Moringa leaf powder can noticeably support our calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin B1 intake and is therefore rightly considered a "superfood":

Calcium

Moringa powder provides approximately 2,000 mg of calcium per 100 grams, which is 1.5 to 2 times as much. like milk, if one were to start with the calcium content in the dry matter of the milk and compare the leaf powder with the values ​​of milk powder.

Beta-carotene/Vitamin A

The body can synthesize vitamin A from beta-carotene – a vitamin that u.aIt is important for eyesight, bones, and mucous membranes. Carrots contain so much beta-carotene that the body can synthesize 1,700 micrograms of vitamin A from 100 g of carrots.

Moringa leaf powder contains an average of 3,600 micrograms of vitamin A – which is slightly more than twice the amount found in fresh carrots.

potassium

Fresh bananas provide 380 mg of potassium per 100 g, banana powder 1,480 mg potassium/100 g. Powder made from dried moringa leaves contains 1,300 mg potassium.

iron

Moringa leaf powder contains an average of 28 mg of iron per 100 g, while fresh spinach contains 4 mg per 100 g. Dried spinach powder, with 35 mg of iron, is slightly higher than that of moringa.

Vitamin C

Oranges provide 30-50 mg of vitamin C per 100 g. Fresh moringa leaves contain 220 mg, and dried moringa powder 17 mg of vitamin C per 100 g.

Vitamin E

Moringa leaf powder contains an average of approximately 85 mg of vitamin E per 100 grams – depending on the harvest time (older leaves contain more vitamin E than younger leaves). This is a very high amount for a leafy green, which typically contains only between 2 and 4 mg of vitamin E. Oils, on the other hand, range from 4 to 50 mg of vitamin E per 100 grams. Wheat germ oil, the top source, provides 185 mg of vitamin E. Moringa thus ranks second among the best sources of vitamin E.

Vitamin E is typically found in significant amounts in foods high in fat, such as nuts, oilseeds, and oils. In these foods, the highly effective antioxidant vitamin E protects the fats from spoilage.

Due to the large amounts of vitamin E, in the native countries of the Moringa tree, high-fat foods or dishes are prepared with Moringa leaves, which greatly increases the shelf life of these foods.

Vitamin B2

Most foods provide well under 1 mg of vitamin B2 per 100 g. Only liver contains more than 3 mg per 100 g. Moringa leaf powder, with a daily serving of just 10 g, provides a full 2 ​​mg of vitamin B2 and is therefore the plant-based food richest in B2.

Therapeutic applications

Cardiovascular diseases

Diuretic properties as well as a blood pressure-lowering effect and the Blood lipids make Moringa oleifera an interesting plant in the field of cardiovascular diseases.

Basic experiments suggest that that the rare thiocarbamate and glucosinolate forms, which occur particularly in Moringa, have a hypotensive effect. The substance niacinin and its derivatives, which are also present, could lower blood pressure by inhibiting calcium channels.

In vivo experiments also indicate a cholesterol- and triglyceride-lowering effect, presumably caused by the substance β-sitosterol (see below). Anwar, F. et al. 2007. Moringa oleifera: a food plant with multiple medicinal uses. Phytother Res. 21(1):17–25.).

The diuretic effect, from which one can expect an additional positive effect In vivo experiments also confirmed the promising effect on blood pressure. The substances responsible are presumably polar molecules such as saponins, flavonoids, and organic acids (see [reference]). Kumolosasi, E. et al. 2021. Antihypertensive Activities of Standardized Moringa oleifera Lam. (Merunggai) Extracts in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats. Sains Malaysia. 50(3):769–778).

diabetes

Besides basic research with various extracts from the moringa leaf, there is also a manageable number of potentially promising clinical studies on diabetic diseases (see...). Stohs, SJ, Hartman, MJ 2015. Review of the Safety and Efficacy of Moringa oleifera. Phytother Res. 29(6):796–804).

The active ingredients responsible for this effect are thought to be quercetin and kaempferol, as well as their glycoside forms (see below). Ali Redha, A. et al. 2021. Novel insights on anti-obesity potential of the miracle tree, Moringa oleifera: A systematic review. J Funct Foods. 84:104600).

