Moringa Tree - A Miracle?
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The Moringa Tree is all over the place in Nigeria. They call the tree Zogali which sounds like “joe-ga-lee.” It can be grown from seed or will just grow by sticking tree limbs in the ground. The tree will grow 12-15 ft. tall in one year and is resistant to drought. The tree is grown around their compounds to help hold up their fences and to provide shade.People in Nigeria sometimes use the leaves in their cooking. Health care workers are teaching them to use the leaves to prevent malnutrition. It provides one of the most nutritious leafy foods available. The leaves contain 3 times the iron of spinach, 4 times the vitamin A of carrots, 7 times the Vitamin C of oranges, 3 times the potassium of bananas, 4 times the calcium of milk, and ounce for ounce, are equal in protein to eggs. The tree blooms in December and has a pretty, small white flower. The pods and flowers are also edible and nutritious. The leaves are described as being bitter, but their powder does not have a marked effect on the taste of the sauce or stew. The flowers are said to have a taste reminiscent of mushrooms and the young pods have been compared to asparagus. The Moringa tree is particularly well suited to countering malnutrition because its leaves emerge just before the end of the dry season when leafy foods are not available.
Sound like a miracle? The nutritional content of the tree alone is a miracle in itself, but the tree has other uses.
Ground-up seeds from the Moringa tree are used to clean and purify dirty water. In 20 minutes the water clears and the dirt settles to the bottom. 99% of the bacteria is destroyed. The Moringa tree seeds contain oil, similar to olive oil, which is quite acceptable in taste, and does not become rancid. Different parts of the tree are also used in herbal medicine to treat numerous types of ailments. Laboratory investigation has confirmed the effectiveness of some of these uses as medicine, although more study needs to be done. Other ways to use the tree include using the seed cake as a plant fertilizer, the wood as a blue dye, the bark for rope making, and the bark and gum for tanning hides.
In January, at the United Methodist Church Nigerian Annual Conference, Dr. Chuck presented the need to develop the growth and use of the Moringa tree. This information caused quite a stir. The person presenting the report for the Agricultural Development Program also talked about this. Others told of the things they had found concerning the use of the leaves of this tree. There was a workshop last October on this very subject in Tanzania. Pearl wrote, “Personally I was very excited with the response of the people at the conference. I pray something is done with this.”
In Nigeria, April is nearing the end of the “dry season” when food and water is scarce. Dr. Chuck reports that this past month, the temperature has been over 100 degrees. One day it was 106. During each “dry season” most of the wells go dry. The people dig in any wet spot for water. This is a hungry time for the people because they plant much of their extra and do without these food staples until the harvest comes in. May the knowledge of how to use the Moringa tree make a difference.
The Moringa Tree is one of God’s miracles.
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