Daily Times

In an increasingly health conscious society Moringa has taken the world by storm. Known as the miracle plant its known to have many health benefits. It’s nutrient-packed. Moringa is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids; it fights free radicals, and inflammation. Research has also shown that it helps to reduce diabetic symptoms and protects the cardiovascular system. Moreover, the antimicrobial and antibacterial properties in Moringa help to fight inflammation and support brain health and the liver. In fact, Moringa is said to provide 7 times more vitamin C than oranges, 10 times more vitamin A than carrots, 17 times more calcium than milk, 9 times more protein than yoghurt, 15 times more potassium than bananas and 25 times more iron than spinach, thus living up to its name as ‘The Miracle Tree’.

Like many other plants when processed the nutritive value diminishes. So to keep all the benefits of the leaves intact the best way is to dry them and grind them into powder leaving all the nutritive values intact. Some socially and environmentally friendly companies like IRDC Organics provide products that are of controlled quality and have high nutritional value like the IRDC Moringa Powder, or Moringa capsules to fulfill nutritional supplementation.

Socially aware companies like IRDC Organics have taken amazing initiatives where they gave out around a 100 samples to new mothers to increase lactation and undernourished children so they are not lacking in any major vitamins. These samples were handed to doctors for people who could not afford the necessary vitamins

What started as traditional practice and knowledge, is being publicized by international aid agencies, health care workers, and the private sector, to educate people around the world as a viable innovation to combat under-nutrition including micronutrient deficiencies, control blood sugar and could possibly control some effects of cancer. We have so many places in Pakistan that could greatly benefit from the right awareness of how beneficial and cost effective this solution is. People are consuming vitamins which are expensive and are chemically prepared. This is a much cheaper solution which is free of chemicals and is so much better for overall health. Socially aware companies like IRDC Organics have taken amazing initiatives where they gave out around a 100 samples to new mothers to increase lactation and undernourished children so they are not lacking in any major vitamins. These samples were handed to doctors for people who could not afford the necessary vitamins. The results of taking moringa capsules after a month were astounding. The kids who were previously under nourished had fresher faces, rosier cheeks and were more alert. Lactating mothers who had trouble producing milk, after taking moringa capsules their feed increased.

In places like Thar and some parts of southern Punjab people face severe malnutrition. Lack of food and scarcity of water has made the living conditions there unbearable. Pakistan’s government needs to focus on alternative superfoods like moringa to combat malnutrition. The tropical drought-resistant tree Moringa oleifera has been introduced to Africa and South America. The leaves are consumed raw, cooked like other green leaves, or as a dried, concentrated powder. It has been claimed to have unusually high contents of calcium, iron, vitamin A, and high-quality protein and low contents of antinutrients such as tannins and oxalates. Moringa leaves have therefore been promoted as a potential low-cost, high-quality food.

The writer is a director at 8.2OZ. She can be reached at mela.anum@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, December 26^th 2018.