I thought I would expand your minds with a slightly different entry this week! I have been learning a lot since I arrived and have been surprised by many things. However none is as surprising as the incredible nutritional properties of a tree which not only grows like a weed locally but also in tropical and sub tropical climates throughout the world. This tree is called Moringa (or Yovo-vidi in local dialect). Below is a table which I think says it all.
Moringa leaves compared to common foods
Values per 100gm. edible portion
Nutrient Moringa Leaves Other Foods
Vitamin A 6780 mcg Carrots: 1890 mcg
Vitamin C 220 mg Oranges: 30 mg
Calcium 440 mg Cow's milk: 120 mg
Potassium 259 mg Bananas: 88 mg
Protein 6.7 gm Cow's milk: 3.2 gm
It also contains Magnesium, Iron and Vitamins B1, B2, B3.
Our dietician on the ship uses the crushed, dried leaves for patients to add to regular meals as a supplement. The fresh leaves can also be eaten or added at last minute to food. I have also started to give it to my patients and advised them on how to use it. I have found that many have it growing in their yards without even realising. It is readily available and very cheap. The whole tree can be used including the seeds (water purification, medicine, cooking oil) and the roots (medicine). The sad thing is that many people in Togo and throughout the developing world do not know about the nutritional benefits of Moringa despite the fact that it grows in many countries where the population suffers from malnutrition and starvation. Moringa could be instrumental in reducing and even cutting out third world poverty. It is amazing how little the world knows about the natural resources that we have available to us. God is an amazing creator, we should be using the resources he has given us. Below I have included two links. The first is a booklet with further information about Moringa and the second is a Mercy Ships story of hope and healing that shows the amazing potential of this very special plant.
Our dietician on the ship uses the crushed, dried leaves for patients to add to regular meals as a supplement. The fresh leaves can also be eaten or added at last minute to food. I have also started to give it to my patients and advised them on how to use it. I have found that many have it growing in their yards without even realising. It is readily available and very cheap. The whole tree can be used including the seeds (water purification, medicine, cooking oil) and the roots (medicine). The sad thing is that many people in Togo and throughout the developing world do not know about the nutritional benefits of Moringa despite the fact that it grows in many countries where the population suffers from malnutrition and starvation. Moringa could be instrumental in reducing and even cutting out third world poverty. It is amazing how little the world knows about the natural resources that we have available to us. God is an amazing creator, we should be using the resources he has given us. Below I have included two links. The first is a booklet with further information about Moringa and the second is a Mercy Ships story of hope and healing that shows the amazing potential of this very special plant.
http://www.treesforlife.org/documents/moringa/English%20moringa_book_view.pdf
https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1RhWPkaiymxuwRDSJ8l0xoZNhIgknwlkzLdUKAUjDH5U&hl=en
https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1RhWPkaiymxuwRDSJ8l0xoZNhIgknwlkzLdUKAUjDH5U&hl=en
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