Recipe
Home-made moringa powder
About 30 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Strip the leaflets from the stalks, rinse and spread in a thin layer on a sieve or cloth in the shade in a well-ventilated place.
- Dry 3–4 days (or 4–6 hours in a dehydrator at 40 °C) until the leaflets crumble between the fingers; direct sun destroys vitamins.
- Grind finely in a mill or blender and sift through a fine sieve; regrind the coarse remainder.
- Store in a dark airtight jar; add a teaspoon to finished soup, porridge or a smoothie, not to boiling food.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 500 g of fresh leaves yields about 100 g of powder
- Solvent:
- dry in the shade for 3–4 days, grind, sieve
- Shelf life:
- 6 months in a dark airtight container
- Target compounds:
- protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A and polyphenols remain in the powder; most vitamin C is lost during drying
Notes
Leaf powder is a food rich in protein and minerals, not a 'miracle cure'; a teaspoon a day in soup or a smoothie. Bark and root do not belong in the powder — they are traditionally avoided in pregnancy.
Why it works
Dried moringa leaves hold, per the review by Leone et al. 2015, around 25 % protein and plenty of calcium, iron and beta-carotene, while vitamin C is largely lost in drying — which is why the powder is added to finished food. The review by Stohs & Hartman 2015 summarises five small human studies with leaf powder that showed lower blood glucose and lipids, and good safety of the leaves in animals; the authors note, however, the lack of standardisation and the need for larger trials. The powder is thus a nutritious food, not a verified antidiabetic.
Literature
- Stohs SJ, Hartman MJ (2015): Review of the Safety and Efficacy of Moringa oleifera. Phytotherapy Research 29(6):796–804 — 5 small human studies with leaf powder (blood glucose, lipids); good leaf safety, no standardisation.
- Leone A et al. (2015): Cultivation, Genetic, Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Moringa oleifera Leaves: An Overview. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 16(6):12791–12835 — Nutritional composition of the leaves and an overview of cultivation.
Related
Moringa — Herb card
Powder — Processing method detail