# Moringa Oleifera botanical **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568 "2011-08-30T01:31:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/21 "2011-10-01T19:37:40Z")
> [@sheldoncowles](#): > > I get it from a local organic grocery store in Yucca Valley, California. Oh, goody. Yet another moringa windmill has been erected for tilting practice. > [@sheldoncowles](#): > > The store is owned by a doctor who owns a farm down the road in Joshua Tree, California. He grows the Moringa trees organically. I suppose the mention of the organic doctor’s farm is an implied endorsement of the effectiveness of moringa for, well, something or other. The obvious and inextricable vested interest plainly contaminates any such endorsement. Beyond that, however, on what evidence does this doctor depend when he recommends moringa to his customers? As stated multiple times, the state of the research does not support such recommendations for moringa as anything but an interesting, but hardly unique, food. > [@sheldoncowles](#): > > The leaves are dried and powdered. I have a few minor issues, but I am not sick by any means. Most people consider me to be a healthy 36 year old guy. The doc recommended I try Moringa as a supplement basically because virtually all the food we consume is depleted in the vital nutrients. Moringa puts back in what were missing. So you agree moringa does not “work” as a specific treatment for any ailment. The rest of this is pure unicorn farts. Nutrients do not just leak into the atmosphere, after all. Plants and animals accumulate nutrients through the anabolic metabolic processes. Some other process must be applied to the food to remove these accumulated nutrients. Boiling vegetables into submission will leach nutrients no matter how they are grown, for example. It is puzzling in the extreme that an organic-farming doctor would claim that organic farming methods do not preserve nutrients. Logically, if the organic strawberry (or whatever) farm down the road produces nutrient-deprived strawberries, his organically-farmed moringa trees would also be nutrient-deprived, as the same factors would apply to both. > [@sheldoncowles](#): > > To be honest I haven’t been taking it as often as I feel I should, but I have seen a marked improvement in my health. I feel amazing, my skin is super clear, my eyes shine, nails, feet, back pain, the list goes on. I know this sounds insulting, but I honestly don’t mean it that way. That said, your list of improved health symptoms sounds like the promises that dog food commercials make. To be more charitable, perhaps you were vitamin D deficient before you took moringa and the moringa does have vitamin D. If that’s the case, you might just want to take a look at the vitamin aisle in your local CVS. It would certainly be cheaper than moringa extracts. The one non-dog-food commercial symptom, back pain, is notoriously non-specific. In other words, this list of health improvements is not even impressive as anecdotal evidence. Has anyone objectively measured any of these symptoms before and after moringa consumption. (I imagine you did not have an associate count number of pimples per square inch before and after.) > [@sheldoncowles](#): > > I’m an avid cyclist. I mountain bike, road bike, and race BMX. When training on Moringa, I don’t feel as affected by wind or temperature, which usually results in an excuse not to ride. I asked my friend the doc why this is and he said the Moringa increases circulation so your not feeling the cold or wind. Your friendly doctor has fed you complete, utter, and total high-grade bunkum. If anything, increasing circulation would make you \*more \*sensitive to cold and wind. The body’s physiological response to cold is to reduce circulation to the limbs and skin and the response to heat is to increase circulation to dissipate heat. Exactly the opposite of the B.S. explanation you have been fed. > [@sheldoncowles](#): > > I’ve got many stories about Moringa and how it works for me. There are several nursuries in the Los Angeles area the sell the trees. I intend on picking up a few and growing them in my sandy Joshua Tree backyard. Hey, it’s your money. Just remember that these stories of yours are just that: stories ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/22 "2011-10-02T18:04:41Z")
> [@sheldoncowles](#): > > I get it from a local organic grocery store in Yucca Valley, California. The store is owned by a doctor who owns a farm down the road in Joshua Tree, California…The doc recommended I try Moringa as a supplement basically because virtually all the food we consume is depleted in the vital nutrients. What is this guy a doctor of? (I need to know if he’s an M.D. in which case he’s a (sadly not unique) embarassment to his profession. Then again he could be a naturopath or a rug doctor in which case the medical profession is off the hook). Our food is not “depleted in the vital nutrients”. An average healthy diet has all one needs. There are all kinds of “miracle foods” promoted as uniquely wonderful storehouses of nutrients. None live up to those boasts. If there is evidence to the contrary for Moringa I haven’t seen it. One [research study](http://www.springerlink.com/content/rtw7977564336087/fulltext.pdf) looked at Moringa in addition to seven other “famine foods” consumed in Nigeria and compared them for nutritional value. While Moringa was noted to contain vital nutrients, so did all the plants studied. In fact, the authors singled out _other_ plants (i.e. Amaranthus viridis and Hibiscus sabdariffa) as being especially valuable to supplement diets in times of poor availability of cereal crops. So why aren’t we hearing about _those_ plants as being “miracle” foods? Give it time. For now, moringa (and lots of other foods/supplements) have better publicists. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/24 "2012-09-09T18:08:55Z")
You mean unlike all of the peer-reviewed scientific evidence you’ve provided? By all means, if such evidence exists, present it. We’d be thrilled to look at it. Note that, as always, anecdotes are not data. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/26 "2012-09-10T14:14:33Z")
> [@DictateAndFacilitate](#): > So…we’re supposed to be enlightened by a company website (Zija is a multilevel marketing outfit) and “Uncle Russ”, who boasts of visiting 75% of the countries in the world and has a Quack Miranda Warning on his website, i.e. “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Zija’s products or Russ Bianchi’s statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any illness or disease…” Wonder if **DictateAndFacilitate** is selling this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/27 "2012-09-10T14:17:48Z")
Of course he/she is selling this stuff. The occupation listed in the profile is “Sales Representative.” ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/28 "2012-09-10T14:49:43Z")
> [@DictateAndFacilitate](#): > > [Spam message deleted] Let me repeat myself, for the benefit of those who aren’t able to move their eyes upwards by about a half-inch. Do you have any peer-reviewed, scientific evidence to present? Anecdotal data is not acceptable in science. Anecdotal data provided by people with a conflict of interest, such as those whose livelihoods are dependent upon proving that a specific claim is true, are even more suspect. Please note that this is the same standard of evidence required of any and all scientific research in the world. You’re not being picked on. Just to head that particular complaint off at the pass. Hint: A good answer to this question would start “Here is a paper published in the scientific journal \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ that reports a double-blind study of the efficacy of this nutritional supplement. The study concluded that \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/29 "2012-09-10T23:10:56Z")
[Moderator Note] Spam messages have been deleted and the spammer banned. The quotes of his posts have also been edited to remove the spam messages. Sorry that he will not be available to provide peer reviewed cites for his statements. 😉 Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/30 "2012-09-11T01:06:36Z")
Aw man, and I was holding my breath for them, too. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/31 "2012-09-11T01:56:21Z")
If it helps, I have ready access to lots of Moringa trees. I can’t vouch for the nutrition, but it’s pretty yummy stuff. 🙂 I want to plant one at the house. Except we lost three from Isaac coming through as a moderate Tropical Storm, and I really don’t want trees like that on my property. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/32 "2012-09-11T02:18:00Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Aw man, and I was holding my breath for them, too. All you need to do is click your heels together three times and say “Zija!” ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/33 "2012-09-11T10:39:56Z")
Yeah. Another sales drone will come along sooner or later. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568/34 "2012-09-11T11:08:28Z")
> [@MolecularChef](#): > > Since my friend said that this cite has helped them greatly. Cite? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moringa-oleifera-botanical/594568.md?page=1)