There are so many ancient plants and herbs that can have an effect on cancer. It still amazes me that so many of them are still unknown. Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is a different story, however. Moringa is a tree that grows in Latin America, Asia and Africa as well as parts of Oceania, including Micronesia and Polynesia.
It has been used for thousands of years in these areas but over the last decade or so, it has also been studied heavily in the West. It is often called the “miracle tree” because it can be beneficial on so many levels. The most exciting findings, however, are what this extraordinary plant (used widely in herbal medicine) can do to prevent and fight cancer growth.
In fact, moringa is so powerful, experts mention it multiple times in our upcoming documentary, Eastern Medicine: Journey Through ASIA.
#1. Moringa Lowers Inflammation
Ask any integrative or holistic professional and they will tell you: the main reason for any disease state, ultimately, is inflammation. Inflammation plays such a pivotal role in the development of any condition, including cancer, that even within the mainstream medical community, there is a whole theory based around it. It is called the inflammation theory of disease.1 It is based on years of scientific study which suggests that not only infectious diseases but also non-infectious ones have their root in inflammatory processes gone rogue.
One of the reasons why moringa is called a “miracle tree” is because of its power as an anti-inflammatory substance. One pivotal study was a 2002 French investigation2 which found that Moringa root helped treat acute inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and bronchitis.
Most research points to phytonutrient substances called isothiocyanates as the main compound that effects inflammatory responses in moringa.3 Many whole foods have anti-inflammatory constituents such as isothiocyanates within them. What’s unique about moringa is the amount of these substances that it contains.
#2. Moringa Fights Oxidation
While inflammation is the primary cause of disease, oxidative stress is the primary reason for inflammation. Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center involved in a 2010 landmark National Institutes of Health study4 put it best:
Extensive research during last two decades has revealed the mechanism by which continued oxidative stress can lead to chronic inflammation, which in turn could mediate most chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurological and pulmonary diseases.”
As you can see, the MD Anderson study has been out for close to ten years now. So why isn’t this common knowledge for most Americans? That is an entirely different story, but now you know so spread the word!
Getting back to moringa, several antioxidant substances that can help prevent and fight cancer have been discovered in the plant. These include quercetin, chlorogenic acid, vitamin C, and beta-carotene.
Menopausal women are at a higher risk for reproductive cancer,5 in large part because estrogen levels drop significantly during this time and so do antioxidant levels. One 2014 investigation published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology found that when menopausal women took 1.5 teaspoons of moringa leaf powder every day for three months, antioxidant levels increased significantly.6
Quercetin found in moringa is a powerful antioxidant that has especially been linked to cancer protection. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Cell Biochemistry found that even low doses of quercetin had the ability to inhibit cancer cell progression.7
Moringa leaf extract’s antioxidant effects are so powerful, it can also be used as a food preservative!8
#3. Moringa Provides Essential Nutrients
From what you know so far about moringa’s amazing health benefits, it should come as no surprise that moringa can help boost the immune system to fight cancer as well. In addition to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, it also contains a variety of essential nutrients that help the body on all levels. We already spoke about moringa’s high vitamin C content in relation to its antioxidant properties. Moringa leaves are also a good source9 of:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin E
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Copper
- Manganese
- Protein
- B vitamins (especially B6, B2 and B3)
- Iron
Moringa also contains a plethora of essential and non-essential amino acids, which are the very building blocks of life. Some of these include arginine, lysine, tryptophan, leucine, valine, and methionine.10
It should also be noted here that, according to some studies, moringa also contains a certain amount of “antinutrients.”11 These are substances such as tannins, phylates, calcium oxalates, and lectins that can slow or block nutrient absorption. The amount of antinutrients in moringa aren’t a concern for most people.
Keep in mind that while “antinutrients,” like tannins and lectins can block absorption of some nutrients, they are actually considered beneficial phytonutrients in other regards and their presence shouldn’t discourage you from taking advantage of all the wonderful benefits of moringa. Experts suggest, however, that if your diet consists mainly of legumes and grains (which also contain antinutrients), you should contact your holistic health professional or nutritionist to determine a moringa dose that is right for you.12
The nutrients that moringa provides may seem like humble vitamins and minerals that can be found in many vegetables and other whole foods. But remember that food is medicine! Much of the “medicine” needed to boost immunity and fight disease of any kind comes from ingesting foods that contain essential nutrients every day.
