Moringa Benefits Hormonal Balance, Digestion, Mood & More

To date, more than 1,300 studies, articles and reports have focused on moringa benefits, finding that it contains compounds that are especially important in parts of the world where disease outbreak and nutritional deficiencies are common.

Research shows that just about every part of the moringa plant can be utilized in some way, whether it’s to make a potent antioxidant macerate or produce an oily substance that lubricates and nourishes the skin, among many other possible uses.

What Is Moringa?

Moringa (moringa oleifera) is known by over 100 names in different languages around the world. This easy-to-grow tropical plant species, native to the Himalayan Mountains and parts of India and Africa, comes packed with more than 90 protective compounds, including isothiocyanates, flavonoids and phenolic acids.

There are actually believed to be at least a dozen different varieties of the moringa tree, which belong to the plant family Moringaceae. These are fast-growing, tall, leafy plants that produce flowers or pods.

Of all the species, one (moringa oleifera) is by far the most utilized. Prior to the plant’s effects being demonstrated in scientific studies, it was used extensively in traditional medicine practices like Ayurveda medicine for thousands of years.

Moringa has gained a reputation for fighting inflammation and combating various effects of malnutrition and aging, earning the nickname “the miracle plant.”

Benefits of moringa include helping in a wide variety of conditions, such as:

• inflammation-related diseases
• cancer
• diabetes
• anaemia
• low energy and fatigue
• arthritis and other joint pain, such as rheumatism
• allergies and asthma
• constipation, stomach pain and diarrhoea
• epilepsy
• stomach and intestinal ulcers or spasms
• chronic headaches
• heart problems, including high blood pressure
• kidney stones
• fluid retention
• thyroid disorders
• low erotic drive
• bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic infections

Nutrition Facts

Moringa is a unique plant because almost all parts of it – leaves, seeds, flowers/pods, stem and roots – can be used for their nutritional or healing properties.

The most popular use of this plant involves drying and grinding down moringa leaves, where most of the antioxidants and other healthy properties are found. A 2022 study revealed the moringa leaves “contain almost all essential nutrients, growth factors, vitamins, amino acids, proteins, minerals, and metals like potassium, iron, and zinc.”

Studies have also shown that moringa powder is loaded with phytochemicals, protein, calcium, beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium. Because it provides a concentrated source of vitamin A, it’s given to thousands of children in third-world countries every year suffering from life-threatening vitamin A deficiency, which is linked to impaired immune function.

Consuming it can also improve intake of trace minerals, amino acids and phenolic compounds. The plant contains a rare and unique combination of disease-preventing phytonutrients, including flavonoids, glucosides, glucosinolates, zeatin, quercetin, beta-sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol.

Aside from the valuable leaves, the pods of the moringa tree also contain seeds that hold a healing type of oil. Oil from moringa seeds can be used to cook with or put directly onto the surface of the body.

According to Kuli Kuli, an organization that harvests moringa plants in Africa, each gram of the plant contains:

• two times the amount of protein of yogurt
• four times the amount of vitamin A as carrots
• three times the amount of potassium as bananas
• four times the amount of calcium as cow milk
• seven times the amount of vitamin C as oranges

Moringa Benefits

1. Provides Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory Compounds

Moringa oleifera seems to have similar abilities as certain conventional drugs – only it doesn’t pose the same level of risk for experiencing side effects.

According to a report published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, it contains a mix of essential amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), carotenoid phytonutrients (the same kinds found in plants like carrots and tomatoes), antioxidants, such as quercetin, and natural antibacterial compounds that work in the same way as many anti-inflammatory drugs.

Studies have shown that these compounds are protective of the heart, natural circulatory stimulants, and possess anti-tumour, anti-epileptic, anti-ulcer, anti-spasmodic, anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic effects.

Moringa powder is high in several powerful anti-aging compounds that lower the effects of free radicals, oxidative stress and inflammation. These are associated with a reduced risk for chronic diseases, such as stomach, lung or colon cancer; diabetes; hypertension; and age-related eye disorders.

