Sunday 22 July 2018

Dr. Mercola: The High-Protein Leafy Plant You've Probably Never Heard Of

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“The 2008 Mystery Plant of the Year: Packed With Nutrition, Valued Throughout History for Over 300 Conditions, and Exceptionally Promising for Reversing Major Environmental Problems”
Initially exposed to the world in a televised documentary, Moringa oleifera is a nutrient-packed tree found in Africa, India and SE Asia, South America, and the Pacific and Caribbean Islands. Besides being a vegetable that many locals eat daily, it’s been dubbed the “miracle tree” during its thousands of years of use by Ayurvedic and other health practitioners around the world.

Back in 2008, on Thursday, April 24th, a crowd of adults and children gathered for an Earth Day celebration in front of Building #1 at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Their mission? To guess the year’s “Mystery Plant.”

Just like previous years, contestants were given clues to help guess the plant’s identity:

    It originally came from Tamil Nadu, India, but now grows in many tropical areas of the world
    It’s been used for thousands of years by Ayurvedic and other health practitioners for over 300 conditions
    It grows easily in drought, damaged soils and can help restore poor soils to a healthier state
    It can be eaten in its entirety
    Its seeds contain oil that can be used as a source of renewable energy
    Its leaves are an excellent source of protein – an oddity for a plant food
    It could help save millions of lives as all the countries in which it grows have a significant percentage of malnourished citizens

What was this remarkable plant? One of the Scientific Advisory Board Members correctly identified it as Moringa oleifera, or simply Moringa.
Nutrition-Packed Moringa Beats Out Just About Every Fruit and Vegetable
moringa tree
The Moringa tree can grow in poor soil - and reclaim it at the same time

I’ll be the first to say that the word “superfood” has become one of the most overused – and sometimes misused – words in the English language.

However, what other term can you use to describe a food that, gram for gram when dried, has…

    15 times the potassium of bananas
    12 times the vitamin C of oranges
    9 times the protein of yogurt, and
    3 times the vitamin A of carrots

Moringa, or Moringa oleifera contains over 90 vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, 46 types of antioxidants, and 36 anti-inflammatory compounds. And it has one of the highest, if not the highest protein ratio of any plant studied.

Here’s what’s most stunning to me... A decade ago, hardly anyone outside of the tropical and subtropical regions where it grows knew about Moringa.

First exposed to the world at large by a televised documentary, it quickly garnered the attention of the National Science Foundation and National Geographic Society for its nutritional and environmental attributes.

Once I learned about Moringa, I decided to plant a tree in my own yard. However, I quickly learned that harvesting it wasn’t my favorite task. Its leaves are so tiny it makes for a painstaking and time-demanding process!
Historically Used for Over 300 Conditions – What Could Moringa Do for You?

With as many nutrients that Moringa contains, it’s no wonder it’s been valued for so many thousands of years for countless conditions...

Over 1,300 studies, reports and articles have been published, highlighting Moringa’s potential benefits for health. Here are just some of the more popular uses for Moringa that researchers are now confirming:
moringa powder
Moringa powder should ideally be raw and grown in a way that nurtures the soil

    Antioxidant support against free radicals

    Moringa’s leaves contain high amounts of polyphenols that exhibit strong antioxidant activity against free radicals and help protect against oxidative damage.

    In a study of postmenopausal women who took 1.5 teaspoons of moringa leaf powder daily for three months, blood levels of antioxidants increased significantly.
    Digestive support

    The flavonoids, phenolic acids, and isothiocyanates (super compounds also found in Brussels sprouts and arugula) in Moringa leaves support a healthy inflammatory response and help protect your stomach lining from insults.
    Mood, sleep, and brain health support

    Moringa is a rich source of tryptophan, an amino acid that helps boost serotonin levels. Possibly working through your gut-brain axis, the communication channel between your gut and brain, an increase in serotonin may positively support your mood, sleep, and even memory.
    Supports blood pressure already in the healthy normal range

    Moringa contains four different niazicin glycoside compounds that have been shown in laboratory testing to support healthy blood pressure levels.
    Immune function support

    With Moringa’s abundant vitamin C, antioxidants, minerals and other nutrients, it has been shown in studies to support immune function.

How to Choose the Best Moringa for You

Once Moringa became recognized for all its potential, it didn’t take long for products to start flooding the marketplace.

But how can you tell a high-quality Moringa powder from one that’s just mediocre?
moringa tree leaves
Make sure your Moringa is made only from the leaves of the tree

Here’s what to look for in a Moringa that’s worth your time and attention:

    Make sure it’s made only from the leaves. Its valuable nutrients are concentrated in its leaves.
    Make sure it’s raw and not exposed to high heat. Excessive heat can destroy Moringa’s fragile compounds.
    Make sure at a minimum it’s organic to avoid potentially dangerous pesticides and herbicides, but ideally goes beyond organic and is produced according to Biodynamic® standards for optimal environmental stewardship.
    Make sure it’s a dried powder. When Moringa is dried and turned into a powder, its potency increases. A dried Moringa leaf has three to five times more nutrients than a fresh leaf.
    Make sure it contains no fillers or genetically engineered ingredients. You want 100 percent pure Moringa with nothing else added.
    Make sure it is made by a company you can trust as some so-called organic Moringa powders are being found to contain pesticides and heavy metals!

