The miracle of moringa leaves

Moringa, called Drumstick, is a miracle plant with enormous benefits to humanity. While all parts of the plant are very useful, its humble leaves are in fact a power house of nutrifional value.
Ayurveda says the leaves of the moringa tree can prevent 300 diseases! And Modern science confirms the basic idea.
Gram for Gram, Moringa leaves contain:
? 7 times the vitamin C in oranges 4 times the calcium in milk
? 4 times the vitamin A in carrots 2 times the protein in milk
? 3 times the potassium in bananas
Use of Moringa leaves as food was in vogue even before the vedic
age. The foliage is eaten as greens, in salads in vegetable curries, as pickles and for seasoning.
100 gms of Leaves contain 7.5 g H2O, 6.7 g protein, 1.7 g fat, 14.3 g total carbohydrate, 0.9 g fiber, 2.3 g ash, 440 mg Ca, 70 mg P, 7 mg Fe, 110 mg Cu, 5.1 mg I, 11,300 IU vit. A, 120 mg vit. B, 0.8 mg nicotinic acid, 220 mg ascorbic acid, and 7.4 mg tocopherol per 100 g. Estrogenic substances, including the anti-tumor compound, b-sitosterol, and a pectinesterase are also reported. Leaf amino acids include 6.0 g arginine/16 g N, 2.1 histidine, 4.3 lysine, 1.9 tryptophane, 6.4 phenylalanine, 2.0 methionine, 4.9 threonine, 9.3 lucine, 6.3 isoleucine, and 7.1 valine.
Structurally, the leaves are feathery, pale green, compound, tripinnate, with many small leaflets, 1.3 to 2 cm long, 0.6 – 0.3 cm wide, lateral ones somewhat elliptic, terminal one obovate and slightly larger than lateral ones.
The leaves are highly nutritious, being a significant source of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, protein, iron and potassium. The leaves are cooked and used like spinach. In addition to being used fresh as a substitute for spinach, its leaves are commonly dried and crushed into a powder, and used in soups and sauces.
Tender drumstick leaves, finely chopped, make an excellent garnish for any vegetable dishes, dals, sambars, salads, etc. One can use the same in place of or with coriander, as these leaves have high medicinal value.
Besides its wonderful nutritional values, the leaves have several medicinal uses, which are given below:-
1. Leaves are applied as poultice in sores, rubbed on the temples for head aches and said to have purgative properties.
2. The pungent leaves promote digestion.
3. The juice of the raw leaves, mixed with honey, it taken on empty stomach in the morning, gets rid of intestinal worms.
4. The leaves help producing more breast-milk in bactating mothers.
5. Persons with high blood pressure, will benefit by taking twice daily, 15 mg of raw juice of moringa leaves with honey and powdered pepper (10 Nos).
6. With its enormous nutrional value, moringa leaves are good for reducing nervous debility, for improving stamina and strength.
7. Moringa leaves reduce body heat. Improves urine flow. Good for diabetis.
8. Moringa leaves are cheap but effective health enhancer specially for combating malutrition among children. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been studying and using the plant for the last 40 years, especially in the poor countries of Africa. Pure, powdered capsules, produced from the leaves are organic and safe. There are no side effects. If is gentle enough to be given to baties in Africa to overcome malnourishement.
Several govenments in Africa have promoted moringa as locally produced food, beneficial to HIV-positive individuals.
It has been used successfully to combat malnutrition among infants and women of childbearing age. In Africa, nursing mothers have been shown to produce far more milk when Moringa leaves have been added to their diet, while severely malnourished children have made significant weight gains when the leaves have added to their diets. It is commonly added to porridge increase its nutritional content.
One doctor in Senegal (West Africa) explained: “We have always had problems with the classical approach to treating malnourished children. This was based on industiral products: whole milk powder, vegetable oil and sugar. All these things are expensive. When you tell a parent to go out and buy these things – this can be truly costly for him. On the other hand, with Moringa the resource is locally available. The people themselves can produce it. We have done experiments in treating malnourished children with this plant and the results have been really spectacular.”
In philipines, Moringa is commonly grown for its leaves. It is also actively cultivated in Taiwan and Thailand.
Moringa, its root, root bark, Flowers, leaves, fruit etc, in fact, every part of it, is value for food. It has enormous potential for benefiting humanity.
Moringa soup (For one person)
Ingredients
Moringa leaves :- 100 to 125 gram
Water :- 250 gm
Carrot, tomato, onion
Drumstick, Garlic, Ginger,
Beans, Coriander leaves,
Curry leaves Ael put together :- 75 gms
Pepper, cummin seeds (powdered) :- a litle
Optional: Flour :- 20 gm
Method
Boil the Moringa leaves in water. Just before the water reaches the boiling point, add the cut and mashed vegetable. Immediately, on boiling, add powdered pepper and cummin seed. Strain and serve. If more thickness is required, add flour or oats or flour from sprouted grains.
Benefits of this soup
Take this soup twice a day for atleast 48 days. It helps reducing diabetic problems and need for insulin. The soup improves stamina and vitality. Good for curring neruous debility and also eye diseases. Several menstrual problems of women can be cured.