Moringa is commonly known as the drumstick tree. It is native to northern India and used extensively in South and Southeast Asia. Moringa is known as the miracle tree because nearly every part is useful. It is prized for its high nutritional value and medicinal properties, with benefits attributed to the leaves, fruit, sap, oil, roots, bark, seed pods, and flowers. 

Key Medicinal and Nutritional Properties

Almost all parts of the moringa tree contain a rich combination of nutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds. 

• Leaves: The most commonly used part, they are packed with vitamins (A, C, B-vitamins), minerals (calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium), protein, and antioxidants. They are used to treat malnutrition, anemia, and various inflammatory conditions.
• Fruit (pods): Also known as “drumsticks,” the immature pods are consumed as a vegetable and are used to treat conditions like hepatitis and joint pain.
• Flowers: Edible and said to taste like mushrooms, the flowers can be used for treating throat infections, common colds, and as a source of nectar for honey.
• Seeds/Oil: Seeds can be eaten like peas or roasted like nuts. The extracted oil (ben oil) is used in cooking and cosmetics and has a long shelf life. The seeds are also renowned for their ability to purify water by acting as a natural coagulant.
• Bark: Used in traditional medicine for toothaches, common colds, ulcers, and skin infections.
• Roots: Often used as a condiment resembling horseradish, the roots have been used in remedies for fever, asthma, arthritis, and kidney or heart issues.
• Sap (gum): In some traditional practices, the gum is used to treat fever or to induce abortions. 

The widespread use and diverse benefits make moringa a highly valued resource for food security and traditional medicine in many tropical and subtropical regions.