Nutritional Profile of Drumstick Leaves and Health Benefits

Drumstick leaves are also known as moringa leaves and they contain a high amount of protein and phytochemical content.

Drumstick leaves are considered to be a replacement for various animal proteins and are being used in traditional medicine for conditions like millennia. ⁽¹⁾ However, it is not just all! There are a lot of medicinal values of drumstick leaves. ⁽²⁾ They have got an impressive nutritional profile that makes them quite beneficial for health. Read below to know about some of the natural health benefits of drumstick leaves.

As mentioned above, drumstick leaves are rich in protein content. Apart from this, they even contain all the essential amino acids and these are quite rich in minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, along with vitamins like vitamin A, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, Folate, C, D, and beta-carotene.⁽¹⁾

Drumstick leaves are beneficial at reducing conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and inflammatory disorders.

Take a look on the following sections of the article to know a detail natural health benefit of drumstick leaves.

Drumstick leaves have got significant nutritional value, which is even more than oranges, carrots and also milk. These leaves have been used in many Indian cuisines and adding these leaves to juices could also be beneficial. It must be mentioned that when consumed in the natural form, drumstick leaves have got no real side effects and offer the best of health benefits.

One of the best natural health benefits of drumstick leaves is that they fight inflammation. Because of the presence of isothiocyanates in the drumstick leaves, they are anti-inflammatory. They have niazimicin that is known to reign in the cancerous cells’ development. Inflammation is the primary cause of several diseases, such as cancer, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and several autoimmune diseases.

Whenever we suffer an injury or an infection, our body suffers an increased level of inflammation. Inflammation increases because of our unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy diet. Long-term inflammation results in chronic health conditions. Consuming drumstick leaves on a daily bases keeps you away from inflammation.

Drumstick leaves or the moringa leaves are also known to be full of antioxidants and their antioxidant properties help in protecting against the effects of damage causing free radicals found in the environment. These damage causing free radicals are known to be responsible for several chronic diseases, such as heart problems, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Drumstick leaves are packed with beta carotene and vitamin C, and they act against free radicals. These leaves are also full of quercetin, which is an antioxidant helping in lowering the blood pressure. One more antioxidant found in drumstick leaves is Chlorogenic acid, which aids to stabilize the levels of blood sugar after meals.

It is also known that cholesterol levels get lowered with drumstick leaves. Cholesterol is the major reason why most people suffer from heart issues and it is shown that consuming drumstick leaves has shown significant improvement against the high levels of cholesterol.

The blood sugar level also lowers when drumstick leaves are taken on a regular basis. It is to be mentioned that sustained high levels of blood sugar results in the development on conditions such as diabetes; and diabetes can result in heart issues and even various organ damage in the body. In order to avoid this, you must keep your blood sugar levels properly checked. Drumstick leaves are one of the best resources for stabilizing the blood sugar levels because of the presence of isothiocyanates.

Drumstick leaves have got another super natural health benefit; and that is, they protect against arsenic toxicity. In several parts of the world, one of the common problems is arsenic contamination. Arsenic is present in our body systems and it found its way inside through various food items, especially rice. A long-term exposure to excessive arsenic can lead to heart problems and cancer.

Research conducted on laboratory animals have shown that drumstick leaves combat effects of this arsenic toxicity.

One more natural health benefit of drumstick leaves is that they protect the liver. People having tuberculosis can actually get benefit from these leaves as they help in reducing the negative effects of anti-tubercular drugs. The drumstick leaves accelerate the repair of our liver cells. These leaves contain a high concentration of polyphenols in them that actually protect against oxidative damage to our liver and might even reduce it. Protein level gets increased in the liver when drumstick leaves are taken on a daily basis. The live is known to be the site of blood detoxification, nutrient absorption, fat metabolism, and it can properly function if the liver enzymes are quite normal. Drumstick leaves stabilize these enzymes of the liver.

Drumstick leaves are good for stomach as well. They protect against several digestive disorders and those who experience constipation, gas, bloating, gastritis, and ulcerative colitis must add drumstick leaves to their regular diet. These leaves have antibiotic as well as antimicrobial properties which make them a perfect remedy against various digestive issues. Apart from this, the high amount of vitamin B present in the leaves help in improving digestion.

What could be a better remedy for a lactating mother than this? Drumstick leaves are also known to improve lactation or milk production. In Ayurvedic medicines, these leaves are used for increasing milk production in breastfeeding mothers. It is also packed with protein, essential nutrients, and important vitamins and thus very good for the mother’s as well as the baby’s health to take drumstick leaves.

Moringa capsules or the drumstick capsules are prescribed to lactating mothers for promoting lactation.^(3,4)

One study that was performed on postpartum mothers has demonstrated the incredible positive effect of drumstick leaves capsules. Those women taking these capsules were known to have higher levels of prolactin and their newborns were also comparatively heavier.⁽⁴⁾

Lactation is improved in mothers who took these capsules for around 2 months. It must be mentioned that this is a common practice in the Philippines to make use of these leaves to augment the production of breast milk.^(3,4)

How wonderful it is to know that drumstick leaves help in weight management! They increase fat burning in your body and slim you down without depleting the energy reserves. This in turn keeps you feeling well nourished and buoyant. They reduce cravings for food and also enhances body’s metabolism. We also talked earlier that these leaves lower blood cholesterol.

