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The Potential Health Benefits of Moringa, it is a superfood?

Moringa has been popularized for its many benefits. It is mostly found in tropical countries like Asia, some parts of America and in Africa, but now is being cultivated around the world. It has high demands in the market today, and you can now easily buy moringa products.

What is Moringa and why is it considered a Superfood?

Moringa is a broad–leaved tree that can grow up to 10 meters and have a grayish colored bark that sometimes resembles a shrub. Its leaves are oval in shape and are bi or tripinnately compound. It is also called horseradish tree or drumstick tree.

Moringa leaves have a lot of benefits and are packed with vitamins, nutrients and anti-inflammatory properties and also helps with breastfeeding mothers.

The seeds and the flowers of this tree can also be consumed if prepared properly. In some parts of Africa, they have special uses for each part of the tree, but it’s important to avoid eating the root and its extracts, they can be toxic.

 

Potential Health Benefits of Moringa

Consuming moringa leaves can help you boost your health. This tree can grow in any climate around the world and can also be found in parts of the world where malnutrition is an epidemic.

Packed With Nutrients

Moringa is a source of vitamin A, B vitamins, and vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium and Zinc. It is also packed with antioxidants and can have a higher dose of vitamins compared to fruits. This comparison uses a gram by gram percentage and moringa leaves are very lightweight.

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How to Consume Moringa

We all see a lot of products from moringa leaves that are available everywhere. From powders, capsules, teas and supplements, you mention it, they have it.  

The best way to consume this is by eating the leaves fresh off the branch. It is said to be the most potent if it is not yet processed. Since the tree can grow almost anywhere, it can be easily cultivated and planted in your backyard.

If you don’t have the time for planting or you naturally don’t have a green thumb, supplements, powder, oils or dried moringa leaves can be another option for you (check them here). 

If you don’t know how to use moringa and enjoy its benefits, in the next video we show you different ways to add Moringa to your diet.

 

Cautions and Dosage

Though moringa is branded as a superfood and almost all of its parts can be consumed, be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and always consult with your pharmacist, physician or other healthcare professional before use. The roots may contain toxic substances that can cause paralysis and death.

Moringa has been used safely in doses up to 6 grams per day for up to 3 weeks.

 

Conclusion

Moringa can have a good impact to your health and can help change a lot of lives especially when proper research is done. Even though it offers a lot of benefits, always listen to your body and see if there are negative changes while consuming moringa and always consult your doctor before trying something new.

Place your comments and questions down below.

 

Read more about:

Top Green Superfoods: Spirulina vs. Moringa

7 Amazing Benefits of Moringa Tea and How to Prepare Moringa Leaves for Drinking

Argan Oil vs. Jojoba Oil: Which Oil is Best for Growing Hair?

Top Green Superfoods: Spirulina vs. Moringa

Two of the most famous green superfoods today are Moringa and Spirulina. One is a plant and the other is a filamentous cyanobacterium, two different types of food yet similar in some nutritional value. But which of the two is better? Let the Spirulina vs. Moringa battle begins.

Battle of the greens: Nutritional Content Comparison

The battle is tough between Spirulina and Moringa. To clearly see the winner, it’s better to go to the chart and compare the essential nutrients they possess.

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The Tale of the Tape

Moringa:

  •       It possesses all the nutrients that you can find in Spirulina
  •       It has three vitamins and three minerals that you cannot find in Spirulina
  •       It has higher amounts and percentage of six nutrients that Spirulina also has.

Spirulina:

  •       It lacks the six vitamins and minerals that you can find in Moringa;
  •       Spirulina shows a more significant advantage of 8 nutrients than Moringa, particularly on protein, sodium, and thiamine (B1), and energy.

Other Comparisons

Other sources also show that Moringa is higher in Calcium, Iron, Fiber, Vitamin A, Potassium, Carbohydrates, and Sodium. Spirulina is higher in protein, Vitamin C, and calories. This leaves a score of 7 over 3 three in favor of Moringa.