#4. Moringa Stimulates Cancer Cell Death
Finally, there is strong evidence to suggest that moringa helps fight cancer directly. It does this mainly through substances within it that stimulate the process of cancer cell death known as apoptosis.
A 2015 study13 published in the journal PLoS One took a look at the effect Moringa oleifera leaves, bark, and seed extracts had on both breast cancer and colon cancer lines in the laboratory. They found that all three increased the number of apoptotic cancer cells (i.e. cancer cells which have regained their ability to self-destruct like healthy cells) in both breast and colon cancer cell lines.
This study was significant because it was the first to determine that the bark as well as the leaves of the moringa tree can be cancer tumor-reducing.
Another study conducted by Israeli researchers found that moringa in conjunction with radiation therapy significantly decreased pancreatic cancer cell survival as well as metastasis. It also radically inhibited tumor growth. The investigators concluded that these results could not have been possible with radiation therapy alone. They suggest that:
The combination of moringa plus radiation resulted in an additional inhibitory effect that provided the rationale for further investigation of this combination as a novel strategy to overcome pancreatic cancer cell radioresistance.”14
These are just two examples amongst dozens of research studies15 that have focused on (and proven) moringa’s benefits for fighting cancer. Modern research now knows without a shadow of a doubt what ancient cultures around the world have known for centuries.
Moringa oleifera – the roots, leaves, seeds, and the bark – contains healing properties that have the ability to assist in cancer healing and prevention. Now you are no longer in the dark about this amazing substance. Don’t let your friends and family be either. Spread the word by sharing this article and continue the education and empowerment about natural health!
Want to learn how to use nature’s medicine chest?
I use the leaf powder in my shakes, but it tastes horrible. I keep looking for a way to use it that makes it taste better. I have seeds to plant, but have not done so yet. Want to use the seeds as part of my shakes.
Ideas for making it taste? and How much is the right amount to use, how often? I keep seeing articles about this plant, no one has suggestions on its use.
Thank you.
I put a teaspoon of the powder in my oatmeal every morning. I don’t notice any taste from it at all.
I hope you don’t use Quaker Oats. Searching my pantry the other day I had an entire box of assorted oatmeal packets. Under ingredients were the words ‘genetically modified’!
I drink Moringa every morning! Tastes great and I feel Amazing! And the morning I’m using uses the leaves, bark and seeds.
I Plant 9 trees in my garden. It is the faster growing tree in the world and i make tea almost every day. taste great. I start making pasta to and i sell that in the stores. I eat the leaves fresh and i add the leaves at my salad.
I recently found a product called cocoringa at my health food store. It tastes absolutely delicious! It is cocao mixed with moringa
I tried mixing moringa powder with carrot or apple juice, but I agree with you, Connie. It tasted horrible! But I found a better way. I add a teaspoon (or a bit more) of moringa to my breakfast mix of almond milk, chia seeds, sprouted ground flaxseed, banana, raspberries, blueberries etc. I use organic frozen berries and heat the mix if organic fresh berries are not available. This way I hardly notice the strong “greenness” of moringa.
Thank you for this article because it reassured me about Moringa! Yesterday I bought a bottle of Moringa at Sprouts! I am recovering from Cancer myself! I caught the Cancer in time and fortunately I did not have to have any Chemo or radiation treatment! I also take Turmeric Curcumin on a daily basis! Al i know is that I don’t want cancer again so I am trying to do everything in my power to prevent having cancer again! On a positive note, My family have a pomegranite tree so we are getting plenty of antioxidents!! So far, so good . . .
Hi Anne –
We’re so happy to hear that this article was beneficial to you.
What a blessing to have caught your cancer before it progressed. We’ll be sure to keep you in our prayers!
We have some resources and support some groups that may be helpful to you.
From our beginning, we have supported charities that really help these cancer patients.
HealingStrong:
http://healingstrong.com/
https://www.facebook.com/healingstrong
HealingStrong supports MANY cancer patients and are amazing. HealingStrong, a nonprofit organization, is supported 100% by volunteers, who are experienced in using natural strategies. The organization’s mission is to educate, encourage, equip, and empower those seeking comprehensive natural strategies to heal strong and stay strong.
