The organic oil of moringa is extracted from the cold-pressing of the seeds of Moringa oleifera and it is also known as the drumstick tree or the “miracle tree”. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and it is known to have numerous health benefits. The tree is also resistant to droughts and can adapt well to tropical and subtropical climates.

The healing and beautifying benefits of moringa oil have been documented for years. In the past, it was considered as a treasure and a fortune for Indians as they incorporated it into their diets for an energy boost, to treat inflamed joints and for maintaining the good health of a person. Ancient Egyptians also used it in burial ceremonies and to protect their skin against dust, sand and sun when they were travelling in the desert.

Today, the oil is increasingly sought after and it is frequently compared to the likes of olive oil and argan organic oil. To find out why this oil is so potent, read on to find out more!

Health Benefits of Moringa Organic Oil:

1. Promotes Hair Health

Moringa oil helps to maintain healthy and luscious hair as it cleanses and purifies the hair. It also improves blood circulation to the scalp and stimulates hair growth, thus preventing excessive hair loss and premature balding.

Additionally, it acts as a conditioner as it strengthens the hair roots/hair follicles and it nourishes weak/damaged hair, thus adding life to your hair and making it more radiant.

It also adds more shine and moisturizes your hair, thus it is perfect for those who have dry or brittle hair and it gets rid of dandruff as well. This hence helps to make your hair easier to manage. Simply add a few drops of the oil into your normal shampoo/conditioner and use as per normal to promote a more radiant hair.

You can also use moringa oil as a hot oil treatment. Warm the oil and apply it onto your scalp and hair. Cover your hair with a plastic cap and wrap a towel around it. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes and then proceed to comb your hair or brush it in. The oil will penetrate deep into your hair and scalp, delivering the vital nutrients and moisture that your hair needs without leaving it too greasy!

2. Relieves Common Skin Problems

Besides enhancing the health of your hair, moringa oil also benefits the skin. Brimming with antioxidants, moringa oil helps to protect your skin against oxidative stress and damage done by free radicals. As such, it is an anti-ageing oil that seeks to combat and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, dark age spots and loose or sagging skin as it builds collagen, thus promoting skin elasticity and tightness.

Additionally, moringa oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which thus makes it a useful oil to prevent and inhibit the formation of acne and blackheads which are due to an excess of oil/sebum by the skin glands. It absorbs well into the skin without leaving an oily residue on the skin, thus helping to unclog the pores and kill off the dirt, bacteria and debris found in the pores. Its anti-inflammatory quality also helps soothe inflamed and red skin.

Even those who suffer from eczema and psoriasis can also benefit from the application of moringa oil because it can also help soothe and moisturize dry, irritated skin conditions, without clogging up the pores of the skin.

It also helps to protect your skin from environmental damage and harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, thus ensuring that your skin remains healthy and is glowing with youthful radiance! As it is a carrier/base oil, you can massage moringa oil directly onto your skin or simply add a few drops of it into your night creams or skincare products.

3. Helps Control Blood Sugar Levels

Moringa oil may also help to control blood sugar levels to a healthy level as it regulates the sugar and glucose levels in the body. For example, a 2007 study conducted by the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition found that moringa significantly decreased the blood glucose levels for Goto-Kakizaki rats and for Wistar rats.

As such, this demonstrates how moringa has an ameliorating effect for glucose intolerance and this might be attributed to the quercetin-3-glucoside and fiber content found in the moringa leaf powder.

You can consider adding a drop of the oil into a glass of water or cup of tea, or even into your salads.

4. Protects the Heart

Moringa oil also has cardioprotective effects as seen in a 2003 journal study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. When rabbits were fed with moringa, it was found to lower serum cholesterol, phospholipid, triglyceride, VLDL and LDL cholesterol levels. In other words, moringa helps to lower the “bad” forms of cholesterol in the body, thus mitigating and reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

In addition, it actually raised HDL levels, or the “good” forms of cholesterol in the body, thus demonstrating its hypolipidaemic effect and cardioprotective effects. This is further supported by a 2009 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food which notes that moringa extract possesses significant cardioprotective effect, which may be attributed to its antioxidant, antiperoxidative and myocardial preservative properties.

You can consider adding a drop of the oil into a glass of water or cup of tea or even into your salads and consume the mixture. However, ensure proper dilution before drinking the mixture.

5. Provides Relief from Rheumatoid Arthritis

As has been abovementioned, moringa organic oil also contains potent anti-inflammatory qualities, thus helping to reduce inflammation, pain and swelling arising from a variety of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. It helps to ease the soreness, ache and swelling of the joints and muscles.

Additionally, it promotes blood circulation to these vital places as well, which helps to reduce the pain in the process. Since it is classified as a base oil, you can use it to dilute other pain-relieving essential oils so as to create a massage blend that offers pain relief.

6. Helps Improve Liver and Kidney Health

Moreover, moringa extracts can help support liver and kidney health. This is because it contains many detoxifying elements that help to purify and cleanse the liver and kidneys, thus preventing a whole range of liver-related and kidney-related problems, like urinary tract infection and kidney stones. This hence helps to promote liver and kidney health.

According to a 2006 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, moringa extracts exhibited anti-urolithiatic activity, meaning that it significantly helped reduce the elevated urinary oxalate and decreased the deposition of stone forming constituents in the kidneys of the rats test subjects.

A 2002 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food demonstrates how the moringa leaves exhibited hepatoprotective effects on liver damage, thus showing how the moringa extracts can potentially enhance the recovery from hepatic damage induced by antitubercular drugs.

However, it must be noted that the active compounds known to be able to promote liver and kidney health are normally found in the leaves of the moringa plant, rather than the seeds (where the organic oil is derived from). However, you can always combine the oil with other detoxifying essential oils to form a massage oil so as to support the health of your liver and kidneys.

Other benefits of moringa organic oil include its ability to protect the gastrointestinal system and relieve common stomach disorders, its potential cancer-preventive attributes, ability to relieve bouts of hysteria and neurodegenerative diseases as well as boosting the overall health of our body’s immune system.

Safety Precautions:

• Even though moringa organic oil is considered to be a carrier oil for essential oils dilution and therefore is mild enough to be applied directly onto the skin, be sure to perform a skin patch test first before applying it onto affected areas to ensure you do not suffer from allergic or sensitive reactions.

• If you are looking to ingest the oil internally, be sure to consult with your doctor first and seek for his/her professional medical advice. This is especially so if you have pre-existing medical conditions and are under prescription drugs because there might be risks of drug interactions.

• Not enough research has been done on the safety of moringa organic oil on pregnant/breastfeeding women, so do consult your doctor first before using the oil.

References:

Ndong M, et al., “Effects of Oral Administration of Moringa oleifera Lam on Glucose Tolerance in Goto-Kakizaki and Wistar Rats”, Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition (2007); 40(3)

Mehta K, et al., “Effect of fruits of Moringa oleifera on the lipid profile of normal and hypercholesterolaemic rabbits”, Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2003); 86(2-3)

Nandave M, et al., “Moringa oleifera leaf extract prevents isoproterenol-induced myocardial damage in rats: evidence for an antioxidant, antiperoxidative, and cardioprotective intervention”, Journal of Medicinal Food (2009); 12(1)

Karadi RV, et al., “Effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. root-wood on ethylene glycol induced urolithiasis in rats”, Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2006); 105(1-2)

Pari L, Kumar NA, “Hepatoprotective activity of Moringa oleifera on antitubercular drug-induced liver damage in rats”, Journal of Medicinal Food (2002); 5(3)