Value added Moringa products

Moringa (Drumstick tree, Moringa Oleifera), rich in antioxidants and bioactive compounds has been touted as a leading superfood in the world. This is because it is packed with more nutrients than most foods. 

The Moringa farmer can add value to Moringa so as to make more income. With value addition, the moringa farmer will create and brand products based on moringa products. 

In this article, we will look at several products the farmer can create through value addition. 

Moringa Copyright: kulikulifoods.com

Moringa, also known as the ben oil tree or horseradish tree, has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.

According to Healthline, a healthy living publication, One cup of freshly chopped moringa leaves contain: –

• Protein: 2 grams
• Vitamin B6: 19% of the RDA
• Vitamin C: 12% of the RDA
• Iron: 11% of the RDA
• Riboflavin (B2): 11% of the RDA
• Vitamin A (from beta-carotene): 9% of the RDA
• Magnesium: 8% of the RDA

RDA - Recommended daily allowance.  

Moringa

Moringa Leaf Powder

Moringa powder is packaged and branded. The end user can use it in food and soups as a supplement or put it in hot water and drink it directly. Drying and packaging moringa leaves into powder is should be done in hygienic conditions.  This is to ensure that the end product is pure and has no contamination. In good storage conditions, moringa powder has a shelf life of 180 days (6 months)

Moringa Leaf Tablets and Moringa Capsules

Moringa powder can be made into tablets and capsules.  This is for direct intake as a supplement. 

Moringa Oil

Moringa oil, also known as ben oil is extracted either by cold pressing or solvent extraction. Moringa oil is known to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, anti-ageing, skin moisturizing and exfoliating properties. The oil is usually extracted from the seeds.  

Moringa flavored tea

Moringa can be flavoured and packaged into tea bags for intake. Common flavours are strawberry and peppermint flavoured tea bags. You can consider including some tea(chai) in the blend or just pure moringa with the peppermint or strawberry blend. 

Energy Bars

Moringa energy bars are snacks on the go that contain high nutritious food, mostly nuts, cereals, and supplements. The target market for moringa energy bars is busy who might not have time for a nutritious meal. A growing target market is children, as they serve as alternative snacks. The energy bars can be sweetened with jaggery or honey as alternative sweeteners for sugar. Moringa energy bars can store well for 8 months. 

Moringa Wunder Mix

Moringa powder, mixed with nutmeg, cashew, cardamom, and dry ginger, has been helpful in general wellbeing and vitality.  This mixture is based on ancient ayurvedic practices. Moringa wunder mix is widely used as a natural chemical-free aphrodisiac. 

Moringa Gum Powder

Moringa gum powder has diuretic and astringent properties.  It has been known to help with fever, dysentery, asthma and intestinal cancer. 

Moringa Instant Soups and Moringa instant shakes

Moringa can be mixed with other soup and shakes ingredients to create highly nutritious powders that can be turned into soup or shakes instantly. 

Moringa Honey

The moringa farmer can place beehives in their moringa plantation.  Honey produced by bees that get nectar from Moringa flowers is known to have medicinal properties that are associated with moringa.

Moringa Dry Flowers

Dried Moringa flowers are taken in hot/cold tea or used in salads and soups. 

Moringa Bio-Booster

Moringa, mixed with other natural extracts can be used a natural foliar spray to boost the growth of other plants. 

Moringa Seed Cake

Moringa seed cake, also known as moringa oil cake is a byproduct of oil extraction from Moringa seeds. It is used as an organic fertilizer and as a natural water purification agent. Moringa seed cake is rich in Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, and Nickel. This helps improve soil fertility when used as a fertilizer. 

Other moringa value-added products worth looking into include Moringa Chips, Moringa Kernel Pepper Fry, Moringa bark oil, Moringa dhal,  Moringa shampoo, Moringa soap, Moringa face cream, and Moringa soup mix.