Moringa oil is relatively inexpensive to buy, and there are a number of reputable sources for Moringa oil out there.
There’s definitely a certain pleasure that comes with making your own oil, however.
So if you’re a DIY-type, roll up your sleeves and get ready, because we’re going to make Moringa oil!
How to Make Moringa Oil
To make Moringa oil you first will deshell the seeds, then quickly remove the seed oil with an oil press. Next, you need to let the oil rest for a few days and then finally pour it slowly into a bottle to decant the oil.
Knowing how to make Moringa oil and then making it is a fun activity.
To this day it is still one of my favorite activities.
More information on making your own oil and a breakdown of each of these steps is below!
Our complete one-stop-shop guide, Moringa 101 can be found in the article below:
DIY Moringa Oil
Making any type of oil is vastly easier if you have an oil press.
However, oil presses definitely have their downsides.
First, they’re relatively expensive: most presses I’ve seen are within the $200-$500 range.
If you’re at all interested in making moringa oil and milk, I’d definitely recommend one; my favorite press, Happybuy’s Stainless Extractor, can be used with everything from nuts and seeds to coconuts and beans.
If you’re only interested in making Moringa oil, a $200+ machine is probably way more than you’re willing to pay.
More importantly, though, while oil presses make the oil extraction process super easy, they also tend to extract less oil than you’d get if you did it manually.
Most cold presses are only able to extract about 70% of the oil from the seeds. Which is good! It’s just not as good as the near-100% you’d get if you used a manual method.
Both methods have pros and cons.
These instructions, therefore, will include both: making Moringa oil with an oil press and without one. Each method begins with the same step, however:
How To Make Malunggay Oil (Moringa Oil)
Sometimes, you’ll see Moringa referenced as Malunggay.
There is no difference and Malunggay is just the name that is associated with Moringa in the Philippines.
Let this be your heads up in case you see it referenced that way out there on the internet!
Step 1: De-Shell the Seeds
This step assumes that you’ve already removed the seeds from the Moringa drumsticks. If you haven’t done so, simply split the drumstick in half using a knife, and then gently remove the seeds.
De-shelling your seeds are the key to knowing how to make Moringa oil
There are a few different ways to de-shell the seeds, but the simplest method is just doing it by hand.
Pinch the Moringa seed between two fingers. Then gently use a fingernail on your other hand to dig into the shell and peel it away. It might take a couple of tries to get the entire shell off, but Moringa shells tend to peel off easily.
The manual method might be the most straightforward, but it makes my wrists ache after ten minutes, so it’s not actually the method I’d recommend. Honestly, I’d suggest simply using a nutcracker.
The Bradshaw nutcracker I use cost me less than $3. All I do is pinch the seed between the nutcracker just hard enough to crack it, and then peel off the shell. It takes ten seconds.
Note the longer you leave the seeds without shells, the darker your moringa seed oil becomes.
Once you crack them, use them.
Step 2: Remove the Oil
How to Extract Oil from Moringa Seeds
If you have an oil press, the oil extraction process becomes very simple.
First, turn the machine on.
Even most cold press extractors require low heat in order to fully extract all of the moringa seed oil; give the oil extractor 5-10 minutes to warm up.
Once it’s warm, you can begin the extraction process. Your oil extractor will contain a funnel.
This is where the Moringa seeds go. Pour your seeds slowly into the funnel, pushing them inside with your fingertip if necessary. Within a minute or two, the Moringa oil will begin dripping out of the extractor into a container.
The seed cake (in other words, what’s left of the seeds when all the oil has been removed) will also start emerging from the extractor.
I normally collect it and use it as fertilizer, but you can also absolutely use it for water purification. We’ll be writing an article on Moringa as a water purifying agent soon!
Depending on how large your machine is, and how many Moringa seeds you’re using, the whole process could take anywhere between five minutes and upwards of an hour.
Waiting is the hardest thing about this step, however; the oil extractor will do all of the work for you.
Your oil-to-seed ratio is not going to be a perfect 1:1. Moringa oil only makes up about 37% of the seeds, and the cold press will only extract about 70% of that.
That equates to a little over 1/4th of total volume. In other words, if you process 1 pound of Moringa seeds, your end result will be about a quarter pound of oil.
Manual Moringa Oil Extraction
If you don’t have an oil extractor, the process is going to take a little longer, but it’s still way easier than you’d think.
Pour your seeds into a skillet or frying pan. If you have a lot of Moringa seeds, only pour enough for one layer.
Turn your stove on medium heat and roast the Moringa seeds until their insides start to brown.
This part gets tricky because the outsides of the seeds remain white. I find that it normally takes about 15 minutes or so on my stove, but every couple of minutes I’d suggest cutting a Moringa seed open to check.
While your seeds are roasting, fill a pot with water and place it on another burner. Keep it on low-medium while waiting for the Moringa seeds to finish roasting, and then pour the seeds into the burner.
Turn the heat up to medium or medium-high until the water begins to boil. Within a few minutes of the water boiling, you’ll begin to see Moringa oil seeping out of the seeds and floating to the top.
Keep the water at a boil for about 20-25 minutes, depending on how many seeds are in your pot.
Within 25 minutes, all of the moringa seed oil should now have made its way to the top of your water.
Using a spoon, carefully skim the oil off the top of the water and into a separate container. Then let it cool.
Now, no matter which step you’ve followed, your oil is still going to contain a little bit of water. That’s why this next step is so important.
Step 3: Let the Oil Rest
This is the step people skip most often, but unless you plan on using your oil within the hour, it’s 100% crucial.
When you first extract your moringa oil, there are still going to be water molecules and seed residue inside of it. That’s normal! But if you don’t let the oil rest for a few days, those water molecules are going to spoil the oil entirely.
Don’t make my mistakes! Take your container of oil, place it in a nice, cool spot, and let it rest for 3 days. The water will evaporate, and any remaining seed particles will settle, leaving you with a beautiful, golden oil you can now decant and use for cooking.
Step 4: Decant the Oil
Your oil is ready, and now all you have to do is pour it into its final resting place.
The actual oil bottle you use doesn’t really matter here. I like Aozita’s bottle set because it’s super cute while also being super cheap, but ultimately you can choose whichever you like best (although I have found that darker bottles tend to store moringa oil a little longer).
To decant the oil, simply pour it slowly from the container into its new home. Don’t slosh it around too much! Doing so will disturb any seed residue, and your oil will start to look a little murky (though the taste and nutrition won’t change).
If you want your oil as clear as can be, you can also filter it. I normally use Grade 50 cheesecloth. This step is absolutely optional, however.
Step 5: Use It
And you’re done!
Congratulations on creating your very own Moringa oil. If you’re not sure how to use it, stay tuned! We’ll be uploading an article on our favorite uses of Moringa oil later this week.
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This is so informative, thank you so much.