Moringa oleifera
- "Drumstick tree" and variants thereof redirect here. This name is also used for the golden shower tree (Cassia fistulosa).
Moringa oleifera | |
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Species: | M. oleifera
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Moringa oleifera |
Moringa oleifera (synonym: Moringa pterygosperma) is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Moringa, which is the only genus in the family Moringaceae. English common names include moringa, and drumstick tree, from the appearance of the long, slender, triangular seed pods, horseradish tree, from the taste of the roots which resembles horseradish, or ben oil tree, from the oil derived from the seeds. The tree itself is rather slender, with drooping branches that grow to approximately 10m in height. In cultivation, it is often cut back annually to 1–2 meters and allowed to regrow so the pods and leaves remain within arm's reach.[1][2]
In developing countries, moringa has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and support sustainable landcare.[3] It may be used as forage for livestock, a micronutrient liquid, a natural anthelmintic and possible adjuvant.[2][4][5]
Distribution
The moringa tree is grown mainly in semiarid, tropical, and subtropical areas, corresponding in the United States to USDA hardiness zones 9 and 10. While it grows best in dry, sandy soil, it tolerates poor soil, including coastal areas. It is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree that is native to the southern foothills of the Himalayas in northwestern India.
Cultivation in Hawai'i, for commercial distribution in the United States, is in its early stages.[6]
"India is the largest producer of moringa, with an annual production of 1.1 to 1.3 million tonnes of tender fruits from an area of 380 km². Among the states, Andhra Pradesh leads in both area and production (156.65 km²) followed by Karnataka (102.8 km²) and Tamil Nadu (74.08 km²). In other states, it occupies an area of 46.13 km². Tamil Nadu is the pioneering state in·so·much as it has varied genotypes from diversified geographical areas and introductions from Sri Lanka."[7]
Moringa is grown in home gardens and as living fences in Tamil Nadu Southern India and Thailand, where it is commonly sold in local markets.[8] In the Philippines, it is commonly grown for its leaves which are used in soup. Moringa is also actively cultivated by the World Vegetable Center in Taiwan, a center for vegetable research with a mission to reduce poverty and malnutrition in developing countries through improved production and consumption of vegetables. Tamil Nadu Southern India has moringa in its folk stories and use in home gardens.
It is also widely cultivated in Africa, Cambodia, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Central and South America, and Sri Lanka.[citation needed]
Etymology
Moringa derives from the Tamil word murungai.[9] The Chinese name, pronounced la mu in Mandarin and lat mok in Cantonese, means "spicy (hot) wood" and is reminiscent of the English name, "horseradish tree".
Cultivation
In the Philippines, moringa is propagated by planting 1–2 m-long limbs cuttings, preferably from June to August. The plant starts bearing pods 6–8 months after planting, but regular bearing commences after the second year, continuing for several years. It can also be propagated by seeds, which are planted an inch below the surface and can be germinated year-round in well-draining soil.
As with all plants, optimum cultivation depends on producing the right environment for the plant to thrive. Moringa is a sun and heat-loving plant, and thus does not tolerate freeze or frost. Moringa is particularly suitable for dry regions, as it can be grown using rainwater without expensive irrigation techniques.
General nutrition
Many parts of the moringa are edible. Regional uses of the moringa as food vary widely, and include:
- The immature seed pods, called "drumsticks", popular in Asia and Africa.
- Leaves, particularly in the Cambodia, Philippines, South India, Sri Lanka and Africa.
- Mature seeds
- Oil pressed from the mature seeds
- Roots
In some regions, the young seed pods are most commonly eaten,[10] while in others, the leaves are the most commonly used part of the plant. The flowers are edible when cooked and are said to taste like mushrooms. The bark, sap, roots, leaves, seeds, oil, and flowers are used in traditional medicine in several countries. In Jamaica, the sap is used for a blue dye.