Potential Health Benefits of Moringa

1. It has high levels of antioxidants that combat free radicals that cause oxidative stress, an imbalance in your body’s system is connected to type 2 diabetes, and chronic heart diseases.

2. It lowers the level of blood sugar in the body that can eventually lead to diabetes, which leads to different complications.

3. Possess anti-inflammatory properties, reducing the inflammation caused by injury and infection.

4. It lowers cholesterol levels in your body that can lead to stroke and heart diseases.

5. Moringa can protect you from arsenic toxicity, a kind of poisoning caused by exposure to arsenic, a chemical found in contaminated groundwater, rocks, woods preserved by arsenic, and infected soils.

Potential Health Benefits of Spirulina

1. Health-boosting benefits

2. Spirulina’s nutritional profile is excellent, containing 11 vitamins and minerals that improve your body’s health condition.

3. Spirulina contains an essential amount of nutrients that help your body function well and boost its metabolism leading to loss of weight.

4. According to a study, spirulina can improve your gut health. It can easily be digested because it has less fiber.

5. Spirulina helps prevent heart problems by reducing the body’s blood pressure and lowering down your body’s cholesterol.

6. If you have diabetes, Spirulina helps regulate your body’s blood sugar level to help you manage this condition.

7. It also protects you from toxic chemicals like lead, arsenic, iron, mercury, and fluoride.

8. Your allergic problems can go away with Spirulina. A study shows that Spirulina helps reduce your body’s histamine levels and inflammation in your nasal area.

9. Spirulina provides excellent support for your mental health issues. A study in 2018 shows that spirulina supports your body’s serotonin production to relieve mental conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Read more about Where To Buy Spirulina & How To Identify Original Spirulina 

Spirulina vs. Moringa, Ground spirulina and spirulina in pills over black wooden background

Learn How To Grow Spirulina At Home

Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning

Moringa

Side Effects: The leaves, seeds, and fruits of Moringa are safe to eat and applied on the skin with no known side effects.

Warning:  The root and its extracts are possible to have a toxic substance that can lead to paralysis and death.

The chemicals in the flowers or bark and the root of Moringa is likely unsafe for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Dosage: Six grams of daily intake of Moringa is the recommended dosage.

Interactions: Moringa might cause the liver to slowly breakdown of other medicines. Side effects of these medicines might increase.

Spirulina

Side effects: Uncontaminated Spirulina is safe to use.

Warnings: Contaminated spirulina is harmful causing weakness, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, liver damage, thirst, shock, rapid heart rate and death.

There had been no reports about the effects of spirulina on pregnant and lactating mothers. But it is better to remain on the safe side.

Auto-immune diseases and Phenylketonuria might worsen because Spirulina might increase body immunity and phenylalanine.

Interactions: Spirulina might interact with immunosuppressant medications.

Dosage: Proper intake of spirulina was not specified and may vary due to the condition of the person.

How to Incorporate Spirulina into Your Diet

In the next video, you can see 3 super easy ways to use Spirulina Powder.

Conclusion

When it comes to the number of nutrients and the levels of vitamins and minerals, Moringa is clearly the winner. But it doesn’t hide the fact that Spirulina also provides great benefits for your body’s health. Both are highly beneficial as they play a significant role in improving your body’s health condition as you use their products daily.

Place your comments and questions down below.


Argan Oil vs. Jojoba Oil: Which Oil is Best for Growing Hair?

As we become more conscious of the benefits of using natural plants and extracts rather than chemically-derived compounds, there has been a steady rise in the use of organic products and cosmetics around the world. Stimulating hair growth and preventing hair loss is no exception.

Argan oil vs. jojoba oil for hair has been a debate for a lot of people because both have been known to be an effective and gentle nourishment for the skin and scalp. Outlined below are some of the benefits of both oils that will be of use to you when discerning which products are more effective.

