The Cullman Center Weighs in on Moringa Leaf Protein

We have finally published the first paper from an international consortium that was formed to assess the nutritional and medicinal potential of Moringa oleifera.  Moringa species are a small but important group of tropical trees.  Moringa oleifera, has received much attention recently as a “miracle tree”, and it is indeed a crucial low cost nutritional resource in poor dry tropical communities worldwide.  However there is not nearly enough hard scientific evidence for most of the claims that are being made for it.  We chose to evaluate the protein and mineral contents of a wide selection of Moringas, collected from all over the world, but all grown in the same common garden in Mexico.  The ultimate point of doing this is to guide growers and farmers in their selection of the optimal variants for addressing protein malnutrition.  We anticipate that this is the first in a series of studies that will emerge from our global initiative, funded by the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Foundation, Trees for Life International, and the USA and Mexican governments.