Drumstick (Moringa) Tea for Healthy Life style

Do anyone know a plant called ‘miracle tree’, its every part has nutritive and healing property. One of its nickname is “Never die”. Grows well and survives in harsh weather and even in drought condition.

It’s none other than Moringa oleifera commonly called as Drumstick widely grown in dry area and well known as multipurpose tree in India.  It is grown since 150 B.C by ancient kings and queens; they add it in their diet for mental alertness and healthy skin. Ancient Maurian warriors of India were fed leaf extract drink in the warfront, they believed that it’s add extra energy and relive them from stress and pain during war.

Moringa is most well known tree, every part of tree is eatable from leave, trunk, stem, root, seed and pod. The most incredible fact about Moringa is amount of nutritional and medicinal compounds found in plant. The leaves contain all most all nutrients which are required for the cell growth, disease resistance and beauty. The dry leaf when boiled it releases the all its vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, so consummation of dry leaf powder is more effective than young leaves, pods and seed.

Table 1. Comparison of nutrient levels in 100g of dried Moringa leaves with other food

Type of Nutrient in different foods	Amount of Nutrient in Moringa dried leaves (100g)
Vitamin A of carrots	10 times
Vitamin C of oranges	½ times
Calcium of milk	17 times
Potassium of Bananas	15 times
Iron of spinach (Palak)	25 times
Protein of yogurt	9 times

Moringa not only contain vitamin A, B, C, D, E, and K but also has vital source of minerals include calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese and zinc. It has 40 natural antioxidants.

Table 2. Vitamin and Mineral content of Moringa fresh and dried leaves per 100g.

Vitamin and Mineral	Fresh leaves	Dried leaves
Vitamin A	6.78 mg	18.9 mg
Vitamin B1	0.06 mg	2.64 mg
Vitamin B2	0.05 mg	20.5 mg
Vitamin B3	0.8 mg	8.2 mg
Vitamin C	220 mg	17.3 mg
Calcium	440 mg	20003 mg
Carbohydrates	12.5 mg	38.2 mg
Copper	0.07 mg	0.57 mg
Fat	1.70 mg	2.3 mg
Fiber	1.70 mg	2.3 mg
Iron	0.85 mg	28.2 mg
Magnesium	42 mg	368 mg
Phosphorus	70 mg	204 mg
Potassium	259 mg	1324 mg
Protein	6.70 mg	27.1 mg
Zinc	0.16 mg	3.29 mg

As you can see in the table 2 dried leaves contain more nutrient and minerals than fresh leaves. These nutrients are readily absorbed by the human body. The leaves contain high amount of protein than Egg, Soybean and milk. Protein is composed of amino acids, Moringa contains essential amino acids which are not synthesized by body only taken from the diet.

Table 3. Essential amino acids present in dry Moringa leaves per 100g

Amino acid  content (100g)	Fresh leaves	Dried leaf powder
Arginine	406.6 mg	1325 mg
Histidine	149.8 mg	613   mg
Lysine	342.4 mg	1325 mg
Tryptophan	107    mg	425   mg
Phenylalanine	310.3 mg	1388 mg
Methionine	117.7 mg	350   mg
Theroine	117.7 mg	1188 mg
Leucine	492.2 mg	1950 mg
Isoleucine	299.6 mg	825   mg
Valine	374.5 mg	1063 mg

Having the richest sources of nutrition, Moringa leaves can be used to treat malnutrition. In India malnutrition is a major issue in women, pregnant women and children’s, where Moringa is grown in larger area.

Utilization of high nutritional qualities of Moringa has been started by many NGO’s of worldwide health workers to cure and prevent malnutrition. It takes around ten days to see an improvement in malnourished infants when Moringa leaves are used whereas it takes months for recovery with conventional methods.

Medicinal properties of Moringa

In India’s ancient tradition of Ayurveda medicine sites 300 diseases that are treated with the leaves of Moringa tree. Some are mentioned below

1.      Its helps to lower blood pressure

2.      It detoxify the body and water

3.      Remedy for diarrhea, dysentery and colitis

4.      Reduce headache, when leaves rubbed on head

5.      Act as skin antiseptic

6.      Leaves are used to fevers, bronchitis, eye and ear infection

7.      Kills intestinal worms

8.      It increase women’s milk production

9.      Contains an anti-aging compounds called zeatin, which promote cell growth.

10.  It has strong antioxidants, effective against skin cancer and anti tumor.

11.  Detoxifying agent, effective against snake and scorpion bites.

12.  Help to maintain normal blood sugar levels and effective for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Preparation of Moringa Tea

1.      Collect Moringa leaves, 4-5 stalks. It is best to use matured leaves.

2.      Air dry or sundry for day, until it become crisp

3.      Do not separate the leaves from stalks, it contains high fiber

4.      Grind the fully dried leaves with stalks for 10-15 seconds in grinder.

5.      Store Moringa powder in glass container or put in tea bags or mix it with the common tea powder.

6.      Take a 1-2 teaspoon Moringa powder, pinch of cardamom powder and put it into boiling water

7.      let it boil for 2 minutes  and add sugar for taste (its optional)

8.      Sieve the tea in cup, add ½-1 teaspoon lemon juice and honey (only if you are not added sugar).

In India Moringa grown in home garden, road side and farm, but people have very less aware about its benefits. So, now start using Moringa leaves in your morning drink and food and feel the miracle changes in your life.

Dr. Rashmi Hegde

Ph.D in (Agri) Biotechnology and Crop Improvement.