Leaves
The leaves are the most nutritious part of the plant, being a significant source of B vitamins, vitamin C, provitamin A as beta-carotene, vitamin K, manganese and protein, among other essential nutrients.[11][12] When compared with common foods particularly high in certain nutrients per 100 g fresh weight, cooked moringa leaves are considerable sources of these same nutrients.[13][14]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Sonjna_%28Moringa_oleifera%29_leaves_with_flowers_at_Kolkata_W_IMG_2125.jpg/220px-Sonjna_%28Moringa_oleifera%29_leaves_with_flowers_at_Kolkata_W_IMG_2125.jpg)
Nutrients | Common food | Moringa Leaves | |
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Vitamin A as beta-carotene | Carrot | 8.3 mg | 0.4 mg |
Calcium | Milk | 300 mg | 185 mg |
Potassium | Banana | 358 mg | 337 mg |
Protein | Yogurt | 8 g | 9.4 g |
Vitamin C | Orange | 53 mg | 52 mg |
Some of the calcium in moringa leaves is bound as crystals of calcium oxalate[15] though at levels 25-45 times less than that found spinach, which is a negligible amount.
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 used in soups and sauces. As with most foods, heating moringa above 140 degrees Fahrenheit destroys some of the nutritional value.
Drumsticks
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/An_Indian_Drumstick_%28cut%29.jpg/120px-An_Indian_Drumstick_%28cut%29.jpg)
The immature seed pods, called "drumsticks", are commonly consumed in South Asia. They are prepared by parboiling, and cooked in a curry until soft.[16] The seed pods are particularly high in vitamin C, but are also a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium and manganese.[17]
Seeds
The seeds, sometimes removed from more mature pods and eaten like peas or roasted like nuts, contain high levels of vitamin C and moderate amounts of B vitamins and dietary minerals (right table, USDA).
Seed oil
Mature seeds yield 38–40% edible oil called ben oil from its high concentration of behenic acid. The refined oil is clear and odorless, and resists rancidity. The seed cake remaining after oil extraction may be used as a fertilizer or as a flocculent to purify water.[18] Moringa seed oil also has potential for use as a biofuel.[19]
Roots
The roots are shredded and used as a condiment in the same way as horseradish; however, they contain an alkaloid,[20] potentially having nerve-paralyzing properties.[citation needed]
Malnutrition relief
Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. Four NGOs in particular — Trees for Life International, Church World Service, Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization, and Volunteer Partnerships for West Africa — have advocated moringa as "natural nutrition for the tropics."[14] One author stated that "the nutritional properties of Moringa are now so well known that there seems to be little doubt of the substantial health benefit to be realized by consumption of Moringa leaf powder in situations where starvation is imminent."[3][14][21][22] Moringa is especially promising as a food source in the tropics because the tree is in full leaf at the end of the dry season when other foods are typically scarce.[21]
Culinary uses
Moringa has numerous applications in cooking throughout its regional distribution. It may be preserved by canning and exported.
In Bangladesh, it is made into a variety of curry dishes by mixing with coconut, poppy seeds, and mustard or boiled until the drumsticks are semisoft and consumed directly without any extra processing or cooking. It is used in curries, sambars, kormas, and dals, although it is also used to add flavor to cutlets and other recipes.
The fruit meat of drum sticks, including young seeds, is used for soup. Young leaves can either be fried with shrimp or added as a topping in fish soup.
There are several traditional Cambodian dishes using leaves (sluc) of the moringa tree known as daum m'rum,[23] such as korko (a mixed vegetable soup). As it is a favorite vegetable, Cambodians traditionally grow moringa trees close to their residences.
In South India and Sri Lanka, it is used to prepare a variety of sambar, is fried, or made into curry dishes by mixing with coconut, poppy seeds, and mustard or boiled until the drumsticks are semisoft and consumed directly without any extra processing or cooking. It is used in curries, sambars, kormas, and dals, although it is also used to add flavors. In Maharashtra, the pods are used in sweet and sour curries. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, the pods are used in to cook a spicy curry.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/DrumstickFlower.jpg/220px-DrumstickFlower.jpg)
Tender drumstick leaves, finely chopped, are used as garnish for vegetable dishes and salads. It is also used in place of or along with coriander. In some regions, the flowers are gathered and cleansed to be cooked with besan to make pakoras.
In East Java, drum sticks may be used in sour soup or mixed vegetable soup.
The leaves may be fried and mixed with dried-fried tuna chips (Maldive fish), onions and dried chillies. This is equivalent to a sambal and eaten along with rice and curry. In one area in the Maldives, a soup is made with these leaves and rice, and eaten especially for breakfast during the month of Ramazan. It is also a common ingredient in an omelet. The pods are used to cook a mild curry.
In the Saraiki South Punjab region of Pakistan, moringa flowers are first separated from the stem, boiled, mashed and cooked. Curdle is an important element of its recipe to create a specific taste and favorite dish.
