Nutrition is something that as a society we struggle with.
There are a number of reasons for this: the abundance and convenience of cheap, unhealthy foods, poverty, lack of education or awareness, and even simple preferences.
It would be incorrect to blame the issue on any one cause. It’s undoubtedly an issue, however; according to a 2015 report by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 87% of Americans eat fewer vegetables than recommended, and 75% eat fewer fruits than recommended as well.
This puts us at high risk for heart disease or high blood pressure.
This is part of the reason “superfoods” are so popular around the world, even among people who don’t think of themselves as particularly health-conscious.
Morningardens full Moringa Olieferia guide, Moringa 101 can be found in the article below:
Moringa Nutrition Facts
A 10-gram serving of Moringa leaf powder (the industry standard of daily consumption) has
- Calories: 28.70.
- Protein: 2.74 grams.
- Fat: .29 grams.
- Carbohydrates: 3.81 grams.
- Fiber: 2.44 grams.
- Vitamin B1: .17 milligrams.
- Vitamin C: 2.02 milligrams.
- Vitamin E: 9.70 milligrams.
- Calcium: 182.77 milligrams.
- Magnesium: 29.60 milligrams.
- Potassium: 145.80 milligrams.
- Iron: 3.11 milligrams.
This information is further broken down in the chart below, with daily values
Moringa Nutrition Chart
If food is nutrient-rich enough, after all, won’t it offset some of the more unhealthy food choices we make?
But nutrition isn’t that simple: there is no such thing as a single food that’s going to simultaneously solve your every health problem while also giving you free rein to eat all the fried ice cream you want.
If there were, I would have discovered it by now, and also I would be constantly eating fried ice cream.
Still, slow changes to your diet can help, and Moringa leaf powder is so full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (including heavyweights like Calcium, Iron, and Vitamin E) that even small amounts can potentially help quite a bit.
So let’s take a look at some basic Moringa factsheets below!
Remember to stay away from the Moringa pods and Moringa root unless you’ve done your research on them, and when people reference the Moringa tree, they are mostly talking about the Moringa leaves.
Moringa Nutrition Profile: an Overview
The nutrition information you see below is averaged from three different sources, including research studies and the USDA.
The Moringa Oleifera nutrient profile is dependent upon soil, weather conditions, cutting frequency, spacing, and (perhaps most importantly) drying method, so Moringa trees grown in Nigeria are going to have slightly different nutrient profiles than those grown in India, and those grown in India are going to have slightly different profiles than those grown in your backyard.
Taking an average gives us the best possible indication of what you can expect of any Moringa powder you buy, or of any Moringa leaves, you powder at home.
The below chart gives you nutrition information on 10 grams of Moringa leaf powder. 10 grams is the rough equivalent of .35 ounces or about 1.5 tablespoons. In other words, with one scoop of powder, you’re two-thirds of the way to your recommended daily Vitamin E intake.
One scoop of powder: you’re a sixth of the way done with Iron.
You’ll see that 10 grams of Moringa plant will give you a sizable chunk of many of your recommended daily values of vitamins and nutrients, like Thiamin, Vitamin E, Calcium, and Iron. It won’t give you everything!
If you want to supercharge your potassium intake, it’s still probably better to eat an avocado or a banana.
But those 10 grams of Moringa will still give you a ton of potential health benefits from the vitamins, nutrients, and anti-oxidants in the short time it takes you to sprinkle a spoonful on your breakfast.
Personally, I enjoy grinding up fresh moringa leaves, as it keeps the moringa nutrition high and the moringa leaves contain all the vital nutritional value.
Moringa Powder Nutrition Data
The chart above discusses 10 grams of Moringa for two reasons. First, 10 grams is the most commonly recommended daily serving size of Moringa in the industry and is all you need for the great health benefits of Moringa.
Second, though, is the issue of data literacy.
When you look for health benefits or nutritional quality information online, you’ll tend to see different versions of the same graphic: Moringa on the left side, other fruits and vegetables on the right, and bold text telling you that gram-for-gram, Moringa has X times the number of nutrients as bananas or berries or kale.
