Moringa Partners

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Workshop 1. How to use Moringa leaves and otherhighly nutritious plants in a medical or nutritionalcontext

Summary of discussions

Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards and markets for a betterimpact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006

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Expected Results

Product standards with acceptable range ofvariation

Best practices to reach these standards Guidelines for measuring out Moringa leaf

powder according to patient’s profile


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Patients to exclude from Moringa leafpowder intake for medical / ethical reasons?

Best eating practices/associations tomaximize nutrient intake

Further information and research projectsneeded

Expected Results


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Product standards with an acceptable range ofvariation

The considerable task of compiling andsummarizing data in preparation for thisworkshop has already been accomplished

Additional analyses obtained from otherparticipants of the workshop will be added

The average values as well as theacceptable range of variation will bepublished in the proceedings


5 773 + 91 (5)

15620 + 6475 (7)

2.5 + 0.6 (7)

8.4 + 2.4 (7)

422 + 52 (6)

1384 + 420 (6)

Moyenne + ET/100g MSMean + SD /100g DM

28 + 6 (10)

1.0 + 0.2 (8)

1924 + 288 (13)

38 + 7 (6)

11 + 2.2 (9)

29 + 6 (11)

Moyenne + ET/100g MSMean + SD /100g DM

Vitamine C* (mg)Fer (mg)Iron

Vitamine A (IU)Cuivre (mg)Copper

Zinc (mg)Calcium (mg)

Manganese (mg)Glucides (g)Carbohydrates

Magnesium (mg)Minéraux (g)Minerals

Potassium (mg)Protéines (g)Proteins

ElémentNutrient

ElémentNutrient

Establishing product standards with an acceptablerange of variation


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These values will evolve and become increasingly reliableas new data is taken into consideration

These values will be useful for field work and forcommunication on Moringa

But all nutritional studies should include a proper analysisof the particular samples used

Establishing product standards with an acceptablerange of variation


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Best practices to meet these standards

Cultivars’ nutritional content vary littleExcept for the iron content of an Indianvariety grown in India. Two reliableindependent analyses report a very low ironvalue for these varieties (cultivar-environment interaction?)


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Production: preferably choose mature leaves (richerin nutrients) for leaf powder and young leaves (moretender) for fresh consumption

Harvesting season can have an effect on nutrientcontent, but this is difficult to quantify as it variesdepending on the local climate. Long conservationalso effects nutrient content.



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Processing can greatly alter nutrient content (esp.vitamins): drying and grinding temperature, dryingtime, UV exposure…

Processing can also have an effect on thebioavailability of nutrients (which must be veryprecise when used in a medical context)



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Storage can influence the nutrient content(shelf life, temperature, oxidization…)

Avoid contaminations while being stored andused (use appropriate packaging)


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To prevent and cure moderate malnutritionin vulnerable groups: children being weaned(6 months – 3 years), pregnant and nursingwomen.

Patients’ profiles


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In addition to medical treatment for peoplesuffering from chronic diseases or particularaffections



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Regular consumption of Moringa leaves bypregnant women increases the birth weightof babies

It stimulates milk production in nursingwomen


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From what is known today, Moringaleaves should not be used to treat severemalnutrition as the patients are veryweak and have very specific needs


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Medicinal properties linked to leaf consumption

Chronic diseases

Boosts the immune system of HIV+ patients Lowers glycaemia in diabetic patients Lowers blood pressure (taken as tea or leaf powder) Drepanocytose


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Minor Health Issues

Improves libido Regulates bowel movements (fresh leaves) Improves sleep patterns Improves state of health in general in cases of microbial

infection (taken as tea)

Medicinal properties linked to leaf consumption


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Medicinal properties of Moringa leaves

To treat malaria: a decoction of leaves isprepared by soaking leaves in water withpalm oil for 24 hours. The next day thepatient washes himself with this water (inaddition to treatment)


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Recommended amounts

To prevent or cure malnutrition: 10 to 30g of leafpowder per day (50 to 150g fresh leaves) accordingto the patient’s weight.

For medicinal use, generally 1 to 4 tablespoons areused daily


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Caution

Moringa leaves are not a substitute for medicaltreatment in cases of illness (HIV, malaria, etc.)

For pregnant women, the quantities should belowered during the third trimester to avoid theproblems related to giving birth to high birth-weight babies


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Important notice

Medical follow-up is always necessary incases of disease or malnutrition

Moringa leaves should not be considered asa medicinal plant but as a dietarysupplement that bolsters overall wellbeing


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Important notice

If Moringa is associated with disease andmalnutrition, healthy people will refuse touse it

People suffering from diseases could betempted to replace their treatment withcheaper Moringa, which could be dangerousfor them


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Best eating practices

Leaf powder should be associatedwith other foods in order to increase thebioavailability of nutrients:

For children, pregnant women, nursingwomen and the ill, as a flour associated withcereals, legumes and lipids

As beverage: tea, powder in water (formedicinal use mainly)

Fresh or dry leaves added to traditionaldishes


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Best eating practices

These eating practices promote theidea that Moringa leaves are a « healthfood » rather than a medicine, whichfosters consumption sustainability


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Further information and research projects needed

Priority research areas: Effects on malnourished children, pregnant and nursing women

(figures and statistics) Effect on HIV+ patients (recommended intake, limitations) Cardio-vascular pathologies, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure Drepanocytose


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Proposals

Create a nutrition task group in theMoringanews Network

Priority actions: Define a simple protocol for clinical follow-up

that can be easily used by field workers inorder to gather as much comparable data aspossible


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Proposals

Establish technical notes on production,processing, storage, packaging, nutritionalvalues, recommended intake, foodassociations for optimal efficiency

Set up common research projects


Moringa Partners

Health & Medicine

Transcript of Moringa Partners