The green pods, the leaves and the flowers are used in a variety of Thai dishes, such as curries, stir-fries, soups, omelets and salads. One of the most traditional dishes is sour Thai curry made with the drumstick pods and fish.
In the Philippines, moringa is widely eaten, and its leaves are available in many markets at affordable prices. The leaves are most often added to a broth to make a simple and nutritious soup. The leaves are also sometimes used as a characteristic ingredient in tinola, a traditional chicken dish consisting of chicken in a broth, moringa leaves, and either green papaya or another vegetable. The leaves can also be processed with olive oil and salt for a pesto-like pasta sauce that has become popular on the Filipino culinary scene. Moringa juice may be mixed with lemonsito juice to make ice candies or cold drinks, possibly more palatable to those who dislike vegetables.
In 2007, Filipino Senator Loren Legarda campaigned for the popularization of moringa. She asked the government to make moringa among its priority crops for propagation, citing a Bureau of Plant Industry that states moringa's nutritional content.[24][25] The leaves may also be used in making polvoron (a milky, powdered snack), biofuel, and ben oil.
Research
Moringa is undergoing preliminary research to reveal potential properties of its nutrients and phytochemicals, some of which include antibacterial effects in vitro,[26] improved glucose tolerance in a rat model of diabetes,[27] inhibition of Epstein-Barr virus activity in vitro[28] and reduction of skin papillomas in mice.[29]
Potential for water purification
In preliminary research, moringa seed powder is being assessed for its potential to make river water potable. Research showed that filtering with seed powder may diminish water pollution and bacterial counts.[30][31]
Traditional medicine
Moringa has been used in folk medicine,[21] including Siddha medicine and Ayurvedic traditional medicines and in the Philippines.[32] In Ayurvedic traditional medicine, the leaves are believed to affect blood pressure and glucose levels.[33] In Africa, Indonesia and Philippines moringa leaves are given to nursing mothers in the belief that they increase lactation.[3][34]
Gallery
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge.
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Moringa leaves in a market in Baguio.
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A fully grown moringa tree in the Philippines.
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A skipper on a flower of the moringa.
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A fully grown moringa tree with flowers and leaves at Jayanti in Buxa Tiger Reserve in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India.
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Dried moringa oleifera with pods and seeds on the ground in Hawaii.
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Fully grown moringa tree in a backyard of a house in Hawaii.
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The "drumstick" fruit of Moringa oleifera.
References
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy".
- ^ a b Verzosa, Caryssa. "Malunggay and Spinach Powder (Investigatory Project Sample)". Scribd.com. Retrieved 4-11-2012.
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(help) - ^ a b c National Research Council (2006-10-27). "Moringa". Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Lost Crops of Africa. Vol. 2. National Academies Press. ISBN 978-0-309-10333-6. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
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ignored (|chapter-url=
suggested) (help) - ^ Makkar HP, Francis G, Becker K (2007). "Bioactivity of phytochemicals in some lesser-known plants and their effects and potential applications in livestock and aquaculture production systems". Animal. 1 (9): 1371–91. doi:10.1017/S1751731107000298. PMID 22444893.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Mahajan SG, Mali RG, Mehta AA (2007). "Protective effect of ethanolic extract of seeds of Moringa oleifera Lam. against inflammation associated with development of arthritis in rats". J Immunotoxicol. 4 (1): 39–47. doi:10.1080/15476910601115184. PMID 18958711.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Ted Radovich (2010). C.R Elevitch (ed.). "Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing profile for Moringa" (PDF). Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry. Holualoa, Hawai'i: Permanent Agriculture Resources.
- ^ Rajangam J.; et al. (October 29 – November 2, 2001). "Status of Production and Utilisation of Moringa in Southern India". Development potential for Moringa products. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
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(help)CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The Vegetable Sector in Thailand, 1999
- ^ Roloff, A.; Weisgerber, H.; Lang, U.; Stimm, B. (2009), "Moringa oleifera" (PDF), Weinheim: 978–3
- ^ "Drumstick". Vahrehvah.com. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
- ^ "Horseradish-tree, leafy tips, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt". Nutritiondata.com. Condé Nast. 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
- ^ K.V. Peter (2008). Underutilized and Underexploited Horticultural Crops:, Volume 4. New India Publishing. p. 112. ISBN 81-89422-90-1.