The presence of isothiocyanates in drumstick leaves make them quite beneficial in reducing the body weight and also in treating various metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes.⁽⁵⁾

Having these leaves might lower obesity and also cut down the risk of organ damage which is induced by lipid accumulation.⁽⁵⁾

There is another natural health benefit of drumstick leaves. One cup of chopped drumstick leaves contain 0.84 mg of iron, 1588 IU of vitamin A, 8 mcg of folate.⁽⁶⁾ Taking these leaves might be very much beneficial for pregnant women and those who are dealing with the condition of anemia.

Rat studies have shown that drumstick leaves show a positive result on blood parameters. These parameters include hemoglobin levels, platelet count, packed cell volume or the RBC volume, and maternal anemia. Optimal levels of iron as well as hemoglobin in women, is known to prevent complications during pregnancy as well as during delivery, including low child birth weight.⁽⁷⁾

Apart from this, iron absorption is also vitamin A dependent and since drumstick leaves are a great source of vitamin A, they help in enhancing the rate of iron retention. So, you will actually not face rapid iron reserve depletion in the body if you consume these leaves regularly.

There are various herbal extracts that are used aphrodisiacs. These help in improving sexual performance and sexual desire. Some of the herbs can correct sexual dysfunction and erectile dysfunction which are caused due to stress.⁽⁹⁾

Drumstick leaves have also got similar properties. They inhibit the hydroxylation of testosterone and this in turn enhances sexual performance. The antioxidant capacity of drumstick leaves reduces the depletion of Leydig cells or the testosterone-producing.⁽⁹⁾

These leaves even exhibit dopaminergic or dopamine-stimulating action on the brain. Dopamine along with testosterone together enhances sexual performance and desire, vasodilation, and erection in case of males.⁽⁹⁾

Drumstick leaves are also antiseptic and they fight off several bacterial infections. They are also beneficial in healing wounds and also help you to heal minor cuts, bruises, and burns quickly, because they reduce the clotting time.

Drumstick leaves have high photochemical and protein content in them. As mentioned earlier in this article, they replace animal protein and also have several uses in traditional medicine for millennia.⁽¹⁰⁾

Drumstick plant is a distant relative of cabbage, broccoli, and kale and also got a similar nutritional profile. The drumstick leaves have a high medicinal value.⁽¹¹⁾

They are not just rich in protein but also in essential amino acids, vitamins, and various minerals. Drumstick leaves help in dealing with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and inflammatory disorders.

Drumstick leaves are known as natural cleansers and they help in detoxifying the system. This helps in keeping the body healthy and increases body’s immunity against varied range of infections. They even increase the energy levels in our body.

One more natural health benefit of drumstick leaves is that they are good for our nervous system. There are various nervous disorders that have shown quite positive results against the use of drumstick leaves. These leaves support our brain health and work as natural neuroenhancers. The high concentration of vitamins, like vitamin C and vitamin E, combats neural degeneration and aids in improving the function of brain. Those who suffer from migraine attacks or from recurring headaches must eat drumstick or moringa leaves on a regular basis. Drumstick leaves act as mood balancers as they help in stabilization of production of various neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline, which are all crucial for mood, memory, as well as for stimulus- response.

Many elderly people suffer from bone problems. Drumstick leaves being packed with calcium as well as phosphorus, work as a great source for improving the bone health.

Calcium and phosphorus are the elements required for good health of your bone. Apart from this, drumstick leaves are also anti-inflammatory in nature and they help combat inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and might even heal damaged bones.

Drumstick leaves are also beneficial in improving the health of your skin and your hair. This is because they have an abundance of antioxidants and important nutrients in them. These leaves add suppleness to the skin and offer shine to your hair. Because of the antioxidants present in drumstick leaves, they help in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on your skin. There are about 30 antioxidants found in drumstick leaves. These leaves are good for skins which are prone to acne. This is the reason why many cosmetics have these leaves in them. Drumstick leaves improve the skin tone as well as add a glow to your skin

It is also believed that a paste made from these leaves when applied on the scalp and hair, help in reducing dandruff and also add bounce to the dull hair. Drumstick leaves even strengthen hair follicles.

Now the question arises, are drumstick leaves safe? According to research it is quite safe to eat drumstick leaves in general. However, pregnant women must always consult with doctor before consuming it, as the bark or the pulp of drumstick is dangerous for pregnant women as it can lead to miscarriage.

We also suggest not to use drumstick leaves if you are pregnant or lactating and always talk to your doctor before taking any supplement.

So, from the above descriptions we are now quite aware of some of the natural health benefits of drumstick leaves. If you find these leaves quite impressive then try adding this to your diet and experience the benefits. You can either consume the leaves by cooking, making juices, or can take the supplements or capsules.

NOTE: Always check with your doctor for the suitable dose of supplement and also for the safety of its use on your health.

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