Malunggay: An Efficient Autoimmune Disease Buster

Malunggay: A Tropical Plant With Multiple Benefits

• 15 times more potassium than bananas
• 7 times more vitamin C than oranges
• 4 times more vitamin A than carrots
• 4 times as much calcium as milk
• 2 times more than the protein in yogurt per gram

Known by its binomial name Moringa Oleifera, malunggay is proven effective in preventing many health conditions. It’s one of the best natural remedies against autoimmune diseases. Let’s find out how it works.

Malunggay or Kamunggay !

That’s how Filipinos call the moringa oleifera! But, in other regions where it also abounds, this tree is known by their respective language:

• Murungai in Tamil
• Muringa in Malayalam
• Munagakaya in Telugu
• Shojne in Bengal
• Shevaga in Marathi
• Shenano in Rajasthani
• Nuggekai in Kannada
• La mu in Chinese
• Drumstick Tree, Horseradish Tree or Ben Oil Tree in English

Malunggay Health Benefits

Locals in the tropical regions use malunggay both as a vegetable and a home remedy. In fact, it’s one of the ingredients in many of their dishes.

“Malunggay Egg Soup” (video below courtesy of the owner) is just one of the many preparations of malunggay.

At the same time, they utilize its leaves, flowers, and seeds in many poly-herbal formulations.

Just as diverse as it is called, malunggay is a treasure house. People in Asia, Africa, and South America turn to moringa to ease common pain and discomfort. They use it to treat anemia, arthritis, allergies, diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure, and other health conditions. In developing countries, they feed their malnourished members with moringa leaves and pods.

On the other hand, many scientists also conduct studies on moringa oleifera. They admit that, so far, they have investigated only a fraction of the many health benefits and remedies of this tree.

Let’s enumerate some of the healthy compounds they found in malunggay:

• Vitamins A, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B6, C (ascorbic acid), E
• Calcium
• Folate
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Phosphorus
• Proteins
• Zinc

In addition, they discover that malunggay leaves contain

• 15 times more potassium than bananas
• 7 times more vitamin C compared with oranges
• 4 times more vitamin A than carrots
• 4 times as much calcium as milk
• 2 times more than the protein in yogurt per gram

How do The Healthy Compounds Work

Based on their studies, scientists realized that the locals’ traditional practices are on the right track, after all. They discovered that malunggay has these properties:

Ascorbic Acid, Flavonoids, Polyphenols

Malunggay is rich in ascorbic acid, flavonoids, and polyphenols. These antioxidants are important for our mental health, memory, organ function, and mood. They have the ability to stabilize our

• Serotonin. It’s the “happy chemical” that boosts wellbeing and happiness
• Dopamine. This is the neurotransmitter associated with the way we feel pleasure, think, and plan
• Noradrenaline or norepinephrine. It’s the substance that controls our body’s fight or flight response to a threat.

Moreover, these antioxidants work to fight free radicals. As we all know, free radicals are those molecules that cause cell damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Moringa’s high concentration of polyphenols protects our liver from damage, toxicity, and oxidation.

Blood-Clotting Properties

When consumed regularly, the leaves of malunggay promote healing of wounds and stop bleeding faster. Its blood-clotting properties also fight fungal skin infections, digestive conditions, and urinary tract infections.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Aside from its antioxidant properties, malunggay is packed with anti-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory abilities. These three together work effectively in treating colitis. Colitis is a chronic condition where the inner lining of the colon is inflamed. The plant’s leaf extract efficiently inhibits the inflammatory enzymes and proteins.

Lowers Lipid and Glucose Levels

Malunggay is good for persons with diabetes. The plant works effectively in lowering lipid and glucose levels. It also controls oxidative stress, protecting your cells from damage.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Moringa’s antioxidant properties help prevent cardiac damage. Its leaf powder effectively lowers your cholesterol levels and controls lipid levels in the blood. Likewise, it stops the formation of artery-blocking plaques.

Try either one of these malunggay preparations at home.

• Add one-half or one teaspoon of the moringa powder to your daily diet or food.
• Use moringa leaf powder as a tea or add to a smoothie.

Just a word of caution, though: Don’t consume too much of the moringa leaf powder. As you may know, it’s laxative when taken in large quantities. You wouldn’t want to make a frequent trip to the bathroom, do you?

Truly, An Efficient Autoimmune Disease Buster

As a conclusion, we may claim that malunggay is one of our best weapons against many health conditions. It builds for us a strong immune system. And, it even protects us from autoimmune diseases.

If we could make malunggay part of our daily diet, it might be all that we need to keep autoimmune diseases at bay. It’s natural and safe! Besides, it’s way cheaper than a doctor’s prescription.

In places where you could not get fresh malunggay, you may avail of its capsule or powder form from any of the dietary shops worldwide.

Read also
Fun Facts About the Magnificent Moringa Oleifera