Benefits Of Moringa

Moringa oleifera, a fast-growing and highly useful tree native to India and grown in tropical climates throughout the world, produces edible leaves -- similar to spinach -- that may be eaten as a vegetable. Moringa seeds are also edible and used like peanuts, and the roots can stand in for horseradish. A variety of health benefits are attributed to moringa, some of which have been proven through scientific studies.
Heart Health
A laboratory animal study published in the February 2009 issue of the "Journal of Medicinal Food" found that moringa leaf prevented heart damage and provided antioxidant benefits. In the study, doses of 200 milligrams per kilogram body weight daily for 30 days resulted in lower levels of oxidized lipids and protected heart tissue from structural damage. Researchers concluded that moringa may offer significant benefits for heart health. More studies are needed to determine whether these benefits extend to humans.
Anticancer
Anticancer benefits of moringa leaf extract were demonstrated in a tissue culture study of human cervical cancer cells published in the June 2011 issue of the journal "Food and Chemical Toxicology." Moringa extract promoted early cell death and prevented growth and reproduction of the cancer cells, leading researchers to conclude that moringa leaf shows potential as a natural cancer preventive. A study on laboratory animals published in the 2011 issue of the "Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention" found that diets supplemented with moringa seed pod extract for three weeks inhibited colon cancer.
Antidiabetic
Antidiabetic properties of moringa come from its high levels of zinc, a mineral required for production of insulin, according to the University of Wiconsin LaCrosse. Traditional healers in South Africa rely on moringa as one of about two dozen plants for the treatment of diabetes, report researchers of a study published in the May 2012 issue of the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology." The researchers concluded that the healers showed an accurate working knowledge of the causes of diabetes and basic approach required to treat the disease. In a laboratory animal study published in the June 2012 issue of the "Journal of Diabetes," doses of 150 milligrams per kilogram body weight of moringa for 21 days exerted significant antidiabetic benefits.
Arthritis Relief
Moringa may help reduce inflammation and pain of some forms of arthritis, according to a study that appeared in the February 2011 issue of the "Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine." In the laboratory animal study, moringa root and leaf extracts reduced sensitivity to painful stimuli and improved function in arthritic joints. Researchers also noted that a combination of root and leaf extracts had a "synergistic effect" at reducing pain.