July 29, 2021
So…. You bought your Moringa powder. The amazing benefits of the Tree of Life were just too good to ignore. You envisaged a healthier, slimmer, happier version of yourself with glowing skin and glossy hair. The package arrives at your door and you cannot wait to start with your new health regime.
The Good, the Bad and the Unpalatable
You try mixing the powder into water and heroically glugging it down. Epic fail. It tastes absolutely vile. Your mom says that nasty-tasting medicines are the ones that work best, but this is too much to bear. You feel too guilty to throw it away. Maybe you will try again next week? Now the Moringa powder sits next to the other bags of so-called health food in a dark corner of the cupboard, where you only guiltily glance at it once in a while. Sound familiar?
You are in excellent company! Many people have the best intentions of kickstarting a healthier lifestyle. As a result, they buy a much-touted new supplement or superfood online, or from a health shop. The problem is that it is often a real schlepp to use it unless it can become part of your daily routine.
Let us be honest. The taste of Moringa powder is not great. In fact, it resembles a combination of horseradish and asparagus. If you like that sort of thing, this article is not for you. However, we have yet to meet a person who can chug a teaspoon of Moringa powder down with only water, without gagging.
Fortunately, Moringa powder has a shelf life of about 18 months if stored correctly (the usual cool dark place). This means that the powder in the back of the cupboard is probably still viable for use. The ideas we are going to share with you here might inspire you to haul it out and start powering up your nutrition!
Moringa Leaf Juice Extract
Before we get to that, we need to discuss an alternative way of ingesting Moringa to powder and capsules. Matana Health Group is one of the few suppliers in South Africa that offer Moringa Leaf Juice Extract. The extract is a very convenient way of getting your daily shot of Moringa goodness. Only 20ml per day, taken at any time, with or without food, is your recommended dose. The juice is cold-pressed and preserved with 18% organic alcohol to extract the maximum amount of nutrients. Seeing that the Moringa leaves are not dried or heated in the process, the juice extract retains Moringa leaves’ amazing amount of vitamin C (seven times higher than oranges). It is absorbed faster into the bloodstream than the powder or capsules, and people therefore report faster results.
Moringa Leaf Juice Extract can be taken on its own, or mixed with water or fruit juice. For a great metabolism booster, combine 20ml juice extract with a squeeze of fresh lemon, water, and honey if needed. Have it warm or add ice and mint if that pleases you. Drink it first thing in the morning, before breakfast.
Moringa Pow(d)er Breakfast
Now, let us get down to the business of using that powder. The easiest way to use it is to add it to a smoothie. Moringa powder works especially well in a green smoothie with some spinach, kiwi fruit, banana, mint, protein powder, etc. You get the picture. If you want something more indulgent, here is a recipe for a very tasty chocolate smoothie:
Ingredients:
- a ripe banana
- 2 cups almond milk (or coconut milk for a creamier smoothie)
- A cup of strawberries (frozen if possible)
- 1 tablespoon organic moringa powder
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- A pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Blitz all the ingredients together until smooth and indulge in your super healthy treat! (Enough for two.)
Staying with breakfast, Moringa powder can be added to your porridge in the morning! Prepare the oats as usual with milk and honey and stir in a teaspoon of powder at the end, with some dried berries, desiccated coconut, and nut butter (optional).
Cooking and Baking with Moringa Powder
Moringa powder works well in baked goods. Start off by replacing 2tbsp of the total amount of flour in a recipe with the powder. Remember to sift it with your dry ingredients. You can eventually replace up to ¼ of the flour with Moringa powder before it will start interfering with the rise of the bake. Moringa is green, therefore it complements the colour of zucchini bread or herb and cheese muffins for instance. It is also a great addition to whole wheat bread, crunchie cookies, or chocolate brownies.
The green super pow(d)er also works well in stews and soups, salad dressings, sauces, and dips. Avocado and Moringa are good friends. Simply blitz up some powder with your guacamole for an extra healthy dip.
Moringa Powder for your Pets
If you have bought Moringa, you are probably able to list a few of its benefits. It is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immune-boosting, anti-viral, blood sugar balancing, et cetera. The list of goodness is extensive indeed. All these benefits also apply to your furry friends. Especially older animals suffering from aches and pains get tremendous benefits from Moringa supplements. Expect a healthier, happier, more energetic pet with a shiny coat.
Here once again it would work best to mix the powder with wet food, or a sauce to disguise the taste. A 1/4 of a teaspoon for small to medium dogs and cats, once a day, will suffice. The larger the animal, the higher the dose. You can read more about it here: https://www.animalbliss.com/benefits-of-moringa-for-pets/
As you can see, once you start thinking about it, there are many tasty ways to disguise that not-so-yummy green powder. Start making it a part of every day’s meals and you will begin reaping the results before you know it. And if ALL else fails, feed it to Fido!