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Moringa supplements: How to recognize the quality of Moringa
October 13, 2023
In recent years we have heard more and more often about Moringa Oleifera dietary supplements, a plant from India with many benefits.
Many studies enlighten us about its properties and benefits, and there are now numerous products online based on moringa or moringa extract in powder form.
Supported by the FAO* and described as a superfood by publications such as Vogue and La Stampa, Moringa, an essential plant for nutrition and care in various poor regions of the world (Africa, India, Asia), was discovered and commercially exploited by Western manufacturers, precisely because of their diverse properties.
However, the dangers of this “globalization” lurk around the corner.
Since these are dietary supplements, how safe can we be about their consumption? Let's find out together how to distinguish Moringa supplements in terms of quality and price.
Integrators with Moringa: The Dangers of “Globalization”
Heavy metals, pesticides, mold, germs: these are some of the very harmful substances that could be contained in poorly stored, uncertified and unclear origin of dried moringa used to make various nutritional supplements.
In fact, we should behave with caution if the Moringa we buy does not have the necessary certifications to trace the cultivation methods, the origin and therefore the traceability of the raw materials. Here's how.
When purchasing moringa extracts, be it in powder form, capsules, tea or as a basis for cosmetic products such as creams, shampoos and oils, we should pay particular attention to the quality and nutritional value in order to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Moringa, which is mainly available on the European market, is imported by European entrepreneurs from countries such as India or the Philippines (and other countries outside Europe where it is grown).
The problem with such products is that we cannot be sure what controls have been carried out and where the raw materials that are then used for food or cosmetic purposes come from.
The moringa we consume should come from cultivation areas intended exclusively for food use (or cosmetic use, depending on the use function).
Instead, although we cannot know, it could be associated with other uses that are not consistent with food use, such as the production of biomass.
Moringa for biogas production
As shown by the results of the study "Moringa oleifera as a sustainable source of energetic biomass", which analyzes the methods of obtaining Moringa biomass, Moringa is "an easily exploitable plant for sustainable energy, especially its pods and seeds".
The study also shows that moringa can be used in different ways from an energy perspective: for biogas production, for bioethanol production, for biodiesel production or for the production of briquettes. Through experiments on biogas production from Moringa plant material (biomass), it was estimated that by crushing the Moringa crops along with water and adding it to a biogas reactor with an average of 5.7 g of volatile solids added and a gas production of 580 liters per kilogram, the average methane concentration in the gas was 81%.
"Based on the experiments, it was estimated that more than 4,400 m³ of methane per hectare/year could be produced from moringa."
That's almost twice the methane produced annually from sugar beets, a common material for biogas production. *
All this information makes it clear that the economic importance of Moringa for biogas production is increasing and it is crucial to monitor the origin of Moringa purchased for consumption or cosmetic purposes in order to avoid the ingestion of products containing other substances could be contaminated that could be present in the sustainable energy crops.
Did you know that the most common moringa in the world is not the European one?
"All Moringa species come from the sub-Himalayan regions, and the most widespread is Moringa oleifera v. Lamarck, which is currently cultivated in various countries in Africa, Asia and South America."*
"In addition, the drying methods influence their quality.*
Choosing the right Moringa supplement in three steps
1. The smell
It should be fresh and sharp, like freshly harvested hay on a late summer day or like the smell of freshly mown meadow: a sign of freshness and quality of the raw material. Be careful if it smells like old straw instead: its beneficial effects are probably already impaired or ineffective.
2. The color
It should be light green. This characteristic goes hand in hand with the smell: as the color of the moringa fades, its characteristics are also likely to be on the same declining path.
3. The drying method
Because it is a raw superfood, Moringa is dried to preserve it better.
The correct method that prevents the formation of mold and fungi and ensures the quality of raw materials is natural drying in the dark at a temperature of 42°C and a drying level of 10% or 5%.
It is protected from pests of all kinds such as rats, birds and mice to eliminate any remaining moisture that could cause mold or bacteria later or during storage.
Why is treating Moringa leaves and extracts so important?
When we talk about "superfood" and its health-promoting properties, we are of course referring to a product that keeps its healthy properties intact.
In the case of Moringa, processing, storage and therefore the storage conditions as well as the origin are of crucial importance in order to maintain the quality.
Traceability of purchased Moringa preparations
The CIRPS (Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile) has carried out studies on the quality of Moringa oleifera from Southeast Asia and other production areas (Congo, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, India), due to its economic importance in recent years.
