What is Moringa?

Moringa is a single genus of trees belonging to the family Moringaceae. There are 13 species that are spread over tropical latitudes, but Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated due to its fast growth and high yields of both leaves and seeds. Of interest, M.ovalifolia is indigenous to Namibia and found in the Koakaveld where it is known as the Bottle Tree due to its Baobab-like structure. It is adapted to desert conditions and is not suited to cultivation.

Moringa oleifera, pronounced oh’lee’if’era, meaning ‘oil-bearing’ is indigenous to sub-Himalayan tracts of Northern India, Pakistan and Nepal. Its multiple uses in ethno-pharmacology attracted the attention of ancient civilizations. Ayurvedic traditional medicine says that Moringa can prevent 300 diseases and all parts of the tree have been exploited both for preventive and curative purposes for over 4000 years. Ancient Egyptians used Moringa oil for its cosmetic value; even if the species never became popular among Greeks and Romans, they were aware of its medicinal properties. Although most species are represented in Africa, M.oleifera was first introduced into West Africa over 500 years ago, and has since spread down into Southern African countries where it is widely cultivated.

The reason for the widespread benefits seen is simply because Moringa is one of the most nutrient-dense plants on the planet. There are over 140 nutrients that have been isolated, all of which have a role to play in human nutrition. The leaves and seeds are rich in basic foodstuffs that are required for day-to-day living, the so-called Macro-nutrients that include:
• Proteins and all the Essential Amino Acids required for cell growth
• Vitamins required daily for metabolic health, especially A, C, E and B-Group
• Minerals that are all supportive in structural physiology, including Ca, Mg, K, Fe and more
• Fatty Acids from the Oils in the plant that are essential in cell structure and organ health, especially Omega-3.

These alone make this plant the best single source ‘multivitamin and mineral’ around, but the magic goes a lot deeper. Many plants protect themselves from external influences by accumulating what are termed ‘secondary metabolites’; these are a wide range of complex organic compounds that are stored in the plant structures, and it is these that offer all the preventative and curative properties that have been known for millennia. The pathways and modes of action are only now being unravelled by biochemists, and the gap between folklore and science is being bridged.

The benefits of Moringa have only been recognised in the West in recent times and terms such as ‘Superfood’ and ‘Nutraceutical’ abound, but one thing is for sure, Moringa will hold a solid place in Health and Wellness Nutrition in the future.