MORINGA

The Moringa (moringa oleifera) is a commonly found tree growing throughout tropical Africa and Asia. It is another of those "super plants" for which there are quite dramatic claims, but in this case the people of these regions have voted with their stomachs, because Moringa products are growing in popularity and gaining ground even outside the village, where most poor people have recognized that almost all the tree's parts can be used beneficially either as food or medicine. Among other products, the leaves and fruits (in pods) can be consumed fresh as a protein and vitamin rich vegetable and the oil can be used as a healing ointment or even as a cosmetic or for cooking. In powder form (usually in capsules) the leaves are becoming an important dietary supplement. My partner, Thanyatorn Sawangjareanwat, makes the powder capsules by hand from leaves from trees grown on her land in Thailand. It's a time consuming process, including gathering and drying the leaves, removing stems and other debris, grinding the powder (currently in a coffee grinder!) and filling the capsules. She provides capsules to family members and to monks in the local Buddhist temple and swears that since taking the capsules a chronic knee injury (from marathon running) has disappeared. More information about Moringa (pronounced "maroom" in Thai) can be found at the Moringa News Network at http://moringanews.org (from which the picture above was copied - thanks for this photo to Dr Armelle de Saint Sauveur, founder of Moringa News Network).