Moringa - the miracle tree.. a life-line

The other day, my agro friend was expounding on the miracle tree, Moringa. (Pokok kelor to some, mungga to others). He was planning to plant the Moringa trees as supplement for cattle fodder in his farm and one of his staff served Moringa Tea that day. I went home and googled on Moringa and I found these interesting articles which I put here for your reading pleasure, another feeble attempt to share whatever little I know. I am also trying to fulfill my promise to my fellow blogger friend, yohteh , from the my comment to him in my previous entry.

MORINGA OLEIFERA TREE

I know some “facts” presented in the articles are repeated over and over.. but that can also mean many people know about them.. and I also have the picture of "telor goreng daun mungga"(fried egg with moringa leaves) from one of the blog (with permission)

FRIED EGG WITH MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAVES

The Moringa Oleifera Plant which grows mainly in the Asian regions. It has been used as a good healer of many diseases the last two thousand years and more. It was mostly used by the earlier medicine men of many countries and races. It is believed that it can cure and prevent more than 300 diseases. Today Given the right nutrition our body will and can heal itself .

The Moringa leaves are the most nutritious part of the Moringa tree. Enormous nutrient supplement helps in curing 300 different diseases, which increases the importance of Moringa in our day to day life. Moringa is a tremendous source of bio-available vitamins and minerals which are the partners of enzymes and co-enzymes. Vitamins activate enzymes and without vitamins, enzymes could not carry out their work, and we could not live. Moringa, with 90+ nutrients, is the best source to nourish the body with the essential nutrients. Dried Moringa leaves contain 4 times the Vitamin A in carrot, 17 times the calcium in milk, 15 times the potassium in Banana, 0.5 times the Vitamin C in Orange and 25 times the Iron in Spinach. Moringa has Vitamin A Beta Carotene, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyrodixine, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid, Cholecalciferol, Tocopherol and Vitamin K.

(please note the numbers do not tally as the picture is from different article)

Vitamin A is needed to prevent night blindness, promotes healthy skin, and fights infections. Vitamin C is needed to maintain healthy gums, assists in healing wounds, and helps the body use iron. Vitamin E will protect your body against free radical damage to cells. Calcium and Vitamin D are essential to maintain strong bones and teeth. Moringa is rich in vitamin to the extent that it is one of the richest plant sources of Vitamin. The list of Minerals present in Moringa is abundant and few of the main minerals include Calcium, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc.

All these minerals are needed for the proper functioning of the body. These vitamins and minerals present in Moringa makes the Moringa tea a healthy drink. Various parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit, flowers and immature pods act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activities, and are being employed for the treatment of different ailments in the indigenous system of medicine.

Scientifically speaking, Moringa sounds like magic. It can rebuild weak bones, enrich anemic blood and enable a malnourished mother to nurse her starving baby. Ounce for ounce, it has the calcium of four glasses of milk, the Vitamin C of seven oranges and the potassium of three bananas. Moringa has triple the iron of spinach. Both Moringa and the common carrot are diamonds in the roughage department, but Moringa has quadruple the beta carotene, which is good for the eyes and effective against cancer.The Bethesda, Md.-based International Eye Foundation is using Moringa in Malawi because it’s loaded with Vitamin A, the lack of which causes 70% of childhood blindness. Its medicinal qualities also are tantalizing. The seeds and roots contain an antibiotic that Guatemala’s University of San Carlos found to be as effective against skin infections as neomycin.

In recent years, studies published in the journal Phytotherapy Research and Hort Science have found different Moringa parts to be effective in lowering blood sugar, reducing swelling, healing gastric ulcers,lowering blood pressure and even calming the nervous system.

One amazing true to life testimony on the benefits of Moringa is the case of Awa Diedhou ( from Africa ), an infant born weighing 3 pounds, 5 ounces. Her mother couldn’t produce sufficient milk and the child was given little chance to survive. On a Moringa supplemented diet, the child quickly grew “quite fat,” and the mother began producing milk.

