Malunggay benefits:
Moringa commonly known as Malunggay in the Philippines is a wonderful tree known all over the world and referred by scientists as a “miracle tree.” Malunggay has been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the past 20 years as a low-cost health enhancer in poor countries around the globe. Yet, despite its remarkable medicinal value, it is still relatively unknown. “The Moringa Tree” by Dr. Martin L. Price, he cites the benefits of moringa leaf extract as a plant growth hormone, the moringa shoots as green manure to enrich agricultural lands, moringa leaves as livestock feed because of its rich high protein content, moringa seed powder and the fresh cake left over from oil extraction as treatment for turbid water, moringa as a good live fence tree with its bark used to make mats and rope, and the compound in the flowers and roots of the moringa tree, pterygospermin, as a powerful antibiotic and antifungal remedy.
Tender malunggay leaves also reduce phlegm and are administered internally for scurvy and catarrhal conditions, while the flowers are used to heal inflammation of the tendons and abscesses. Unripe pods of malunggay are also reported to prevent intestinal worms, while the fruit also prevents eye disorders. Other studies have shown that eating malunggay fruits can lead to higher semen count. This is good news for men who are having problems in siring children. They cannot count on the malunggay to cork its magic on them. Because of its nutritional content, malunggay strengthens the immune system, restores skin condition, controls blood pressure, relieves headaches and migraines, manages the sugar level thereby preventing diabetes, reduces inflammations and arthritis pains, restricts the growth of tumors, and heals ulcers. This information comes from Dr.Kumar Pati, an Indian doctor who is an expert in natural medicine.
Unknown to many Filipinos, malunggay has the ability to purify water. “The crushed moringa seeds can clear very turbid water,” said Dr. John Sutherland, of Leicester University’s Department of Environmental Technology. He added that powdered malunggay seeds are appropriate for water purification in rural areas of tropical countries. Also unknown to many is its being an antioxidant. In fact, it has been recognized and accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration as one of the four dietary antioxidants, the others being vitamin E, beta-carotene and selenium. (A dietary oxidant is a substance in food that significantlydecreases the adverse effects of harmful chemicals). A 2001 study in India has found that the fresh root of the young tree can be used to treat fever. Asthmatics are advised to drink the infusion from the roots of the plant.
In West Africa, doctors used it to treat diabetes, high blood pressure in India and as a substitute for expensive whole milk powder in nutrition projects in Senegal. But there’s more that malunggay can offer. In the same report, it was revealed that beriberi, rickets and scurvy are among the diseases caused by the lack of nutrients that are abundant in moringa. Three spoonful of moringa leaf powder contains 272% of a typical toddler’s daily vitamin A requirement, along with 42% of the protein, 125% of the iron and 22% of the vitamin C. It contains a full complement of minerals and all the amino acids of meat. The report further said that malunggay has natural healing powers. “The seeds and roots contain an antibiotic that Guatemala’s University of San Carlos found to be as effective against skin infections as neomycin”. Yet, “studies published in the journal of Phytotherapy Research and Hort Science have found different Moringa parts to be effective in lowering blood sugar, reducing swelling, healing gastric ulcers, lowering blood pressure and even calming the nervous system”.
Because of its wide use and benefits the agriculture department considers malunggay as the “next big thing” in the Philippine agriculture. Malunggay can save lives, increase incomes, generate millions of jobs, utilize vast tracts of idle agricultural lands, make the Philippines globally competitive, impact local and international market, and help attain Socioeconomic equity,” explained Alice Ilaga, director of the DA‟s Biotechnology Program.

Malunggay compared to other plants:
Moringa provides a unique food attributed with a high protein content and concentration of all amino acids, as well as micronutrients, antioxidants, flavonoids and glucosinolates. It provides an important supplement to low-nutrition foods, such as cereals and bulb crops. A study that compared over 120 species of edible plants demonstrated that Moringa was one of the most nutritious crops. The Moringa leaves have a higher iron content than spinach, a higher Vitamin C content than orange, a higher Vitamin A content than carrot, a higher Calcium content than milk, a higher potassium content than banana and a higher Vitamin E content than almonds.
Moringa belongs to the Moringaceae family and contains a single genus with 13 species.
Gram for gram, malunggay leaves also contain two times the protein in milk. Likewise, it contains three times the potassium in bananas and four times the vitamin A in carrots. Health nutritionists claim that an ounce of malunggay has the same Vitamin C content as seven oranges.
Malunggay also has more impressive attributes than olive oil and triple the iron of spinach. Both malunggay and carrot are diamonds in roughage but the former has quadruple the beta-carotene which is effective against cancer and good for the eyes.

Shift to a healthier lifestyle:
More consumers than ever before have become more health conscious in the last decade. Many had realized that eating healthy and paying attention to nutrition is important. Survey results from Technomic, an information and insights provider, show that consumers continue to grow more health savvy and want more options to eat better, no matter where they are.
The research report on the “Philippines Food and Drinks Market: Emerging Opportunities”, attributed the rise in the demand for health food and drinks to the growing young affluent population, rising disposable income and increasing consumer awareness of health and safety concerns.
Affluent consumers in markets like India, China and Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, are demanding quality and attributes like ‘organic’ and ‘green’ labels. According to a survey by the Philips Index Health and Living, 54 percent of the Filipino population rated themselves as conscious about their health and well-being. Filipinos are paying more attention to their food intake and are steering toward foods that are beneficial to their bodies and that sustain their health.
While health-conscious consumers are looking to eat healthy, they want their food to have indulgent flavors as well. They no longer want to just have cardboard-tasting cereal just because it gives them the perception that healthy food is supposed to taste that way. They want cereal with a walnut flavor but still low in calories and save to consume because it does not harm the environment.