The Moringa story is a remarkable one of a humble plant that made strides in the ancient world for many years and whose secrets are being made available to modern science. With discoveries made so far, Moringa is reputed to be one of the most nutrient-rich plants that provide a rich and rare combination of nutrients, amino acids, antioxidants, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties with many health benefits in contrast to other plants which may have one or two benefits only. No wonder the plant is referred to as a powerhouse of health and nutritional value.
Moringa was prized for its therapeutic properties and was used by the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians to manufacture skin care products and for water purification. Modern science, in substantiating the claims, have discovered the incredible range of natural nutrients it contains.
The Moringa story is making waves in many countries like the Americas and in parts of Africa especially Senegal, Togo, Benin, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. In Ghana, the heat is on and people are beginning to ask what Moringa is and to seek its products especially the leaves.
Ghana and invariably, Africa, is reeling in the throes of malnutrition which is having a devastating toll on the citizenry and affects productivity with high infant and maternal mortalities. Moringa offers a local solution to combat malnutrition as bio-availability of majority of its nutrients makes it of immense value to help in the wiping out of malnutrition and make it a historical relic if our governments will be determined to undertake this exercise.
Church World Service nutrition program in West Africa based in Dakar, Senegal and under Dr. Lowell J. Fuglie, has successfully used Moringa oleifera as a base to cure and prevent malnutrition in children, pregnant and lactating women. It is reported that usage of Moringa leaves brought improvement in malnourished children in just a few days."
The Moringa story must be told as many people are still in the dark about this wonderful blessing from nature. With a world grappling with malnutrition, our hope lies in this plant whose leaves are capable of wiping every aspect of malnutrition out of the world not to talk of the many benefits derived from other parts of it, namely: the seeds, flowers, roots and bark.
Let it not be said that the words from Goethe be true for you. "The hardest thing to see is what is in front of our eyes." If Moringa is so good in combating malnutrition in children why not use Moringa’s highly nutritional value to help build strong healthy bodies for your own children?