2. Balances Hormones and Slows the Effects of Aging

A 2014 study published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology tested the effects of moringa (sometimes also called “drumstick”) along with amaranth leaves (Amaranthus tricolor) on levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in menopausal adult women. Researchers wanted to investigate if these superfoods could help slow the effects of aging by balancing hormones naturally.

Levels of antioxidant status, including serum retinol, serum ascorbic acid, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde, were analysed before and after supplementation, along with fasting blood glucose and haemoglobin levels.

Results showed that supplementing with moringa and amaranth caused significant increases in antioxidant status along with significant decreases in markers of oxidative stress. Better fasting blood glucose control and positive increases in haemoglobin were also found.

Can moringa help your erotic life? There’s some evidence it may boost the erotic drive, according to some animal studies. It’s historically been used as a natural aphrodisiac.

3. Helps Improve Digestive Health

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, moringa has been used in ancient systems of medicine, such as Ayurveda, to prevent or help in treating stomach ulcers, liver disease, kidney damage, fungal or yeast infections (such as candida), digestive complaints, and infections.

A common use of moringa oil is helping to boost liver function, therefore detoxifying the body of harmful substances, such as heavy metal toxins. It might also be capable of helping fight kidney stones, urinary tract infections, constipation, fluid retention/oedema and diarrhoea.

4. Balances Blood Sugar Levels, Helping Fight Diabetes

Moringa contains a type of acid called chlorogenic acid, which has been shown to help control blood sugar levels and allow cells to take up or release glucose (sugar) as needed. This gives it natural anti-diabetic and hormone-balancing properties.

Aside from chlorogenic acid, compounds called isothiocyanates that are present in moringa leaf have also been tied to natural protection against diabetes.

A study that appeared in the International Journal of Food Science Technology found that this plant had beneficial effects on blood sugar control and insulin levels in patients with diabetes when eaten as part of a high-carbohydrate meal.

Separate studies have demonstrated that anti-diabetic activities of low doses of moringa seed powder (50–100 milligrams per kilogram body weight) help increase antioxidant status and enzyme production within the liver, pancreas and kidneys of rats and prevent damage compared to control groups.

High levels of immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG), fasting blood sugar and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) – three markers seen in diabetics – were also found to decrease as a result of moringa given to rats with diabetes.

Can moringa help you lose weight? Because it can improve insulin sensitivity and hormone balance, it may offer some advantages to those following a weight loss plan.

5. Protects and Nourishes the Skin

Several popular uses of moringa oil are to help retain skin’s moisture, speed up wound healing, and soothe dry or burnt skin.

Moringa contains natural antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral compounds that protect the skin from various forms of infections. Some of the common ways it is used on the skin include reducing athlete’s foot, eliminating odours, reducing inflammation associated with acne breakouts, treating pockets of infection or abscesses, getting rid of dandruff, fighting gum disease (gingivitis), and helping heal bites, burns, viral warts and wounds.

The oil is applied directly to the skin as a drying, astringent agent used to kill bacteria, but at the same time, when used regularly it’s known to act like a lubricant and hydrate the skin by restoring its natural moisture barrier. It’s a common ingredient used in food manufacturing and perfumes because it prevents spoilage by killing bacteria – plus it has a pleasant smell and reduces odours.

6. Helps Stabilize Your Mood and Protects Brain Health

A high-protein food, moringa is also rich in antioxidants and compounds that may improve thyroid health, which makes it beneficial for maintaining high energy levels plus fighting fatigue, depression, moods swings and insomnia.

7. Good for the Environment (Water and Topsoil)

A noteworthy characteristic of the moringa plant is that it’s capable of growing in depleted or dry soils where many other types of beneficial plants or trees cannot survive. This is precisely why certain undernourished populations, such as Somalia or India, have benefited from it during times of famine.

