Malunggay, known scientifically as moringa oleifera, Moringa in English and Sajina in Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. It grows very wildly in hot tropical climate.
Moringa is a wonderful tree known all over the world. Referred by scientists as a “miracle tree,” malunggay has been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the past 20 years as a low-cost health enhancer in poor countries around the globe. Yet, despite its remarkable medicinal value, it is still relatively unknown.
This is because companies and pharmaceuticals selling hundreds of nutritional products were afraid to lose their million dollar revenue and would rather want the general public remain ignorant about the moringa wonder health benefits.
What exactly is the potential miracle of moringa? India’s ancient tradition of “ayurveda” states that the leaves of the moringa tree can prevent 300 diseases. Modern science confirms this basic concept, while scientific research has shown that malunggay leaves provide almost miraculous nutritional value.
Gram for gram, moringa leaves contain four times the calcium and two times the protein in milk. It also contains seven times the vitamin C in oranges, three times the potassium in bananas, and four times the vitamin A in carrots.
Loaded with nutrients, vitamins and amino acids, it replenishes your body and provides what you need to get through a hectic weekday or active weekend. In fact, Moringa is also relaxing…it helps to reduce blood pressure and assure a good night’s sleep. Researchers also report on the positive results of using Moringa as a substitute for expensive whole milk powder in nutrition projects.
Aside from improving human health, there are other significant advantages.
In “The Moringa Tree” by Dr. Martin L. Price (http://www.echonet.org), he cites the benefits of moringa leaf extract as a plant growth hormone, the moringa shoots as green manure to enrich agricultural lands, moringa leaves as livestock feed because of its rich high protein content, moringa seed powder and the fresh cake left over from oil extraction as treatment for turbid water, moringa as a good live fence tree with its bark used to make mats and rope, and the compound in the flowers and roots of the moringa tree, pterygospermin, as a powerful antibiotic and antifungal remedy.
Unknown to many Filipinos, malunggay has the ability to purify water. “The crushed moringa seeds can clear very turbid water,” said Dr. John Sutherland, of Leicester University’s Department of Environmental Technology. He added that powdered malunggay seeds are appropriate for water purification in rural areas of tropical countries.
Other studies have shown that eating malunggay fruits can lead to higher semen count. This is good news for men who are having semen count problems. They can now count on the malunggay to cork its magic on them.
There’s still a lot more benefits from malunggay, Its oil has applications in food processing, pharmaceutical and cosmetics. A team of Masters of Business Administration students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recommended the massive cultivation of malunggay (scientific name moringa oleifera) in the Philippines for biofuels.
The team studied the market outlook for malunggay oil as part of their partial requirement for the completion of the Global Entrepreneurship Laboratory Course under the MIT’s Sloan School of Management in Boston. Their study said the massive cultivation of malunggay for biofuels can generate million of jobs and help alleviate poverty in rural areas in the Philippines.
For more information on food and nutrition, you may write or call:The Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology, Gen. Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig, Metro Manila