Sip a Moringa Smoothie for Weight Loss! ‘Miracle’ Superfood Helps You Slim Down, Glow Up and Lower Cholesterol
Meet moringa—the 'miracle tree' that's surprisingly easy to find in grocery stores
From avocado to blueberries to chia seeds, you likely know your ABCs of superfoods. But you may be less familiar with an antioxidant-packed powerhouse called moringa. The moringa tree, also known as the “miracle tree,” is living up to its lofty name and gaining popularity for its many health benefits, including the ability to regulate blood sugar, flush the body of toxins, improve skin elasticity—and even help us shed unwanted pounds. We asked leading dieticians to weigh in on the top moringa benefits and how to add the superfood to your daily diet. Spoiler alert: that means a delicious smoothie recipe!
What is moringa?
“Moringa oleifera is also called the drumstick or horseradish tree, because every part of it is edible and can be used for cooking as well as medicinal purposes,” shares Sarah Koszyk MA, RDN, NBC-HWC, Skin Health Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and co-founder of MIJA.
It’s native to India and other parts of South Asia, and is commonly grown in family gardens, so it can easily be added to meals, she continues. “People have been using moringa for centuries because of its incredible health benefits. The delicate leaf is generally dried and crushed to create a soft, fluffy powder, which provides a deeply nourishing powerhouse of nutrients for our health and wellness.”
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4 science-backed health benefits of moringa
What makes moringa so special is that it’s “nutritionally abundant,” Koszyk declares, and has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Whether you’re using dried leaves, moringa leaf powder or moringa seed oil, here are a few ways this embarrassment of nutritional riches translates to tangible health benefits.
Decreased cancer risk
“Its green color indicates how rich it is in chlorophyll… which binds to toxins in the body, including heavy metals, helping decrease the risk of cancer, reduce inflammation and support our immune system,” reveals Koszyk. She adds that moringa is also rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, all of which are crucial to the body’s daily functioning.
Improved skin health
“People have been using moringa to assist their skin’s ‘glow factor’ for centuries,” Koszyk assures. And modern science tends to bear this out: A study in Frontiers in Nutrition suggests that moringa contains properties that inhibit enzymes from breaking down collagen, a protein key to skin elasticity and volume.
Lower cholesterol
Moringa is also known for its phytonutrients, including flavonoids and saponins, plant compounds that have been shown to help lower cholesterol, adds Toby Amidor, MS, RD, award-winning nutrition expert and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Health Shots.
In fact, this potent plant may have “antihypertensive benefits to possibly lower high blood pressure and hepatoprotective properties to help safeguard the liver,” she says. “It also contains antimicrobial and antifungal properties.”
Weight loss
“A recent study in the Italian Journal of Food Science reported that overweight people who took 1 gram of moringa powder daily for 12 weeks showed a significant reduction in weight and waist circumference,” reveals Koszyk. “While there are minimal human studies on moringa when it comes to weight loss, the fact that it can assist with regulating blood glucose levels suggests there is potential for it to support [slimming] when combined with other lifestyle behaviors like eating a balanced diet and exercising.”
What to know before you try a moringa supplement
One note of caution: “It should be said that numerous studies have been done with extracts, which are stronger than a lower-dose supplement form, so the form [moringa takes] matters,” cautions Amidor.
“Also, there isn’t much information on the dosage and length of treatment needed for various health conditions,” Amidor adds. “If you do choose to take a moringa supplement, make sure it is third-party verified, like through NSF International, US Pharmacopeia (USP) and ConsumerLab.com.”
The best way to take moringa for maximum benefits
While you can get the benefits of moringa in its various forms, it’s hardly debatable that a smoothie is one of the yummiest ways to take this superfood. “I love making this delicious, refreshing moringa mango pineapple smoothie,” raves Koszyk. “It has the perfect balance of fruit, plant-based protein and nourishing fats to rejuvenate and energize you.”
Along with the star of the show, moringa, the mango and pineapple lend the smoothie a ton of natural sweetness and vitamin C for vitality, she explains. “One serving of the smoothie provides 130 percent of your daily vitamin C needs, while the hemp seeds contain omega-3 fats, protein and fiber. There’s even spinach in the smoothie for that veggie bonus!”
Moringa pineapple smoothie recipe
Koszyk’s easy smoothie recipe:
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of frozen or fresh mango
- ½ cup of frozen or fresh pineapple
- 1 Tbs. of moringa powder
- 1 cup of spinach
- 1 Tbs. of hemp seeds
- 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder of choice
- 1 cup of water, almond milk or milk of choice
Instructions:
- In a blender, blitz all ingredients together until smooth.
- Pour into a cup and enjoy (and toast to your health!)
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