Moringa oleifera is a plant that has been praised for its health benefits for thousands of years.

It is very rich in healthy antioxidants and bioactive plant compounds.

So far, scientists have only investigated a fraction of the many reputed health benefits.

Here are 5 health benefits of Moringa that are supported by scientific research.

1. Moringa is VERY Nutritious.

Moringa oleifera is a fairly large tree native to North India.

It goes by a variety of names, such as drumstick tree, horseradish tree or ben oil tree.

Almost all parts of the tree are eaten or used as ingredients in traditional herbal medicines.

This especially applies to the leaves and pods, which are commonly eaten in parts of India and Africa.

• Protein: 2 grams
• Vitamin B6: 19% of the 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

In Western countries, the dried leaves are sold as dietary supplements, either in powder or capsule form.

Compared to the leaves, the pods are generally lower in vitamins and minerals. However, they are exceptionally rich in vitamin C. One cup of fresh, sliced pods (100 grams) contains 157% of your daily requirement.

The diet of people in developing nations sometimes lacks vitamins, minerals and protein. In these countries, Moringa oleifera can be an important source of many essential nutrients.

However, there is one downside: Moringa leaves may also contain high levels of antinutrients, which can reduce the absorption of minerals and protein (3Trusted Source, 4).

Another thing to keep in mind is that taking Moringa oleifera supplements in capsules won’t supply a large number of nutrients.

The amounts are negligible compared to what you consume if you eat a balanced diet based on whole foods.

SUMMARY

Moringa leaves are rich in many important nutrients, including protein, vitamin B6, vitamin C, riboflavin and iron.

2. Moringa is Rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that act against free radicals in your body.

High levels of free radicals may cause oxidative stress, which is associated with chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

Several antioxidant plant compounds have been found in the leaves of Moringa oleifera (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9).

In addition to vitamin C and beta-carotene, these include (10, 11):

• Quercetin: This powerful antioxidant may help lower blood pressure (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).
• Chlorogenic acid: Also found in high amounts in coffee, chlorogenic acid may help moderate blood sugar levels after meals (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

One study in women found that taking 1.5 teaspoons (7 grams) of moringa leaf powder every day for three months significantly increased blood antioxidant levels (16).

Moringa leaf extract may also be used as a food preservative. It increases the shelf life of meat by reducing oxidation (17).

3. Moringa May Lower Blood Sugar Levels

High blood sugar can be a serious health problem. In fact, it’s the main characteristic of diabetes.

Over time, high blood sugar levels raise the risk of many serious health problems, including heart disease. For this reason, it’s important to keep your blood sugar within healthy limits.

Interestingly, several studies have shown that Moringa oleifera may help lower blood sugar levels.

However, most of the evidence is based on animal studies. Only a few human-based studies exist, and they’re generally of low quality (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source).

One study in 30 women showed that taking 1.5 teaspoons (7 grams) of moringa leaf powder every day for three months reduced fasting blood sugar levels by 13.5%, on average (16).

Another small study in six people with diabetes found that adding 50 grams of moringa leaves to a meal reduced the rise in blood sugar by 21% (21).

Scientists believe these effects are caused by plant compounds such as isothiocyanates (22Trusted Source).

4. Moringa May Reduce Immflamuation

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to infection or injury.

It’s an essential protective mechanism but may become a major health issue if it continues over a long period of time.

In fact, sustained inflammation is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease and cancer (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).

Most whole fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory properties. However, the degree to which they can help depends on the types and amounts of anti-inflammatory compounds they contain.

Scientists believe that isothiocyanates are the main anti-inflammatory compounds in moringa leaves, pods and seeds (25, 26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source).

But so far, research has been limited to test-tube and animal studies. It remains to be seen if Moringa oleifera has similar anti-inflammatory effects in humans.

5. Moringa is also available in Oil Form and has even MORE benefits

Himalayan Moringa oil is incredibly healthy with healing antioxidants and healthy fatty acids. Studies have also shown the oil to lower cortisol levels and help settle your mood throughout the day. If you combine this potion with good hydration practices, you will quickly notice the decrease in fine lines and wrinkles. This mixture heals from the inside out as your skin retains the hydration and healing antioxidants.

Moringa dates back to when the Celtic tribes thrived in the United Kingdom. It improvers digestion, boosts energy, prove bone mineral density, manage diabetes, helps to reduce pain and inflammation, and best of all — improve skin in amazing ways.

Ayurvedic remedies used decoctions and pastes made of the black gram for almost every skin condition you can imagine. The concentrated mineral and vitamin content made it perfect for relieving inflammation, getting rid of beauty marks, promoting rapid healing and exfoliation, and stimulating the flow of oxygenated blood to the surface of the skin. It can also help soothe the pain of sunburns, reduce the intensity of a tan, and lessen the symptoms of acne.^[8]https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/black-gram.html

A’Moringa penetrates deeply into all seven layers of the skin to leave your face & entire body feeling fresh & alive – without that greasy oily feeling often encountered with most other topical oils.

If you are practicing Ayurvedic, this potion helps to awaken and activate the Crown Chakra and helps to bring in a unifying, calming & centered feel that lifts the mood to instantly clear away tensed feelings.

Conclusion

Moringa oleifera is an Indian tree that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. However, only a few of its many reputed health benefits have been studied scientifically (1Trusted Source).

To date, studies show that Moringa oleifera may lead to modest reductions in blood sugar and cholesterol. It may also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and protect against arsenic toxicity.

Moringa leaves are also highly nutritious and should be beneficial for people who are lacking in essential nutrients.

If you want to try Moringa supplements, we carry Moringa powder! Shaunna K carries Moringa beauty oil. Happy Shopping!