What is Jojoba Oil?

Jojoba oil is produced from the seed of the jojoba plant, a shrub native to the southern areas of Arizona, California, and northwestern Mexico. It is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and acts as a natural moisturizer when applied to the skin and scalp.

jojoba oil tree

What is Argan Oil?

Known as ‘liquid gold’, argan oil is an organic product derived from the fruit kernels of the Argan tree, native to the deserts of Morocco. It is used in a variety of Moroccan culinary dishes because of its nutty flavor and is also known to have multiple medical and cosmetic applications.

 

Argan oil has a substantial amount of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant beneficial in promoting healthy skin, eyes, and hair.

argan oil

Argan Oil vs. Jojoba Oil for Hair: Benefits Comparison

Argan Oil Benefits

  • Aids in regulating oil production while breaking up congested follicles.
  • Absorbs into the scalp allowing it to ‘breathe’.
  • Great concentration of iodine, which helps in healing skin.

Jojoba Oil Benefits

  • A high percentage of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.
  • Contains squalene, a natural non-greasy conditioning substance.
  • Has carotenoids which are antioxidants that help promote healthy tissues.
  • Promotes hair growth by unclogging the follicles, helps to clean the scalp.

Can you Mix Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil?

You can, if you wish, mix these two oils together because they do not interact in any harmful way and both help in moisturizing, treating, and protecting our skin and/or scalp. They also perform similar jobs thus some people may have an enhanced experience when using these two super oils simultaneously. In fact, a lot of people have positive feedback regarding the blend of the two oils for their hair, as they absorb easily by the roots while getting a nice shine and non-greasy appearance.

Conclusion

Both argan and jojoba oils act as natural conditioners for your hair, helping the follicles grow freely while moisturizing your scalp effectively. Both oils are safe, all-natural, and affordable. All we can suggest is to try out both oils to see which reacts better to your skin and scalp!

Comment on the section below for questions and tell us about your experience with the use of these two oils.


Can You Freeze Aloe Vera Gel? Tips On How To Extract And Preserve It

Aloe vera gel is a natural substance, which has numerous applications from treating sunburns, creating soothing face masks, and using it as a dietary supplement. Being a natural gelatinous material, there is a possibility of losing its potency by exposure to elements such as UV rays, dust, and wind. So, the main issue here is how to preserve aloe vera gel. Can you freeze aloe vera gel and prolong its shelf-life? The answer to that is a resounding yes.

How to Extract Pure Aloe Vera Gel from the Plant?

1. Cut off outer leaves

From a healthy aloe plant, cut off a few outer leaves close to the base which are likely to be mature. Be sure to wash your hands and use a clean knife to prevent contamination.

2. Drain the Aloe

Put the sliced leaf/leaves upright in a cup and let the yellowish resin drain for about 10-15 minutes. This liquid can be an irritant to the skin and can also cause diarrhea if ingested.

3. Peel the Leaves

You can use a vegetable peeler or a knife to carefully take away the outer part of the leaf with the spiked edges. If your leaves are too big, you can also slice them to small, manageable pieces to make the peeling easier.

4. Harvest the Gel

You can use a knife or a spoon to easily scoop out the all-clear liquid into a bowl and separate the green part from the aloe gel. Repeat on the other side and you will have a clear and gooey slab of fresh aloe.

That’s pretty much it! You can now use your aloe gel to treat minor burns, blisters, as well as other skin problems like acne and even has antifungal properties.

If you harvested more than you need, there are several methods you can apply to prolong the shelf-life of your aloe gel for later use. A highly effective way to store your aloe gel is to freeze it.

How to Freeze Aloe Gel?

After you have sliced and scooped the aloe gel from the leaves, put the clear gel into an ice tray. Using an ice tray rather than a plastic container, you will be able to use small portions of aloe gel rather than having a solid block of frozen aloe gel.

