There were no concrete walls between houses in our barrio. Instead, we had low-growing trees from which we harvested flowers, fruits, and leaves that went into our favorite dishes. White katuray blossoms that looked like sleeping birds went into salads and mixed vegetable stews while malunggay (Moringa Oleifera) provided leaves, flowers, and fruit we used in teas, dinengdeng, herbal medicine and to purify well water during the rainy season.
Malunggay seeds were always in my survival kit when covering disasters, which left the news sites with no safe water source.
Safe drinking water
According to Dr. Isidro Sia, a professor at the Department of Pharmacology covering disasters and Toxicology of the University of the Philippines, international studies have found moringa seeds to be one of the most effective water purifiers. He said the technology is being used in Kenya, Indonesia, and Uganda.
According to research, moringa seeds treat water on two levels, acting both as a coagulant and an antimicrobial agent.
It is generally accepted that moringa works as a coagulant due to positively charged, water-soluble proteins, which bind with negatively charged particles (silt, clay, bacteria, toxins, etc.), allowing the resulting ‘flocs’ to settle to the bottom or be removed by filtration.
Malunggay water purifier
Allow the moringa seed pods to dry naturally on the tree before harvesting them. Remove the seed husks, leaving a whitish kernel. Crush the seed kernels to a powder with a stone or mortar. Mix the powder with a small quantity of clean water in a small cup.
Pour the mixture through a tea strainer or sieve into a cup. It’s best to cover the strainer with a piece of clean cloth.
Add the resulting milky fluid to the water you wish to purify.
Stir quickly for 30 seconds, then slowly and regularly for five minutes.
Cover the water and do not disturb it for at least an hour.
The clean water may be siphoned or poured off the top of the container—about 50-150 mg of ground Moringa seed treats one liter of water, depending on how clear the water is. It is suggested that newbies experiment with the amount of seeds and stirring times to find what works best.
In general, one seed kernel will treat one liter of water. The process of treating the water with moringa seeds would take at least one to two hours. The clean water can then be filtered or sterilized to make it completely safe for drinking.
Used worldwide
Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) is often called the drumstick tree, the miracle tree, the ben oil tree, the horseradish tree, or simply malunggay. It is traditionally used as human food and medicine worldwide.
It is hailed as a plant with numerous nutritional and medicinal benefits. The pods are generally lower in vitamins and minerals than the leaves. They are, however, extremely high in vitamin C. The leaves have seven times more vitamin C than oranges and 15 times more potassium than bananas.
Moringa oleifera contains calcium, protein, iron, and essential amino acids, which help the body heal and build muscle. It is also packed with antioxidants, substances that can protect cells from damage and may boost the immune system. There’s some evidence that some of these antioxidants can also lower blood pressure and reduce fat in the blood and body.
Moringa seed oil protects hair against free radicals and keeps it clean and healthy. Moringa also contains protein, which helps to protect skin cells from damage. It also contains hydrating and detoxifying properties that benefit the skin and hair. Several studies have shown that moringa oleifera may help lower blood sugar levels. It can also lower cholesterol levels, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease.
In addition, moringa contains calcium and phosphorous, which aid in the maintenance of healthy and strong bones. Along with its anti-inflammatory properties, moringa extract may aid in the treatment of conditions such as arthritis and also help to heal damaged bones.
Moringa has a few known side effects as well. According to research, eating the leaves or young seed pods is generally safe, and leaf extracts made from powder and water may also be safe. Eating bark or pulp can be dangerous, however, especially for pregnant women. Chemicals in the bark may cause the uterus to contract, resulting in a miscarriage. Moringa has anti-fertility properties. It is therefore not recommended for pregnant women.
Malunggay preceded ube as flavor of the year, with malunggay pandesal as the most popular result of what started as a fad.
My own kitchen experiments produced lasagna with green malunggay pasta, malunggay crisp tortillas, egg drop malunggay soup, hot and sour soup, and many others.