Nutritional Value Of Moringa

The most amazing fact about moringa is that it is a storehouse of nutrients and medicinal chemicals. The various parts of this plant are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron and protein. It contains a plethora of phytonutrients, eight essential amino acids and other powerful disease fighting antioxidants. According to the Ayurveda, moringa comprises of around 539 compounds capable of preventing 300 diseases. Moringa contains more than 90 nutrients and 46 different antioxidants which make it a powerhouse of nutrition. The table given below provides a gist of the nutritional value of this wonderful plant.

Nutrient	Dried leaves	Fresh leaves
Vitamin A	6.78 mg	18.9 mg
Thiamin (B1)	0.06 mg	2.64 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	0.05 mg	20.5 mg
Niacin (B3)	0.8 mg	8.2 mg
Vitamin C	220 mg	17.3 mg
Calcium	440 mg	2,003 mg
Calories	92 cal	205 cal
Carbohydrates	12.5 g	38.2 g
Copper	0.07 mg	0.57 mg
Fat	1.70 g	2.3 g
Fiber	0.90 g	19.2 g
Iron	0.85 mg	28.2 mg
Magnesium	42 mg	368 mg
Phosphorus	70 mg	204 mg
Potassium	259 mg	1,324 mg
Protein	6.70 g	27.1g
Zinc	0.16 mg	3.29 mg

Moringa leaves are a storehouse of nutrients. They contain seven times more potassium than bananas and twice the amount of protein as that contained in milk. Milk is considered to be an important source of calcium, but moringa leaves contain four times more calcium than milk. They contain four times more vitamin A or beta carotene than carrots. Moringa powder which is prepared by grinding the dried leaves of moringa contain seven times more vitamin C than oranges, 25 times the amount of iron in spinach, 36 times the amount of magnesium in eggs, 50 times more vitamin B3 than peanuts and 50 times more vitamin B2 than bananas.

Moringa leaves compared to common foods

Values per 100gm. edible portion

Nutrient	Moringa Leaves	Other Foods
Vitamin A	6780 mcg	Carrots: 1890 mcg
Vitamin C	220 mg	Oranges: 30 mg
Calcium	440 mg	Cow’s milk: 120 mg
Potassium	259 mg	Bananas: 88 mg
Protein	6.7 gm	Cow’s milk: 3.2 gm

In addition to these nutrients, moringa leaves contains all the essential amino acids needed for growth and development of the body.

Amino Acid Content of Moringa Leaves:

All values are per 100 grams of edible portion.

Fresh Leaves Dried Leaves.

Nutrient	Dried leaves	Fresh leaves
Arginine	406.6 mg	1,325 mg
Histidine	149.8 mg	613 mg
Isoleucine	299.6 mg	825 mg
Leucine	492.2 mg	1,950 mg
Lysine	342.4 mg	1,325 mg
Methionine	117.7 mg	350 mg
Phenylalinine	310.3 mg	1,388 mg
Threonine	117.7 mg	1,188 mg
Tryptophan	107 mg	425 mg
Valine	374.5 mg	1,063 mg

 

Looking at the benefits of Moringa , it is imperative to include it in our diets and daily regime. With its antioxidant, purifying and detox properties it is the skin’s best friend. Always do a patch test before applying any new product on your skin like ben oil and the paste of moringa leaves. Moringa is an easy and delicious way to reap the benefits.