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MEDELLIN, Cebu—Most people depend on vitamin pills sold in drugstores to combat vitamin deficiency or lower the risk of certain diseases, or to just be proactive about their health. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But did you know that you can get those vitamins by just eating Kamunggay?
Moringa oleifera, or Kamunggay in Cebuano, Malunggay in Tagalog, is not just a favorite home-cooking staple of Filipinos.
Kamunggay is believed to have many benefits and its uses range from health and beauty to helping prevent and cure diseases.
It isn’t a cure-all, but the plant offers numerous benefits such as antifungal, antiviral, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory properties, according to health site medicalnewstoday.com.
Medicalnewstoday.com further listed at least 16 benefits one can get from consuming this very nutritious plant:
1. Protecting and nourishing skin and hair
2. Treating edema
3. Protecting the liver
4. Preventing and treating cancer
5. Treating stomach complaints
5. Treating stomach complaints
6. Fighting against bacterial diseases
7. Making bones healthier
8. Treating mood disorders
9. Protecting the cardiovascular system
10. Helping wounds to heal
11. Treating diabetes
12. Treating asthma
13. Protecting against kidney disorders
14. Reducing high blood pressure
15. Improving eye health
16. Treating anemia and sickle cell disease
Aside from the benefits mentioned, the leaves are also used as the main ingredient in “Utan Bisaya”—a soup composed of leafy vegetables such as squash, agbate, okra, and kamunggay leaves.
Another recipe is a simple soup with chicken, ginger, lemongrass, kamunggay and green papaya the Filipinos call “Tinola”.
So, if you’re thinking about cooking vegetable soup for tonight while reading this article, don’t give it a second thought. Just do it! And don’t forget to include kamunggay. /rcg