These charts are accurate, but they can also be unintentionally misleading because we don’t eat a 1:1 ratio of Moringa and bananas.
Yes, 100 grams of Moringa will have at least 3 times more potassium than 100 grams of banana, but 100 grams of Moringa is 10 times your daily serving size, and 100 grams of banana is actually a pretty small banana.
For example, a banana is about 120 grams on average, but most people are going to be taking around 10 grams of dried moringa leaf powder, meaning the comparison is a little unfair.
So, let’s take a look at a few more user-friendly comparison charts, so you can understand the different health benefits that Moringa Oleifera can bring!
Protein in Moringa Powder
If you want protein, your first thought might be to grab a steak, a few eggs, or a bowl of lentils.
But a large spoonful of Moringa sprinkled on your bowl of oatmeal will give you almost 3 grams of protein, and is definitely lower in fat and cholesterol than plenty of alternatives.
Remember, amino acids are the building blocks of protein, so moringa leaves contain tons of both!
Fiber in Moringa Powder
Fiber is another area where Moringa impresses; 10 grams of Moringa will give you almost 9% of your recommended daily value of fiber, or about as much fiber as a small banana.
You definitely don’t want to rely on Moringa for all of your fiber needs, but it’s a quick, easy (and yes, we think delicious) way to help improve your fiber intake and improve digestion.
Calcium in Moringa Powder
Here’s where Moringa starts going crazy. Calcium isn’t found in large doses in many fruits and vegetables, so if you avoid dairy, it can be difficult to find good sources of calcium in other places.
But 10 grams of Moringa will give you more than 14% of your daily recommended dose of Calcium: the equivalent of the calcium found in 36 bananas, 7+ avocados, or 4 and a half eggs.
Magnesium in Moringa Powder
According to the American Osteopathic Association, about 50% of Americans are magnesium deficient. Given that magnesium is vital for healthy immune systems, nerve and muscle function, and maintaining appropriate blood glucose levels, that’s a big problem!
A heaping spoon of Moringa powder will give you 7% of your DV, though: the equivalent of what’s found in 3 oranges or 6 apples.
Potassium in Moringa Powder
In the interest of transparency, it’s also important to note that Moringa probably won’t be quite enough to fill a deficiency.
Moringa will offer you a small amount of potassium: 3% of your recommended Daily Value, or about the equivalent of 2/3rds cup of strawberries, or one and a half eggs.
Moringa also contains some Vitamin C (about 2.4% DV). Still, if you’re interested specifically in increasing the amount of potassium or Vitamin C you consume each day, you’ll probably also want to supplement your Moringa usage with other yummy fruits and veggies.
Iron in Moringa Powder
Iron is another area where Moringa really shines, a 10-gram serving giving you the equivalent of 17% of your DV.
For comparison, that’s about 12 bananas, 31 oranges, 35 apples, or 4 eggs. Good news, given that iron, is essential to the creation of hemoglobin.
Vitamin B in Moringa Powder
Thiamin, or Vitamin B-1, helps your body turn carbohydrates into energy.
A thiamin deficiency, consequently, typically results in weakness, shortness of breath, and appetite loss.
Good thing that Moringa has so much of it: 10 grams of Moringa will give you about 14% of your recommended DV of thiamin, or the equivalent to about 5 cups of whole strawberries and 7 eggs.
Vitamin E in Moringa Powder
And finally, Vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and helps not only defend cells from damage caused by free radicals but also helps repair those damaged cells as well.
And 10 grams of Moringa will give you almost 65% of your recommended daily value.
For the record, that’s the equivalent of eating 57 oranges, 97 bananas, or 138 apples.
Moringa and Nutrition: Not a Magic Bullet, but Definitely a Big Help
Moringa (drumstick tree) isn’t a magic bullet: taking this miracle tree every day is not going to turn you into a superhero, or eliminate every disease you have.
But it’s a small, easy change away from traditional medicine that can potentially offer large, impressive results. Try it: our family has, and we’ve never been disappointed.
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