Nutrients in Moringa Oil
Moringa has made it debut as medicinal herb as early as 2000 B.C. in India. It has been listed in the archives of Ayurvedic medicine as medicinal cure for over 300 ailments and diseases. Ayurvedic medicine or Ayurveda is one of the world’s holistic healing systems developed 3000 years ago in India. It is based on the belief that health and wellness is dependent on the balance of mind, body, and spirit.
From India, the healing prowess of the medicinal herb spread throughout Asia – to the lower regions of China, Southeast Asia, and finally to the Philippines. The healing herb also spread westward to Egypt, Africa, and to the West Indies in America. The wide and rapid circulation was due to the evident health benefits it provides – this is also due to the fact that it is a fast-growing and drought-resistant type of tree, so it is easy to grow. It is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Moringa and widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas.
In the Philippines, it goes by the name malunggay and has already been utilized back in the olden times. It is a popular contender in the roster of herbs used in traditional medicine. Aside from its medicinal use, malunggay is also a popular ingredient in many Filipino dishes.
What are the specific nutrients found in malunggay?
Malunggay – ingested, applied, or concocted – offers a number of medicinal benefits for the body. Almost all parts of the herb is edible – the immature seed pods also known as drumsticks, leaves, mature seeds, oil pressed from the seeds, and even its flowers. Each of which is jam packed with essential nutrients painstakingly vital to the body.
Apart from its nutritional value, malunggay is also known as an antiseptic and antimicrobial – likewise as the treatment of choice for wounds. It is also a suitable alternative for hand washing when soap is not readily available. There is, in fact, concrete evidence supporting the potency of malunggay in combating common microorganisms – with sufficient study and data to support it. Malunggay has significant antimicrobial properties against common micro organisms – staphylococcus aureus, escherichia coli, and acid fast mycobacterium phlei to name a few.
The leaves alone contain a significant amount of vitamin A, B-vitamins, C, K, and manganese. The immature seed pods, meanwhile, contains high amount of vitamin C and is a good source of dietary fiber. Malunggay can also be applied – skin and hair – and provides numerous noteworthy benefits.
Vitamins
Malunggay contains vitamin A, B-vitamins, C, D, E, and K. Not only that vitamins are essential to overall health but it is also nourishing to the skin. Vitamin A – aside from supporting healthy vision and boosting the body’s immune system – is beneficial to the skin. Sufficient vitamin A allows proper oxygenation to the cells and tissue of the body. Oxygen delivered to hair follicles prevent hair loss whilst oxygen delivered to skin gives a fuller, youthful glow. A deficiency in vitamin A, meanwhile, causes skin and scalp to dry out, chap, and thicken.
Malunggay also contains sufficient amounts of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folic acid). Vitamin B is essential for proper blood circulation to the skin and scalp, likewise with vitamin C and E. Malunggay has 50 times more vitamin B2 than bananas, 50 times more vitamin B3 than peanuts, and 7 times more vitamin C than oranges. Vitamin E, meanwhile, is a powerful antioxidant that relieves cells from oxidative stress.
Minerals
Malunggay contains the following minerals: copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium, silica, sulphur, and zinc. Minerals are essential to the body – minerals facilitate many bodily processes and maintains normal homeostasis. One particular mineral that malunggay has that is essential in keeping skin aging at bay is sulphur. It is one of the key ingredients in the production of collagen, elastin, and keratin – responsible in keeping skin tight, elastic, and young looking.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein – essential in the growth, repair, and maintenance of cells and tissues. Malunggay contains all essential amino acids needed by the body. The body produces about 10 to 12 amino acids whilst the remaining 8 must be taken from everyday diet – the remaining 8, of which, can be obtained from malunggay. This includes the following amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, metheonine, phenyalanine, threonine, trytohyan, and valine.
Moringa O2’s Moringa oil
– a powerful blend of malunggay, olive oil, and sunflower omega oil, is the best product to take good care of your skin. There is also a wide expanse of products for hair (scalp and skin therapy oil, herbal shampoo with argan oil, herbal conditioner with argan oil, and hair relaxing serum with argan oil), face (herbal soap, herbal toner, and hair scalp and skin therapy oil), and body (insect repellant, herbal moisturizing lotion, herbal soap, and hair scalp and skin therapy oil).