Our Organic Biodynamic® Moringa is raw, organic and produced according to Biodynamic® standards. Plus, it’s made only from the leaves of the Moringa tree, so you get nothing but pure Moringa.
Why Biodynamic® Moringa?

Food can only be as good a quality as the soil in which it was grown. Poor-quality, nutrient-depleted soil simply cannot produce high-quality nutritious food.

While Certified Organic may be a good first step, I believe it’s less than ideal. Yes, it helps you avoid health-harming synthetic pesticides. But it may potentially lack in some other important areas.
certified biodynamic
Certified Biodynamic® is a step above organic

Just because a food is organic doesn’t guarantee it is a high-quality food. If the soil lacks important nutrients, the food will lack nutrients.

For nutritious food, you need good topsoil. And to build good nutrient-rich topsoil, you must follow regenerative farming methods.

A step above organic, Biodynamic® farming utilizes regenerative farming methods with a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach.

The Biodynamic® concept views a farm as a living organism. It’s self-contained, self-sustaining, and follows the cycles of nature. The farm creates its vitality and well-being out of its own dynamics.

So how did this concept come about?

Back in the 1920s, Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education, and someone regarded as a very wise man, was approached by a group of farmers. They were alarmed at what was happening on their farms.

Their seeds weren’t germinating... Their food wasn’t as tasty... Even their animals weren’t as healthy. They were beginning to notice the effects of industrialized agriculture with its repurposed nitrogen fertilizer and synthetic pesticides.

Steiner’s sage advice? Stop viewing farms as factories and instead, see them as the living organisms they truly are!
How the Founder of Waldorf Education Revolutionized the Traditional Farming Industry
biodynamic farm
A Biodynamic® farm with its diverse crops and animals

A group of German farmers who followed Steiner’s teachings wanted to make his concept of “biodynamic” farming an agricultural standard. Demeter was formed in 1928.

The world’s oldest ecological certification organization, Demeter sets the standards for Biodynamic® just like the National Organic Program (NOP) sets organic standards.

Demeter is well known within Central Europe. In fact, a full 10 percent of German organic farmland is Certified Biodynamic®.

However, the U.S. has been much slower to catch on...

The wine industry was the first to take note. U.S. winemakers began noticing that the best wines in the world were coming from Biodynamic® vineyards. This led them to adopt Biodynamic® practices on their own land.

So, how does Demeter’s Biodynamic® differ from Certified Organic?

Certified Biodynamic® agriculture goes far beyond Organic Standards in that they consider the entire farm instead of individual crops and products. And they require the use of holistic regenerative farming practices to promote the health of the soil, crops and livestock.

Biodynamic® farmers strive to build a diverse and balanced ecosystem within their farm to enhance the quality and nutrition of the food being grown, with a heavy focus on sustainability.
Comparing Certified Organic to Certified Biodynamic®

Let’s take a closer look at how NOP’s Certified Organic standards compare to those of Certified Biodynamic®...
Certified Organic     Certified Biodynamic®
Allows imported organic fertilizers     Reduces imported materials by utilizing nutrient-rich humus created within the farming system
Allows imported organic pesticides     Creation of biologically diverse habitat encourages balanced predator prey relationships
Does not require the use of livestock     Integrates livestock to improve soils
Does not address the rotation of crops     Promotes crop rotation and makes intensive use of cover crops (green manure) to add nutrients to the soil
Organic feed for livestock can come from anywhere in the world     50% of livestock feed must be grown on the farm
No requirement for biodiversity      10% of total farm acreage must be set aside for biodiversity
Focused on crops and allows only one section of a farm to be certified     Focused on farms and requires that the whole farm be certified
Product certification focuses mainly on ingredients used     Product certification uses 12 Biodynamic® processing standards so the agricultural ingredients used define the product
certified demeter biodynamic

Of course, many organic farmers recognize the importance of caring for their soil and may already be practicing some of the Biodynamic® methods, thereby exceeding the Organic standards.

However, a Demeter Certified Biodynamic® farm must meet all of the Biodynamic® standards, not just a handful.

And if a farm is Demeter-certified, it means that it has also met the organic standard, even if it isn’t certified organic!

Certified Demeter Biodynamic® is as good as it gets in agriculture – it’s the platinum standard for high-quality, nutrient-dense food.

I've fully embraced the Biodynamic® concept and am currently in the process of converting some of the products in the Mercola line from organic to Certified Biodynamic®. It is a slow process as there are only a few Biodynamic® farms within the U.S. and it is extremely difficult to find a steady stream of Biodynamic® raw material.

