Abstract

MORINGA OLEIFERA: A REVIEW ON MEDICINAL AND NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES

Kushwaha Pratibha* and Paul Virginia

ABSTRACT

Moringa is rich in nutrition owing to the presence of a variety of essential phytochemicals present in its leaves, pods and seeds. 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. The fact that moringa is easily cultivable makes it a sustainable remedy for malnutrition. Moringa can also be preserved for a long time without loss of nutrients. Drying or freezing can be done to store the leaves. M. oleifera is often referred as a panacea and can be used to cure more than 300 diseases. Moringa has long been used in herbal medicine. M. oleifera has great anti-diabetic and anti-cancer properties.

Keywords: Moringa, herbal medicine, anti-diabetic, anticancer properties.