Moringa Oil

Moringa oil, is also known by the name, 'Ben oil' and it is known to be the most stable oil found in nature. The refined product of this oil is clear, odorless and does not go rancid. Apart from having numerous applications in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry, the oil is also used for cooking. In several countries, even the bark, sap, roots, leaves, seeds and flowers, apart from the moringa seed oil, are used to manufacture traditional medicines. As you keep reading, you will know about the different

Health Benefits

The moringa oil possess the properties of an:

• Antipyretic
• Antiepileptic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Ant ulcer
• Antispasmodic
• Diuretic
• Antihypertensive
• Antioxidant
• Antibacterial
• Antifungal

This oil helps in building collagen fibers within the skin, as it is rich in vitamin A. It also serves a beneficial exfoliating element for the skin. It is known that the vitamin A content in the moringa oleifera oil is 4 times than that which is found in carrot.

Apart from being rich in vitamin A, the oil of the moringa tree also boasts its richness in vitamin C or ascorbic acid. This acts as a potent antioxidant in the body and aids in healing wounds, maintaining skin tissue and replacing the damaged ones. The oil has 0.5 times the vitamin C of orange. Although, the oil is fatty, it is easily absorbed by the skin and helps in maintaining the moisture. The oil when added to lip gloss, face oil and creams, makes the skin soft and leaves it glowing.

In many countries, there is a practice of using moringa seeds for water purification. Surveys conducted on the usefulness of this technique reveals that it does not only get rid of solid contaminants from the water, but also reduces the amount of harmful bacteria. This method is used for household and large-scale purposes, apart from softening hard water.

The leaves of the moringa tree contain more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach and more potassium than bananas. This is not all, some reports vouch for the protein quality of the leaves which may leave that of milk and eggs' behind. Due to all such properties, moringa tree has been a beneficial way to combat malnutrition in many parts of the world. Indian curries and pickles have the moringa pods as one of their key ingredients, mainly because of their nutritional benefits.

The oil, leaves and other parts of the moringa tree have been considered for long as an aid in childbirth, an antibiotic, as a treatment for liver disorders, stomach problems, cold and diarrhea.

How is Moringa Oil Extracted?

Modern extraction methods of the moringa oil is carried by the means of a screw press. The seeds are crushed and water is added (10% by volume). Thereafter, the mixture is heated gently over low heat for about 10 - 15 minutes. The final product one can get using this method is about 2.6 liters from 11 kg of moringa seeds kernels. This extraction process can provide an efficiency of 65%. Traditional methods which were used for the extraction, do not prove to be as sufficient as this. The methods involved extracting the kernels, pounding them and boiling for 5 minutes. Thereafter, the boiled liquid was strained through a clean cloth into another container. This was then left overnight so as to allow the oil to get separated from the water.

The moringa tree has been attributed with the name, 'Miracle tree' due to the myriad of benefits which it offers. As it has been cited already, nearly every part of the tree finds its application in pharmacological and nutritional aspects.