Aside from providing important nutrients, it is used to help restore fertile soil, aid in forest restoration efforts and filter water.

One interesting use of the seeds is for water purification. Combining moringa with water helps impurities cling to the seeds so they can be removed, leaving behind better quality water that’s lower in toxins.

Salt also seems to bind to moringa, which is beneficial for producing fresh-tasting water.

Some studies have shown that 0.2 grams of ground moringa seed can turn one litre of contaminated water into safe drinking water. This is due to the coagulating actions of certain ingredients in the plant that absorb bacteria.

How to Use

As you can probably tell by now, this plant can be used in many different ways in order to utilize all the available moringa benefits. Because of the long transport time needed to ship moringa from parts of Africa or Asia where it’s grown, in the U.S. and Europe it’s usually sold in powder or capsule form, which prolongs its shelf life.

There’s no recommended or required dosage of moringa at this time since it’s only a plant supplement and not an essential nutrient. That said, there’s some evidence that the optimum dose for people has been calculated to be 29 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

It’s recommended that you start by taking half a teaspoon of dried moringa orally per day for three to five days, increasing your intake slowly over two weeks as you get acclimated to its effects.

Some people noticed it can cause laxative effects and an upset stomach when overused.

Here are the most common ways to use moringa to get the best moringa benefits possible:

• Dried moringa leaves or moringa powder: It takes roughly seven pounds of moringa leaves to make one pound of dried moringa powder. The leaves are considered the most potent parts of the plant, containing the most antioxidants and available macronutrients. Follow dosage directions carefully, taking up to 5-7 grams daily for up to three weeks at a time (which has been shown to be safe, according to studies).
• Moringa macerate: The most nutrient-dense types of moringa leaves are organic and dried slowly under low temperatures, which helps preserve delicate compounds. Avoid boiling the leaves to help retain the nutrients best, and don’t cook with moringa if possible. Make a macerate instead, like you would do with the leaves of any other medicinal plant.
• Moringa seeds: The pods and flowers appear to have a high phenolic content along with proteins and fatty acids. These are the parts of the plant used to purify water and add protein to low-nutrient diets. Look for them added to creams, capsules and powders. The immature green pods of the plant are often called “drumsticks” and are prepared similarly to green beans. The seeds inside the pods are removed and roasted or dried just like nuts to preserve their freshness.
• Moringa oil: The oil from seeds is sometimes called Ben oil. Look for it in natural creams or lotions. Keep the oil in a cool, dark place away from high temperatures or the sun.

Risks and Side Effects

Because it’s completely natural and free from chemical additives (when you buy a pure, high-quality brand), when taken orally or used on the skin it seems to be very well-tolerated.

Moringa side effects are still possible for very sensitive people and may include:

• lower blood pressure
• slowed heart rate
• uterine contractions
• cell mutations when high amounts of seeds are consumed
• interference with fertility

Leaves, fruit, oil and seeds from the moringa tree have been consumed safely for thousands of years, but today there are various forms of supplements or extracts sold, so it’s important to buy the purest kind you can find and to read ingredient labels carefully to ensure you get the most moringa benefits possible.

During pregnancy or when breastfeeding, it’s best to avoid moringa extract, root or high doses of supplements. It’s possible that chemicals within the plant’s root, bark and flowers can lead to contractions of the uterus, which can cause complications during pregnancy.

Final Thoughts

Moringa benefits include providing antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, balancing hormones and slowing the effects of aging, improving digestive health, balancing blood sugar levels and helping fight diabetes, protecting and nourishing the skin, and helping stabilize mood and protect brain health.

There are actually believed to be at least a dozen different varieties of this plant, but one (moringa oleifera) is by far the most utilized.

Most commonly, supplements are made from dried moringa leaf, which forms a powder. Other forms include macerate and oil/tincture.

It’s a great source of nutrients including antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, calcium and even amino acids, which are responsible for many of the moringa benefits noted here.

 

yogaesoteric
June 29, 2025

 

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