You can freeze bottled Aloe Vera gel too, just be sure to buy an organic Aloe Vera Gel without artificial chemicals.

Put the ice tray in your freezer and leave it overnight for use anytime. Using a silicone ice tray with compartments also makes it easier for you to turn the tray inside out.

Transfer the frozen aloe gel into a plastic container and label it with a date for future use.

If you don’t have time to harvest your own Aloe Vera Gel, we recommend some brands:

Conclusion

Aloe vera gel is a natural remedy that is highly effective for use against sunburns and minor burns. Harvesting it properly and freezing it ensures that you have enough to last for months to come.

You can use Aloe vera gel to reduce skin irritation such as atopic dermatitis; it also aids in relieving pain, inflammation, blistering and itchiness. Indeed, it is one of nature’s greatest gifts!

Comment below if you find this article useful or if you have any questions.


How much caffeine does matcha green tea powder have?

You probably have been seeing a lot of Green tea all over the internet, with promises of many health benefits. Matcha is a type of green tea but is grown protected from sunlight, and green tea like your regular coffee contains caffeine. However, unlike other teas, matcha is consumed wholly, which raises concern for the amount of caffeine found in this magical tea.
 
This article addresses how much caffeine does matcha green tea powder have and its health benefits.

How Much Caffeine is In Matcha Tea?

Matcha tea contains about 8.8 mg/oz of caffeine, compared to a brewed coffee which has about 20.4 mg/oz of caffeine (depends on brewing methods and type of coffee), the caffeine level in matcha is just about half of the amount found in brewed coffee. For most, half is a decent amount of caffeine consumption and definitely a healthier alternative to coffee and black tea.
 
Another factor that might determine the caffeine content is the amount of tablespoon served. Matcha serving is measured by teaspoons or grams. So, the amount of caffeine in a particular serving is dependent on whether you used ½ tsp or 1 tsp, which will roughly be equals to 35 to 70 mg of caffeine dissolved in 8oz of water.
 
Lastly, the amount of caffeine in matcha may have slight variations depending on the variant and potency of matcha used. For instance, thick Matcha is produced with double potency of the regular matcha powder. It is therefore expected to have twice the amount of caffeine present in regular matcha.

Do I Need to Be Worried About Matcha Caffeine Level?

Matcha is a powder-form green tea that grows in 90% shade. As a result, the amount of caffeine and antioxidants present in the plant is more than that of the usual teabags- which contain only the brewed substance. In fact, the caffeine you find in a regular green tea bag is 31.8 mg, compared to 70 mg found in matcha. So, should you be worried about the amount of caffeine you are consuming when taking matcha?
 
It is safe to say no. This is because the perfect combination of amino acid content, catechins (a type of natural phenol and antioxidant) and caffeine found in matcha make for a balanced and healthier consumption compared to coffee or black tea.

Moreso, matcha tea is consumed with the leaves still intact, although, ground into a powder form. This means that you are getting more than just the brewed substance. Hence, the likely adverse effects of the caffeine present are counteracted by the soothing L-Theanine amino acid and other antioxidants found in matcha.
In fact, a study argues that Matcha actually improves your metabolism by up to 35% – 43%.

Green Tea, But With Great Benefits!

Apart from the obvious advantage, Matcha also comes with other great benefits too! These include:

  • Boosts metabolism and burns fat

  • Healthier caffeine high

  • Better skin

  • Improves breath

Caffeine Side Effects

Although caffeine content in matcha tea is lower than in coffee, pregnant women, children, and persons with cardiovascular disease and anxiety disorders should avoid its use.

Conclusion

In conclusion, caffeine isn’t bad when taken in moderate amounts. You will be surprised to find caffeine acting as a natural mild stimulant in some plants, fruits, and crops like beans and nuts. Ultimately, the choice to decide whether the caffeine level in matcha is healthy enough for you remains with you. Though, you can try it out, see how your body reacts to it before making the decision.