What is Moringa Oleifera?

The Moringa Tree is a plant native to parts of Africa and Asia renowned for its nutritional value – each leaf contains seven times the vitamin C of oranges, four times the vitamin A of carrots, four times the calcium of milk, three times the potassium of bananas and twice the protein of yogurt.

Moringa oleifera, the most widely cultivated species of moringa, is a multipurpose tree native to the Himalayan foothills in northwestern India. According to the ancient Indian medicinal tradition of ayurveda, the leaves of the Moringa tree can prevent 300 diseases – and modern science confirms these claims have credence.

The somewhat tattered-looking tree grows fast, is resistant to drought and almost all of its parts are edible, tasty and highly nutritious – which include leaves, leaf powder, pods, seeds, flowers, roots and bark offering a complement of protein, calcium, minerals, iron and several important vitamins.

Interestingly (and tragically), Moringa grows in subtropical areas where malnutrition is most prevalent – particularly in West Africa. The problem is, the people living in these regions are largely unaware of the nutritional goldmine sitting in their backyards.