Our Organic Biodynamic® Moringa is one of the first products to bear Demeter’s distinctive symbol on its label!
Produced in a Region That Stands to Benefit Greatly

In many parts of the world – especially those affected most by drought and poor soil conditions that can lead to what’s known as desertification, or the spreading of arid desert conditions – hundreds of millions of people face the real threat of famine.

The planting of trees, including the planting of the Moringa tree, can play a very important role in helping to reverse this dire situation. We now know that the Moringa tree can help meet basic food needs with its highly nutritious leaves.
planting moringa tree
Farmers from our partner Egyptian community

A Moringa tree grows fast and can survive in dry regions, thanks to its long taproot that allows it to withstand periods of drought.

Moringa can also grow in regions where strong winds and long dry spells occur at the same time, leading to serious soil erosion.

Unlike regular crops that can fail due to poor growing conditions and lack of water, Moringa trees offer a hardy and weather-resistant alternative that can continue to support communities and feed mouths.

In support of these regions facing such challenges, I am sourcing our Organic Biodynamic® Moringa from an Egyptian community that has been embracing sustainable development for over 40 years.

Sharing our beliefs in ethical and fair business practices as well as environmental stewardship, I feel good working with and supporting this global community.

Certified by the Egyptian Biodynamic® Association, this organization applies Demeter International guidelines in their agricultural processes. Best of all, they are supplying more than 20,000 local people with fair wages and a life-affirming livelihood.

In 2015, our partner organization earned the Land for Life award from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification!

With your purchase of their high-quality Organic Biodynamic® Moringa, you are helping this outstanding organization support their sustainable practices, community, and actively combat desertification and soil erosion.
How to Get the Most from Organic Biodynamic® Moringa

Related to broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts – and somewhat similar in taste, our Organic Biodynamic® Moringa can be sprinkled over or added to casseroles, soups, and other recipes.
organic biodynamic moringa powder
Our raw Organic Biodynamic® Moringa powder is made only from the plant’s leaves

Since our Moringa comes to you raw, it’s best consumed uncooked as excessive heat may damage its nutritional compounds.

Ideally add it to cooked foods, salads, soups, and cold drinks. If you want to add it to hot entrees or soup, do so after it is finished cooking or in the last few minutes of cooking to minimize heat exposure.

Moringa powder makes a great addition to smoothies as well as fresh squeezed vegetable juice. I enjoy drinking it in smoothies or adding it to my salad.

For a delicious beverage on its own, try blending it with unsweetened coconut milk, fresh ginger, lemon, and a light touch of honey.

You can also add the powder to hot water to make Moringa tea. Just don’t allow the Moringa to boil. Simply brew the powder for a few minutes in the pre-heated water.

I encourage you to experiment with Moringa, but also suggest you start slowly since it can be a very powerful food if you’re not used to it.
How Could My Organic Biodynamic® Moringa Powder Change Your Life?

I encourage you to make a deliberate and intentional choice. You can buy Moringa – even organic Moringa – just about anywhere.

It’s not so easy to find Organic Biodynamic® Moringa that comes from an organization as deserving as our award-winning partner.

Plus, it’s time to embrace Biodynamic®. We need more than the watered down organic standards that they have now become. Biodynamic® farms are uniquely suited to address carbon sequestration and arid, lifeless soils in a way that other industries are not.

I believe Biodynamic® is the wave of the future and exactly what’s needed to ensure that our soils can continue to support agriculture and feed the world.

Combine that with truly super superfood Moringa...

Moringa holds tremendous potential for you in supplementing your diet and providing the extra nutritional support you may need for your optimal health.*

Why not take control of your health today with our Organic Biodynamic® Moringa?

P.S. Remember, just like with all of our products, your purchase of Organic Biodynamic® Moringa is protected with my Money Back Guarantee. Please see complete details below! Order your supply today while supplies last.
Limited Time Offer!
Mercola Special Offer
  Organic Biodynamic Moringa Powder 3-Pack
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Organic Biodynamic® Moringa Powder
360 Servings | 120 Servings Per Jar (3 Jars)
Your Price:     $48.57
Savings:     $26.42 (35%)
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Organic Biodynamic Moringa Powder
View Ingredients
Organic Biodynamic® Moringa Powder
120 Servings Per Jar
Your Price:     $19.97
Savings:     $5.02 (20%)
Order Now

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Top Frequently Asked Questions

    1. Q: What’s the best way to use Organic Biodynamic® Moringa Powder?

    A: I recommend mixing a serving (one level teaspoon) into your favorite smoothie. You can also add it to fresh juice or yogurt, and even add it to soups, salads, entrees, and sauces, preferably after cooking to avoid damage from excess heat. It blends well with foods and beverages and radically improves the nutritional content.
    2. Q: Can I take Moringa if I am pregnant or breast feeding?

    A: Moringa is not recommended for pregnant women or women who are breast feeding. Compounds within the plant may lead to uterine contractions and complications during pregnancy.


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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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