MORINGA (MALUNGGAY, in our country, the Philippines)
With the entire hullabaloo about this so called ‘wonder plant, miracle tree, super plant, and other what-have-you names for this plant, did you know that Moringa or Malunggay is food for the poor in our country? It is associated with the poor for it is easy to grow and grows anywhere.
Just break a branch, leave it on the ground, without even planting it, it will surely grow.
With recent studies of its health benefits, one of our legislators, Sen. Loren Legarda, proposed a bill titled Malunggay Development Act in the Senate under Bill No. 104. As of July 23, 2013, it is still pending in the Committee.
As quoted, her bill states “to spur the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of this plant in suitable areas of the country in order to acquire the benefits of the exceptionally nutritious and productive but underutilized this tropical crop”.
Also, there is a foundation called the Moringaling Philippines Foundation, Inc. (MPFI) which is a network organization serving the moringa supply chain in the Philippines. For more details about this foundation, here is their website, moringaling.net
This is a moringa/malunggay plant, grown in our backyard
These are the leaves of a moringa plant up close
Before you cook it, you have to pluck each leaf from its twigs and it will look like these
These are the fruits of a moringa plant.
There are many health benefits that you can get from these leaves. According to MPFI study, you can have as much as seven times more Vitamin C than oranges, three times more potassium than bananas, four times more Vitamin A than carrots, two times more protein and four times more calcium than milk, for every pound of moringa leaves.
Moringa/Malunggay is rich in antioxidants that can prevent several lifestyle-related ailments such as cardiovascular diseases, heart problems, high blood pressure, and cancer.
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View Comments
@Ruby ,
I love moringa or malunggay as we call it here in the Philippines, not only because of its nutritious values but also because it is delicious when cooked in coconut milk or even when you mix it in tamarind soup base dish.
Actually, malnourished children in public schools here in the Philippines are said to fed with the nutri-Ban (a big round bread) made of flour and with the powdered moringa leaves partnered with powdered milk. Other dishes with moringa were fed to the children everyday at school and even in daycare centers. After a month of continuous feeding of foods with moringa, the children were weighed and they had increase in their weights.
This wonder veggie can help alleviate malnutrition too, it being a very nutritious food.
It made me hungry when you mentioned the dish wherein you cook it with coconut milk, so really yummy! And I remembered Mama Edith with this kind of dish.
I did not know that the nutri-ban has moringa as an ingredient. An additional information for me, thanks!
I like moringa leaves, I boil it then put it in a blender and turn it into a smoothie so it is easier to eat(drink) and so as to maximize its nutritional effect. I do not add anything, just water.
How does it taste? I suppose it's bitter tasting.
For me, I better eat it because the leaves itself helps us with our metabolism.
Does the smoothie give the same effect too?
I haven't tried making it into smoothie.
Mostly we make it as a viand by combining it with young papaya fruit (the green one) and boil it and adding fish paste to taste.
But for some people, they have an allergic reaction with these moringa leaves.
I once had an officemate that everytime he eats these leaves, it made him sick and gives him a headache.
Maybe lesson learn here is that, test everything before taking it to your system.
I believe it's food for the poor. I believe that God created this planet so that everybody can live off of it and survive. We just need to learn to eat what's good for us. Isn't it kind of ridiculous that politicians have to initiate bills to get others to grow good food for people? But this is the world we live in. At least, some constructive action is being taken for the good of the people.
I truly agree with you. God created this plant so that people can have access of this 24/7.
I know, it really is ridiculous to make a bill out of it. Maybe because the legislator sees really the importance of propagating this plant to help everyone.
does it grow for ever and dont need any care, everything needs food and oxygen, you dont have to planet or anythings