Beri beri, rickets and scurvy are among the diseases caused by the lack of nutrients that are abundant in Moringa. Three spoonfuls of Moringa leaf powder contain 272% of a typical toddler’s daily Vitamin A requirement, along with 42% of the protein, 125% of the calcium,, 71% of the iron and 22% of the Vitamin C. It contains a full complement of minerals and all the amino acids of meat .

It could be said without any doubt that from the pure Moringa Tree Leaf we can get very good benefits for the health, which are very much reported in studies of the leaf. It is the organic, natural, endurance and energy supplement of health. According to the annals of the ayurveda, India’s old tradition of medicines, the leaves of the Moringa Tree could treat at least 300 diseases.

Written below are the benefits of the Moringa Leaf:
 Increases the Natural Defenses of the body
 Provides nourishment to the eyes and the brain.
 Promotes metabolism with bio-available ingredients
 Promotes the Cell structure of the body
 Promotes natural Serum cholesterol.
 Lowers the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
 Promotes the normal functioning of the liver and the kidney.
 Beautifies the skin
 Promotes energy
 Promotes proper digestion
 Acts as an antioxidant
 Takes care of the immune system of the body
 Promotes healthy circulatory system
 It is anti-inflammatory
 Gives a feeling of general wellness
 Supports the normal sugar levels of the body.

Moringa leaf boosts your energy in a natural manner, and is a remarkable source of nutrition. This energy promotion does not happen because of sugar, so it lasts for a long time. Individuals ingesting it say that their ulcers are healed, tumors restricted, there are reduction in the arthritis pains and inflammations, controlled blood pressure, the skin problems are restored, and finally they have stronger defenses against diseases.

here is another article..

2008/2009 - GHANA MORINGA PLANTATIONS AND NURSERIES
In the year 2008 Paul Yeboah dreamt about Nature’s Medicine Cabinet called "Moringa oleifera". In many African languages called "Never Die". Moringa is not new, it has been known for centuries by people living in tropics areas of the world. Moringa tree has proven itself as a powerful indigenous resource for fighting against hunger and malnutrition.

In the year 2008 Paul Yeboah started doing communities Moringa plantations in one of the regions of Ghana called "Brong Ahafo Region" and now has three thousand farmers (3000) and three hundred communities are into this project and the project is ongoing.

Paul Yeboah is given moringa seeds free to communities into groups and associations and holding workshops/training and seminars for these communities about cultural practices and the numerouse uses of the tree "MORINGA"

Moringa promises relief from the devastating diseases and malnutrition and hunger that are so rampant in the Africa and Africa American communities such as:
1. Diabetes and complications leading to kidney diseases.
2. Obesity brought on by malnutrition (over fed - under nourished).
3. High blood pressure, stroke and heart diseases.
4. Tumor and cancer.
5. Lupus, Arthritis and other Auto immune diseases.
6. Glaucoma - Blindness.
7. Skin Diseases
8. Prostate enlargement and prostate cancer.
9. Hepatitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Irritable bowel syndrome.

Moringa is best known as an excellent source of nutrition and a natural energy booster. It is loaded with nutrients, Vitamins and Amino Acids.
Moringa is not a hyper intense sugar - based energy source. As it helps reduces blood pressure gives you good night sleep.
Moringa leaves are good animal fodder.
Moringa is good for alley cropping and good to replenish degradable lands to arable crop land.
The seeds are good water purifier for communities at the rural areas suffering from water born diseases like (Guinea worm and Bulili urcer).

In the so-called developing world, moringa leaves, pod or leaf powder have become very successful as a nourishment for small children, pregnant or nursing women. Moringa has been known to bring relief from HIV and AIDS, Malnutrition and diseases caused by bad water, bad food and environmental toxins.

Moringa is timely chosen by Paul Yeboah in Ghana as a project running by Permaculture in Ghana and being pledged in the year 2008 in the UNEP billion tree planting campaign for 30,000 trees planted and given IPS GHANA recommendation letter for Donor Support and legally to use their LOGO in addition to IPS logo as well.

You can also look here for more info

Moringa has been promoted as a life line to the poverty stricken .. a miracle tree, yours truly are also praying for a life-line to my agro friend efforts.. a miracle of some sort..

Hopefully this is of benefit to you, have a good day.