Drumsticks or Moringa oleifera lam are one of the important perennials grown in the state of Chhattisgarh. Each part of the plant (Flower, leave, Pods, and stems) is considered valuable for food but it is also rich in nutrition high minerals and vitamins. Moringa is the traditional vegetable crop of Chhattisgarh because it is grown in every house and used for various purposes.
It is also known as Horse radish tree, Radish tree, West Indian bean, Multipurpose tree , Ben oil tree, Miracle tree , Drought resistance vegetable crop.
Nutrient components
Many parts of the moringa are edible with regional uses:
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Immature seed and pods called drumstick
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Leave
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Mature seed
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Oil pressed from seed
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Flower
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Roots
Leave: - The leaves are the most nutritional part of the plant being a significant source of Vitamin among other essential nutrients. When compared with common food particularly high in certain nutrients per 100 mg fresh weight cooked moringa leave are the considerable source of those sum nutrients. The leave is cooked and used like spring and are commonly dried and crused into a powder used in soup and sauces.
Drumstick: - The immature seed pods called drumstick are commonly consumed in south asia , they are prepared by parboiling and cooked in a curry until soft .The seed pod /fruits, even when cooked by boiling, remain particularly high in Vit c. And is also a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, Mg, Mn.
Seed: - The seed sometimes remove from more mature pods and eaten like nuts contain high level of Vitamin C and moderate amount of Vitamin A,B ,C and dietary minerals.
Seed oil: - Mature seed yield 38-40% edible oil called ben oil from its high concentration of behenic acid .The refined oil is clear and odourless, and resists rancidity.
The seed cake remaining after oil extraction may be used as a fertilizer or as a flocculant to purify water. Moringa seed oil also has potential for used as biofuel.
Roots: - The roots are shredded and used as a condiment with sharp flavour, qualities deriving from significant content of polyphenols.
Uses of Moringa
Malnutrition relief: - Moringa is a nutritious vegetable which can play a major role in solving problem of mal nutrition in Chhattisgarh state.
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Moringa tree have been used to combat malnutrition especially among in nursing mother.
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It may provide a versatile nutritional food source throughout the year.
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Moringa leaves have been proposed as an iron-rich food source.
For Culinary Uses:- Moringa has numerous application in cracking throughout its regional distribution. The fruit or seed pods as drumstick are a culinary vegetable commonly used in soup and curries.The leave can be used in many way ,perhaps most commonly added it clear broth based soups.
As a traditional medicinal and research:-The bark ,sap ,roots ,leave seed and flower are used in traditional medicine .Research has examined how it might affect blood lipid profile although it is not effective at diagnosing treating of prevent any human disease .Extracts from leave contain low contents of polyphenols which are under basic research for their potential properties .
Water Purification: - Moringa seed obtain are a byproduct of pressing seed to obtain oil,is used to filler water using flocculation to produce potable water for animal or human consumption. Moringa seed contains diametric cationic protein which absorbs and neutralive colloidal charge in turbid water changing the colloidal particle to clump together making the suspended particle easier to remove as sludge by either settling or filtration .Moringa seed solve removes most impurities from water.
Medicinal Uses: - Moringa seed contain pterigospermin a potent antibiotic and fungicide effective against pseudomonas aeruginosa .Moringa leave are used in the treatment of aenemia .Moringa roots and bark used in the treatment circulatory problem .
Agricultural Uses:- Phyto harmone extracted from moringa leave have been sown to have growth enhancing effect on various plants including black gram ,peanut ,soyabean sugarcane and coffee.
Spraying moringa leaf extract on leave increased plant production by 20-35%.
As Animal feeds: - This tree is also capable of producing high quality fodder during the dry season. The leaves are readily eaten by cow, goats, sheep and pig. Leave of moringa tree possess excellent nutritional characteristics and are beneficial for cattle feed both economically and nutritionally.
Used in cosmetic products: - Moringa leave contain 30 antioxidants which are very useful for skin brightening. The whitening moringa face pack brings glow to the face reducing wrinkles and pimples spots. It also improves complexion and prevent sagging of facial muscles. Another way of consuming moringa leave is to dry it and convert them into powder making it easier to store and used at any time.
Article by:
Lalit Kumar Verma ,B.S. Asati, S.P. Shrma , pooja sahu,Toran lal sahu ,Ashulta kausal ,Mnoj Chandrakar ,Hemant Kumar ,Okesh chandrakar ,sumit viswas, Versa Verma
Pt. Kishori Lal Shukla College Of Horticulture &Research Station, Rajnandgaon
Indra Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur (C.G.) 491441 [email protected]
