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There are multiple ways in which this humble plant can be consumed – powder, tea, capsules, leaf, bark, stem, seeds – you name it and you can have it. The only parts being avoided are the roots as they are toxic.
What makes the moringa an answer to all maladies?
The answer lies in its nutrient quotient.
The seemingly humble moringa is in fact a nutrient powerhouse-rich in fiber, antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals and proteins.
Here is a list of nutrients contained in moringa – Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin D, essential amino acids, antioxidants like beta-carotene, polyphenols and flavonoids like kaempferol and quercetin.
This herb has been growing in India for centuries and is used in traditional recipes throughout the country. Its benefits have been passed on from generation to generation as part of the traditional knowledge.
According to Ayurveda,moringa can be used to cure more than 300 ailments in the human body!
A small list of health benefits of consuming moringa is mentioned below, just to show what it is capable of
- Increase heart protection by reducing bad cholesterol and improving good cholesterol
- Prevent growth and spreading of tumors
- Control diabetes and regulate insulin production
- Aid the sluggish thyroid gland in women improving their hormonal functioning
- Reduces inflammation
- Promotes detoxification of the body by cleansing the excretory system
- Protects the liver
- Helps in controlling seizures caused by any reason
- Helps in reducing fever
- Regulates blood pressure
- Aids weight loss by ensuring the right amount of fiber in the diet
- Improves the health of hair making them shinier and stronger
- Controls and removes infections caused by bacteria and fungi
The variety in the above list is one of the reasons it is considered a remedy for 300 diseases.
There certainly cannot be better news for weight watchers and those struggling to lose weight. Although, direct research has yet to be conducted on its weight loss properties, there have been multiple researches that show usage of moringa leaf powder in combination with other ingredients like turmeric aids weight loss by nearly 5 times more than without its use.
The question is begotten – how can you consume moringa?
There are a number of traditional recipes for doing so. However, the most popular seems to be having a cup of moringa tea, which has worked wonders for many people across the globe. This relaxing tea can be had as the first thing in the morning or even the last thing before going to bed.
While having the relaxing moringa tea, you surely would be wondering, how does it help in weight loss?
How does it help in weight loss?
1. Helps in detoxifixation
First and foremost, the tea prepared by brewing powdered moringa leaves has a high concentration of polyphenols, which are antioxidants and help in detoxification as well as improving the immune system health. The detoxification also helps in improving the metabolism which is essential for losing weight.
2. Prevents the craving for Fast food
Due to its high fiber content, the moringa tea helps in feeling satiated thereby reducing the craving for unhealthy junk food. The sugar regulating insulin levels are also controlled by the moringa tea that further helps in controlling the craving for junk food. This keeps one feeling fuller for longer period, thereby keeping unnecessary weight gain at bay.
3. Improves Metabolism
The fiber also ensures that the food that you consume is not converted into fats and is rather converted to energy keeping you more active. So, you actually lose the weight that you already have gained. The soluble fibers also lead to decrease in the bad cholesterol in the body further aiding weight loss.
4. It is Caffeine Free
Being naturally caffeine-free, the moringa tea can even be had just before bed time.
Thus, a simple cup of freshly brewed tea, taken at your convenient time, can help you so much in your weight loss journey apart from all the other benefits as well.
This brings us to the next pertinent question on the minds of all weight watchers.
Can it reduce belly fat?
As we have seen above, the unique components of moringa make sure that your body is working off the stored fat to get rid of it. This is also true for belly fat.
A number of researches conducted show a direct reduction in belly fat after taking moringa tea. This is attributed to the fact that moringa tea reduces the absorption of fat in the body and forces it to use up the stored fat deposits.
A research on the benefits of moringa tea found that it slows down the process of gluconeogenesis in the liver. This is the process that is actually converting the dietary intake of protein and fat into glucose. The slowing down of this process means, the sugar is slowly released in the blood stream regulating the sugar fluctuations. This also leads to a constant energy in the body instead of sugar spikes making you more active and healthier.
Many users who have consumed the moringa tea claim to have reduced the belly fat as well as overall body fat after the consumption.
This is true even for consuming the moringa seeds. Scientists believe this is due to the presence of oleic acid in the moringa leaves and seeds, which assists the breaking of the saturated fat deposits in the body.
Does Moringa suppress appetite?
Another common query in the minds of people looking to try the moringa tea for the first time is about the claim most advertisements make.
Does Moringa really suppress the appetite, as so many of the companies selling moringa tea, would have you believe?
The answer is yes. It does that.
How? Because Moringa contains a lot of proteins.
Now if you have been at the weight loss journey for long enough, you would know, how essential proteins are for the body. They repair and build the muscles. At the same time, they take longer to digest, keeping you full for much longer.
Thus, most dieticians and nutritionists recommend their clients to have egg whites – another great source of protein. Moringa does the same for vegetarians. Its protein content keeps you full for longer, decreasing your sugar and oil cravings and suppressing your appetite for a longer period of time.
But does that mean, you will be low on energy through the day, because you are missing out on the snacks?
On the contrary, with its rich nutritional contents, moringa tea actually gives your energy a boost. So many benefits packed into one powder!
Don’t you want to get started immediately? Well, here is the simplest recipe for the moringa tea which you can start with immediately.
Simplest recipe for Moringa Tea
Step 1: Boil water in a container
Step 2: Add a tbsp. of moringa powder along with cinnamon (completely optional)
Step 3: Simmer the infusion for 5 – 10 minutes
Step 4: Ready to go!
The moringa leaves have a slightly bitter taste and an earthy smell. In case you do not like the smell or the taste, you can use any other ingredient like cinnamon, Ginger, lemon basil to overcome this.
An alternate however to the tea is using the moringa leaf powder in smoothies, shakes or yogurt.
Before starting to use it, one last question would surely be bothering you.
Is it safe to consume moringa tea ?
The good news is, there are no known side effects of moringa, whether you consume its leaves or the seeds and in whichever form. However, on the side of caution, it is good to remember that this is only a supplement.
Moringa tea, powder or capsule cannot replace your existing medicines for heart problems or diabetes.
Do not stop your medicines before consulting your doctor. Also, it does not work overnight magically. Once you start consuming moringa tea, you will need to wait out for some time before seeing its effects on your overall health.
Why the wait ?
With all its benefits, claimed and proven, moringa tea is fast becoming the new wonder drug for getting immediate results.
Whether you get immediate results or not, with its huge list of potential benefits, backed by scientific reasoning, it sure is worth a try. When you have tried so many other things in your weight loss journey, why not try out this seemingly magical infusion and see the results for yourself?
If it works out, great! If it doesn’t, you just tried another natural recipe! That’s all.
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