In fact, European entrepreneurs have begun to increasingly stock up on this “superfood”. On the other hand, the logic of savings and wholesale does not provide certainty about the traceability of raw materials.
In this way, the end consumer does not have all the necessary information available, and labels that say "100% natural" are not enough without actual information about the production process and certifications of the Moringa used for tea, cosmetics and dietary supplements.
The quality of Moringa? It's also about phytochemistry
The fitochimica is a scientific discipline that analyzes the structural chemistry and biology of the principles of attivi delle Piante (Wikipedia).
Drying Moringa Leaves
An analysis of the phytochemical properties of Moringa plant extracts from tropical countries was carried out in the Laboratory of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry of the Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences at the University of Turin.
The result of the analysis was that the examined Moringa extracts from India (and Burkina Faso) performed the worst from a phytochemical point of view (the study corresponds to the need for intensive cultivation in some poor regions of the world for nutritional reasons).*
Because Moringa oleifera is easy to grow and hardy, non-native cultivation areas such as those in Europe have now become more important, although we cannot always be sure whether the raw materials have been dried and stored (or frozen) correctly.
Transparent labeling for Moringa supplements
Food labeling is regulated by European Regulation 1169/2011, and it also requires a certain level of transparency for food supplements.
As in the food industry, the concept of transparent labels and traceability has long been established and buyers are urged to pay attention to this for health and product quality reasons.
Likewise, Moringa oleifera is an edible plant in all its parts and is used as a cosmetic product for skin and hair. It is clear that reliable and concrete information about their origin and product certifications are reassuring to those who use them directly.
Often, moringa imported from regions such as India, the Philippines or Thailand may come from companies that produce material for biogas plants and animal feed and is therefore not specifically intended for human consumption due to possible contamination with pesticides or heavy metals.
Some European manufacturers may unknowingly import raw materials from these regions, without the necessary supply chain controls, and sell them for food or cosmetic purposes.*
Since, as reported by the CIRPS* researchers, leaves and seeds are the parts of the plant that have the highest concentration of nutrients, and Moringa is now considered the plant with the highest known amount of nutrients, it is even more important to pay attention to the origin of the Pay attention to raw materials used for the production of dietary supplements and cosmetics.
RedMoringa and the certifications for high-quality Moringa
The ingredient in the RedMoringa capsule is made from 100% purified fog and semi-deciduous Moringa Oleifera, cultivated by its fertile and volcanic volcano in the Isole Canarie or in the southernmost part of the earth and is biologically certified by Bioagricert, an Italian controlled organism.
It is possible to use the Moringa origin from RedMoringa. Le foglie vengono raccolte a mano, essiccate secondo the migliori pratiche e con certificazioni longo l'intera catena di produzione.
La Qualità Controllata E Coltivata Esclusivaments per uso alimentary o cosmetico da Produttori Europe Come Redmoringa, che Preferiscono Catene di Approvamento Brevi, Porta a Un Prodotto Con Valori Nutrizionali Elevati, con un'alta Concentrazione o di pesticidi, metalli pesanti oh germi.
Inoltre, the etichettatura trasparente and conforme alla legge consente di
What is the Bioagricert organization?
It is an Italian control organization, one of the leading in our country, which certifies the origin and production and issues the organic label "Agricoltura UE", valid throughout the European Union market, certifying the ecological and organic origin and cultivation of our Moringa , without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Growing Moringa organically not only has numerous health benefits, but also helps protect the environment from intensive exploitation.
Moringa oleifera and price: how to choose
Given the characteristics that determine the quality of a Moringa supplement (freshness, smell, color, origin, treatments carried out, use of pesticides, production chain, certifications, etc.), determining the cost becomes quite simple.
Organic Moringa label
It is clear that a supplement that costs only a few euros but does not provide essential information for the consumer cannot offer the same guarantees as a product that, on the contrary, offers all the basic reference points to evaluate quality and safety, since it is is a dietary supplement.
In the case of Moringa powder, even with good quality, the price is variable since it requires a simpler process compared to the capsule form, which is due to the type of packaging.
However, the inherent quality of the product must be the same in every case, subject to strict controls and coming from an environment that prioritizes health and integrity of the product.
References:
* (Moringa – Il superalimento degli Dei-Thorsten Weiss) Edizioni Il punto d'Incontro
*International Journal of Chemistry; Vol. 7, No. 2; 2015
ISSN 1916-9698 E-ISSN 1916-9701 -Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283453376_Moringa_oleifera_as_Sustainable_Source_for_Energetic_Biomass)