that’s taking over everything from teas to smoothies. It’s gaining popularity for the seemingly endless ailments it can benefit. Furthermore, it is being cultivated and researched as an opportunity to provide undernourished people essential vitamins and nutrients. Talk about a real superfood.

Full of antioxidants, it’s believed to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal agents and touted for uses for everything from anemia and stomach issues to headache and milk supply.  

At Euphoric Herbals, moringa is a key ingredient for our Lush Leche and Milk Machine lactation blends. We source our Moringa from Kuli Kuli, a “Benefit Corporation” that works directly with women-led farming co-ops and aims to “end malnutrition, empower women to achieve gender equality and plant a tree for each household in the communities where we work.”

History & Origin

Grown in tropical climates, moringa trees are native to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. For generations, herbal medicines have use the leaves, bark, flowers, fruit, seeds, and root.

Also known as the drumstick tree or ben oil tree, it is a crop that can be grown in hot and dry tropical climates, many times coinciding with impoverished parts of the world. The tree provides several means of consumption, including powdered leaves to be mixed with other food, oil and pods to be eaten.

Uses & Benefits

The most common — and accessible — form of moringa is leaf powder. It can be prepared as a tea, added to smoothies, or made into a tonic. The list of conditions that have purported uses from moringa is long — although it should be stated that evidence has not fully supported all of them. Benefits studied include lowering blood sugar, reducing inflammation and cholesterol, and protecting against arsenic toxicity, Healthline writes.

In addition to moringa for consumption, you can find a variety of skincare benefits, as well. There is now moringa in body butters, shampoos, oils, and more.

Several studies have found that some women have a significant increase in milk with taking moringa. In our supplements, moringa is carefully encapsulated and paired alongside complementary herbs to maximize your milk supply. Remember: blends work differently for each woman, so it isn’t guaranteed that moringa will have the same affect for you.

Moringa is an antioxidant and thought to reduce inflammation in many points throughout the body. Additionally, it’s list of nutrients makes it a source for vitamins and other essential elements for undernourished people. According to Healthline: One cup of fresh, chopped leaves (21 grams) contains the following (from the USDA):

• Protein: 2 grams
• Vitamin B6: 19% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
• 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

According to one study, moringa provides: “more than seven times the vitamin C found in oranges, 10 times the vitamin A found in carrots, 17 times the calcium found in milk, nine times the protein found in yogurt, 15 times the potassium found in bananas and 25 times the iron found in spinach.”

Risks

Some studies have shown that there’s a risk of part of the plant — particularly the bark — in large doses, says the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website. It is best to avoid moringa root — particularly the toxic bark — especially for women who are of childbearing age. Studies are still ongoing to determine the full scope and breadth of benefits of moringa.  

Although it has been used for thousands of years, it’s clear to see why moringa is skyrocketing in popularity.