There is a renewed interest in the Moringa plant.
Moringa oleifera one of the most widely cultivated trees in the world. it has many names such as –
– Drumstick tree
– Horseradish tree
– Benoil tree OR
– Benzoil tree.
It is a large tree na
tive to North India, Pakistan and Nepal. But it grows very well in the tropics and sub-tropics.
It is in view of this renewed interest I devoted time to read more about this wonderful tree.
According to what I found out, the tree has many health benefits. It is believed to treat many health conditions such as 1.Dementia 2. Anemia 3. Arthritis 4. Liver disease 5. Respiratory disease 6. Digestive upsets.
This is the Moringa tree (courtesy survivalgardener.com)
These health benefits are supported by scientific research. It is very nutritious, rich in antioxidants and may protect against Arsenic toxicity. The plant compounds found in the leaf contain a lot of Vitamin C and Quercetin which helps to reduce blood pressure.
NATURE OF THE TREE
The Moringa tree is known to be very resilient. this is in view of the fact that it can survive in various climatic conditions and soils that do not contain the right ratio or combination of nutrients that would promote optimum growth. In spite of conditions that are not too favorable, it is a fast growing tree.
The Moringa tree can grow at the rate of 3 – 5 meters/annum if it is left untrimmed. However if the soil is properly nourished with some kind of fertilizer or nutrients, it is one of the fastest growing bio-masses on earth.
Research had revealed that the Moringa tree contains the following minerals :
- Calcium
- Iron
- Potassium
- Copper.
- Magnesium
- Zinc. Others include
- Essential amino acids
- Phytochemicals
- Vegetable proteins
- anti-oxidants
- anti-inflammatory agents and
- Carbohydrates.
(end Part 1)
