Moringa oleifera is a plant commonly found in tropical and sub-tropical areas in Asia and Africa. It is known as a "miracle tree" due to its multiple medical benefits. In addition, its leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots are often used to prepare folk medicines.

Are you curious to find out the benefits of moringa leaves? Then, you are in the right place. With this article, we will help you understand the benefits of this plant.

Over the years, the significance of moringa leaves has been prominent. The leaves are versatile and can have multiple uses. When dried, the leaves can be turned into powder and stored for a long time in the refrigerator. Here are some of the health benefits of moringa leaves.

1. Fights Inflammation

Inflammation is your body’s ability to naturally respond to pain and injury. However, any injury or infection can aggravate this process. Also, inflammation is one of the root causes of cancer, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. Now, moringa leaves contain isothiocyanates, which make them anti-inflammatory. A worn lifestyle and unhealthy diets can cause major inflammation in the body. Long-term inflammation can end up causing major chronic health concerns. Incorporating Moringa leaves in your diet will enable you to reduce inflammation and thereby avoid such chronic illnesses.

2. Manages Blood Sugar Levels

Managing blood sugar levels has become a major requirement in recent times. An increase in this level can cause diseases like diabetes. In addition, it can cause heart problems and organ damage. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the blood sugar levels under proper check. Moringa leaves are often considered a great remedy for keeping your blood sugar levels. It contains isothiocyanates, which can prevent diabetes.

3. Manages Cholesterol Levels

Weak heart conditions have often contributed to poor quality of life. High cholesterol often interferes in the way of having a healthy heart. Moringa leaves are known for their ability to control and manage cholesterol levels. These leaves use their nutritional values to lower bad cholesterol levels and thereby avoid getting heart diseases. Pregnant women are advised to consume these leaves since they have a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes.

4. Protects the Liver

The liver is an important organ of the body. It is responsible for handling blood detoxification, fat metabolism and nutrient absorption. If the liver enzymes are not working properly, these functions will fail in your body. In particular, tuberculosis patients are likely to suffer from liver problems because of anti-tubercular drugs. Moringa leaves contain a high concentration of polyphenols. These can protect your liver from oxidative damage. They also increase the protein levels in the liver, making it healthier. TB patients are advised to consume these leaves since they can accelerate the repair of the liver cells.

5. Fights Arsenic Toxicity

Arsenic contamination is a common problem in various parts of the world. It can contaminate the food you eat without your knowledge. Particularly, rice and grains easily fall victim to arsenic. Long-term exposure to such contamination can cause heart diseases and even cancer. Consuming moringa leaves can protect your body from arsenic contamination.

6. Improves Stomach Health

If you suffer from digestive issues, moringa leaves can help you recover. This is because these leaves contain antibiotic and antimicrobial properties. These properties make this plant capable of handling digestive issues and provide an ideal remedy against such disorders. Moreover, it contains Vitamin B, which can also tend to digestive problems. A healthy stomach is essential for improving the quality of life. However, any problems with the stomach can cause multiple issues, including bloating, constipation, gas, gastritis and ulcerative colitis. Consumption of moringa leaves can help you avoid such issues.

7. Makes Bones Stronger

Maintaining bone strength becomes a major liability after a certain age. Therefore, consuming moringa leaves regularly can be beneficial. These are rich sources of calcium and phosphorus. These can contribute to strengthening your bones and protecting them from becoming fragile. Moreover, these leaves have an anti-inflammatory nature, enabling them to protect consumers against arthritis. Finally, consuming these leaves can help you heal your damaged and injured bones faster.

8. Helps in Lactation

Moringa leaves improved lactation in the ancient ages when scholars included it in developing ayurvedic medication. These can increase lactation in pregnant women and women who recently gave birth. Moreover, its contents of protein, important vitamins, and nutrients ensure that there are hardly any issues regarding insufficient lactation of the mother, harming the baby.

9. Helps Manage Weight

If you plan to develop a diet for reducing weight, you must incorporate moringa leaves. These contain essential nutrients that can increase fat burning properties in your body. As a result, it can help you lose weight without causing any harm or depleting your energy reserves. A diet rich in moringa leaves will help you feel buoyant and nourished. You will find such food more fulfilling, reducing your cravings for unhealthy food. It will also increase your metabolism while lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. This way, you can manage a healthy weight.