HealingStrong Connect Groups meet monthly in various areas of the U.S. and South Australia to link others interested in natural strategies, holistic protocols, and local resources. Their groups focus on mind, body and emotional healing based on Biblical promises, as they believe the God of the Bible is our healer. For more information on how to start a group, or become involved in one, please go to: http://www.healingstrong.org/groups, and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/healingstrong.
Cancer Crackdown is so awesome and helps patients without a lot of money get supplements and treatments and even helps them raise money:
http://cancercrackdown.org/
https://www.facebook.com/CancerCrackdown
Also, the Independent Cancer Research Foundation is another charity that we support, also known as Cancer Tutor. They have been a TREMENDOUS help for cancer patients and have a TON of life saving information they give out freely and they do real research into treatments for cancer that are outside of the toxic Big Pharma Big 3:
http://www.theicrf.com/
The best that we can suggest is to contact Healing Strong and Cancer Crackdown for any need in financial resources.
We also support Mary Beth’s “Nick Gonzalez Foundation” which is bringing Nick’s protocol to the people…which is one of the most powerful cancer killing protocols out there.
I hope this is helpful! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us again if there’s anything else we can help with.
Wishing you endless blessings and love!
I get mine from the only company that uses the fruit, seeds and leaves and makes it enzymatically active and bioavailable on a cellular level.
Hi can you get this in England do you know.
I am from Philippines we have a lot of moringa tree here just add me in my fb account
Hi. We have a shop in our town with all sorts of herbs, so I bought mine in there, but you can buy online, from Amazon or eBay. By the way, I saw in HOLLAND&BARRETS too. I hope this helps.
What company is that?
OK so what is the Company?
Becky, Diane and Sally, I didn’t write the original post, but Dena was referring to Zija International, whose flagship products, SmartMix, SuperMix and XMPlus, are a proprietary mix of the ground leaves, flowers, and seeds of the Moringa Oleifera variety that we reconstitute into a drink by adding to water, which makes it enzymatically alive and instantly bioavailable….God’s multi-vitamin in one drink every morning!
Where can i get moringa seed to plant some trees. Thanks
Baker Creek seeds (rareseeds.com)
I started taking Moringa powder a year ago after hearing how it works against cancer, but I had forgotten just how it does work, so thanks for the article.
Do you have an organic recommendation please? I’m In the UK.
Thanks
Elayne
I mix my moringa leaves in a green smoothie in the morning, it’s our powerhouse daily starter 🙂
1 Teaspoon moringa leaves
1 Teaspoon organic matcha powder (matcha doesn’t have the same come down/crash as coffee)
half an advocado
half a green apple (Granny Smith)
Half to a full teaspoon of organic ginger powder (to just cut up ginger)
1 teaspoon to 1.5 teaspoons of psyllium husk (for fibre – helps with colon clease 😊 )
Then fill up my shaker cup with purified water
Then press the shaker/NutriBullet button – whoosh
Result: Super Green smoothie !! Hubby and my go to every morning
We then have a boiled egg (or non farmed salmon sometimes) for protein which keeps us fuller for longer if we have time.
Our energy has increased two fold 😁🌈🍀🍁🍂🌿🦋💫🏡🌱🎋🙌
I am a Lactation Consultant and one of the supplements I recommend to increase milk production is moringa ! I had no idea it had so much more to offer.
That’s great to know, Opal!
Thank you for sharing.
I saw an article the other day where they purchased a kit on Amazon which includes 00 size capsules and you make your own capsules with kit and that way you don’t have to taste the Moringa.
The medications I took cannot lower my blood pressure. I struggled for two years without any improvement, than someone told me to try the Morning , I was shocked within 3 days of using the morning my blood pressure dropped from 198 to 130 It’s really a miracle . Now I help many people who are struggling with blood pressure.
Thank you for the great information! I have recently been looking into Moringa but don’t know what what brand is good. Are there any recommendations? Thank you!
Hi Brenda –
Thanks for your note.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a specific brand recommendation for supplements at this time. But I would be happy to pass along this question/request on your behalf.
In the mean time, you could start with doing some research on USDA certified organic supplements available in a local shop or an online store. 🙂
If you have any further questions/concerns, please let us know as we are happy to help.
Blessings and love!
Does anyone know of reputable brands for moringa? My aunt just got diagnosed stage 4 melanoma and i am at a loss of even where to start..
I live in Ireland ,we wouldn’t have the Moringa here,so where could I buy this? Also would it be in powder form or tablet? Thanks.