11/11/2018 / By RJ Jhonson
Researchers from different parts of the world are setting their sights on moringa (Moringa oleifera), a plant native to India and widely cultivated in different parts of Asia, and its potential health benefits, with many being focused on its antidiabetic effects.
To describe diabetes as widespread is a gross understatement. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are around 422 million people suffering from this disease worldwide as of 2014 – and the figures have been rising exponentially over the past years. It is the leading cause of blindness, limb amputation, kidney failure, and cardiovascular diseases worldwide, killing more people than AIDS and breast cancer combined.
As it happens, Type 2 diabetes – the form of the disease that occurs in 90 to 95 percent of cases in the U.S. – is largely manageable through proper diet and regular exercise. In instances when these two prove insufficient to control the disease, medication may be of assistance, but at the terrible cost of side effects. For this reason, much of the research on diabetes is focused on ways to control it using natural and safe means.
Moringa is a popular vegetable in Asia. It has been gaining a lot of attention as the newest superfood because of its impressive nutritional profile and diverse health benefits. Several studies have even confirmed its effectiveness as a natural aid for managing diabetes.
A Cambodian study, published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, administered moringa leaf extracts to obese mice for five weeks. The researchers concluded that not only did the treatment lower the animals’ fasting glucose levels compared to the control group, but it also increased their insulin levels. The moringa extracts even caused reductions in triglyceride levels and damage to the animals’ kidney tissues.
Another study, this one published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, found that the aqueous extracts of young moringa leaves have antioxidant properties potent enough to protect diabetic patients from oxidative damage. Diabetic patients are considered to be at greater risk of tissue damage from oxidative stress.
The positive effects of moringa on human health are not limited to just blood sugar control. Here are some other benefits one can gain from making moringa a regular part of their diet:
Discover the many benefits of eating moringa and other leafy greens at Veggie.news.
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Tagged Under: alternative medicine, diabetes, food as medicine, food cures, functional food, herbal medicine, Herbs, hyperglycemia, kidney dysfunction, kidney failure, medicinal food, Moringa oleifera, natural cures, natural medicine, renal damage
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