A clinical study with 55 type 2 diabetics investigated the antidiabetic effect of moringa in more detail. In this study, 46 participants received either 8 g of moringa leaf powder or a neem seed preparation daily. Nine other participants served as a control group. After 40 days, the participants in the moringa group showed a significantly reduced fasting blood glucose level. as well as a reduced postprandial blood glucose level (after a meal) (see below). Kumari, DJ 2010. Hypoglycaemic effect of Moringa oleifera and Azadirachta indica in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Bioscan. 5(2):211–214).

Another study with 60 type 2 diabetics found a similar effect. In this study, the test group each received two tablets of a preparation made from moringa leaves, specifically formulated for the study. The exact dose is detailed in the study. The dosage was not specified, but is presumed to be around 1–2 g of leaf powder daily. The control group received no supplement. Both groups were instructed to follow a calorie-reduced diet. After 90 days, the control group showed a 9% reduction in postprandial blood glucose levels. In the moringa group, this value was reduced by 29% (see [reference]). Giridhari, VA et al. 2011. Anti diabetic property of drumstick (Moringa oleifera) leaf tablets. Int J Health Nutr. 2:1–5).

Even short-term administration of higher amounts of moringa leaf powder can influence blood sugar levels. For example, a group of 17 type 2 diabetics and 10 healthy individuals were given a control meal and a meal containing 20 g of moringa leaf powder on two separate days. Blood sugar levels were measured every 30 minutes for three hours after each meal. The results showed that blood sugar levels rose less sharply after the meal containing moringa leaf powder than in the control group. The reduction was more pronounced in the diabetics than in the healthy individuals and was statistically significant at several time points. The authors suggest that both the fiber content and the secondary plant compounds were responsible for this effect (see [reference]). Leone, A. et al. 2018. Effect of Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder on Postprandial Blood Glucose Response: In Vivo Study on Saharawi People Living in Refugee Camps. Nutrients. 10(10):1494).

Furthermore, a clinical study involving 35 type 2 diabetics documented the positive effects of moringa on blood lipid levels. The test group received 4.6 g of moringa leaf powder daily for 50 days, while the control group took no supplement.At the end of the study, the Moringa group showed a small but significant increase in HDL and a simultaneous decrease in other cholesterol levels (see below). Nambiar, VS et al. 2010. Impact of antioxidants from drumstick leaves on the lipid profile of hyperlipidemics. J Herb Med Toxicol. 4(1):165–172).

Overall, Moringa oleifera shows promising capacities to support normal blood sugar levels, especially in the presence of type II diabetes and during a calorie-reduced diet.

antioxidant

The moringa leaf likely has an antispasmodic effect due to its thiocarbamate content, which forms the basis for its traditional use in treating diarrhea. Another thiocarbamate may exhibit anti-cancer properties. Antibacterial activity is probably due to the isothiocyanate content. A liver-protective effect is likely derived from quercetin, which is also found in moringa. Finally, a positive effect on thyroid function is also conceivable. The antioxidant effect of the moringa leaf is undeniable, attributable not only to its vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E content, but also to its flavonoids and other polyphenols.

The antioxidant effect was documented in a clinical study of 90 postmenopausal women. Over three months, participants received either 7 g of moringa leaf powder, 9 g of amaranth leaf powder, or no supplement (control group). At the end of the study, the moringa group showed the best results, while the values ​​of the control group remained virtually unchanged. Specifically, after taking moringa, blood retinol levels increased by 8.8%, vitamin C levels by 44.4%, glutathione peroxidase levels by 18%, and superoxide dismutase levels by 10.4%. These significant differences indicate an increase in antioxidant capacity. Malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative stress, decreased by 16.3%, supporting this finding.

Furthermore, the 17.5% increase in hemoglobin levels was noteworthy. The authors attribute this to the high vitamin C content, which may have improved the absorption of iron from food (see Kushwaha, S. et al. 2014. Effect of supplementation of drumstick (Moringa oleifera) and amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) leaves powder on antioxidant profile and oxidative status among postmenopausal women. J Food Sci Technol. 51(11):3464–3469).