- ^ C. Gopalan, B. V. Rama Sastri, S. C. Balasubramanian (1989). Nutritive Value of Indian Foods. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c L.J. Fuglie (1999). Moringa: Natural Nutrition for the Tropics. Dakar: Church World Service.
- ^ Olson, M. E., and S. Carlquist (2001). "Stem and root anatomical correlations with life form diversity, ecology, and systematics in Moringa (Moringaceae)" (PDF). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 135 (4): 315–348.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Elizabeth Schneider (2001). Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-688-15260-0.
- ^ "Horseradish-tree, pods, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt". Nutritiondata.com. Condé Nast. 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
- ^ Lea, Michael (2010). "Bioremediation of Turbid Surface Water Using Seed Extract from Moringa oleifera Lam. (Drumstick) Tree". doi:10.1002/9780471729259.mc01g02s16.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - ^ Rashid U, Anwar F, Moser BR, Knothe G (2008). "Moringa oleifera oil: a possible source of biodiesel". Bioresour Technol. 99 (17): 8175–9. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2008.03.066. PMID 18474424.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Chopra et. al., Indian J. med. Res. 1932-33, 20, 533; Ghosh et. al., ibid., 1934-35, 22, 785; Chakravarti, Bull. Calcutta Sch. trop. Med., 1957, 5, 123; Chatterjee & Maitra, Sci. & Cult., 1951-52, 17, 43
- ^ a b c Jed W. Fahey (2005). "Moringa oleifera: A Review of the Medical Evidence for Its Nutritional, Therapeutic, and Prophylactic Properties. Part 1" (PDF). Trees for Life Journal. Cite error: The named reference "Fahey" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Sanford Holst (2011). Moringa (2 ed.). Santorini Publishing. ISBN 0-9833279-1-2.
- ^ "Cambodian common culinary herbs and spices".
- ^ Inquirer.net, Legarda pushes for malunggay, her beauty soup
- ^ AHN, Philippine Lawmaker Urges Agriculture Department To Propagate Highly Potent Malunggay Vegetable
- ^ Peixoto JR, Silva GC, Costa RA, de Sousa Fontenelle JR, Vieira GH, Filho AA, dos Fernandes Vieira RH (March 2011 Mar). "In vitro antibacterial effect of aqueous and ethanolic Moringa leaf extracts". Asian Pac J Trop Med. 4 (3): 201–204. doi:10.1016/S1995-7645(11)60069-2. PMID 21771453.
{{cite journal}}
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(help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Moussa Ndong, Mariko Uehara, Shin-ichi Katsumata, and Kazuharu Suzuki (May 2007). "Effects of Oral Administration of Moringa oleifera Lam on Glucose Tolerance in Goto-Kakizaki and Wistar Rats". J Clin Biochem Nutr. 40 (3): 229–233. doi:10.3164/jcbn.40.229. PMC 2275769. PMID 18398501.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Murakami A, Y Kitazono, S Jiwajinda, K Koshimizu, and H Ohigashi (1998). "Niaziminin, a thiocarbamate from the leaves of Moringa oleifera, holds a strict structural requirement for inhibition of tumor-promoter- induced EpsteinBarr virus activation". Planta Med. 64 (4): 319–323. doi:10.1055/s-2006-957442. PMID 9619112.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Bharali R, J Tabassum, MRH Azad (2003). "Chemomodulatory effect of Moringa oleifera, Lam, on hepatic carcinogen metabolizing enzymes, antioxidant parameters and skin papillomagenesis in mice". Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 4 (2): 131–139. PMID 12875626.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Water Purification with Moringa Seeds". Miracle Trees Foundation http://miracletrees.org.
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- ^ Water Purification with Moringa Seeds (PDF), African Journal of Agricultural Research
- ^ "Malunggay: The Miracle Vegetable". Agri Business Week. August 1, 2008. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
- ^ "Drumstick". Tamilnadu.com. 11 January 2013.
- ^ D.A. Astuti, K. Becker, N. Richter (May 3–5, 2007). "Utilization of methanol extracted of Moringa and mulberry leaves to evaluate energy and protein balance of Nile tilapia". Proceeding of the Mini Workshop Southeast Asia Germany Alumni Network (SEAG). Manado, Indonesia: Kassel University Press GmbH. ISBN 3-89958-389-2.
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