10. Keeps Skin and Hair Healthy

In this world of increasing pollution, taking care of skin and hair has become a common problem. Moringa leaves are rich sources of antioxidants and nutrients, which enables them to enhance the health of your skin and hair. The antioxidants can help eliminate the fine lines and wrinkles of the skin. In addition, applying masks made from these leaves can be beneficial for acne-prone skin. Apart from that, Moringa leaves can strengthen the hair follicles, thereby protecting hair from falling. Furthermore, applying a paste of these leaves on hair can reduce dandruff and add bounce to lifeless hair conditions.

11. Protects the Nervous System

Moringa leaves can handle your nervous system, preventing nervous disorders. These leaves support healthy brain functions while acting as neuro-enhancers. In addition, it has a high concentration of Vitamins E and C presence, which can help combat neural degeneration.

If you suffer from recurring headaches, such as migraine attacks, regular consumption of moringa leaves can be beneficial. These stabilise the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline. Such neurotransmitters are important for maintaining memory, mood and stimulus-response.

The scientific reasons behind its health benefits is justified by the nutritional value of moringa leaves. This is because these leaves are loaded with multiple nutrients. The following table depicts the number of nutrients in 100gms fresh moringa leaves.

Now that you know the benefits of eating moringa leaves, here are some ways you can incorporate these leaves into your daily diet.

• Juice: This is the simplest way of having moringa leaves. Start heating water and add the moringa leaves. While boiling it, add some lemon juice and honey. Then, turn down the heat and strain the water. You can enjoy the juice and utilise the benefits of moringa leaves.
• Smoothie: You can prepare a yummy smoothie with moringa leaves if you think juice is boring. Chop some fruits like apples, mangoes and pineapples. Turn moringa leaves into powder, or purchase the powder directly. Add the fruits, moringa powder and peanut butter to your blender. Blend it well and pour it into a glass.
• Toppings: Moringa leaves can be used as toppings. You can chop the leaves into small pieces and sprinkle these on top of soups and creamy dishes. It will enhance the flavour of the dish while increasing its health benefits.
• Baked items: You can easily incorporate moringa leaves while preparing these if you are into baking. For instance, you can add a spoonful of moringa powder while preparing the batter for your brownies, cakes and muffins. Moreover, you can add it to your zucchini bread as well.
• Salad: Another easy way of incorporating moringa leaves into your daily diet is adding them to your homemade salad dressing. You can chop some moringa leaves and add them to your salad and other vegetables like carrots, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, etc.

While there are multiple benefits of consuming moringa leaves, you should also consider some of the side effects of overconsumption. Side effects the doctors suggest people avoid consuming the roots of the moringa plant, which contains alkaloid spirochin. It is a neuro-paralytic toxin which can cause paralysis and death.

As discussed already, moringa leaves have laxative properties. Therefore, its overconsumption can cause heartburn, stomach upset, gaseous distension, and diarrhoea. Moreover, if you consume raw leaves, it can cause heartburn. Therefore, it is preferable to cook the leaves before consuming them.

Furthermore, some studies have shown that overconsumption of this leaf can cause gum bleeding and reduce the platelets and white blood cells count in your body.

There are not many side effects of consuming moringa leaves. However, if you take medication for diabetes, blood pressure or thyroid, you should avoid consuming this vegetable. You should consult your physician and ensure that it is safe to consume these leaves and the medicines.

In some parts of the world, it is believed that this plant can be toxic during the monsoon season. Therefore, particularly in Kerala, people are advised not to consume this plant between July and August. Moreover, people consuming blood-thinning medicines like Warfarin should avoid this plant or consume it only after consulting the doctors.

Thus, you are probably aware of the various benefits of moringa leaves. This plant is used in preparing most ayurvedic medicines because of its essential nutrient content. In addition, it can help you maintain a healthy weight, hair, skin, etc. However, you must maintain the precautions mentioned in this article.