Moringa Tea: Health Benefits, How To Make, & Side Effects

There are benefits to drinking antioxidant-rich moringa tea on a daily basis, some of which include its unique ability to assist in weight loss, reduce inflammation, speed healing, aid digestion, and enhance energy levels.

This nourishing drink may also give relief to people who suffer from a number of conditions, including arthritis, gout, stomach upset, diarrhea, nausea, and even the common cold.

What is Moringa Tea?

Moringa tea is a beverage made by steeping dried moringa leaves in hot water for several minutes. This refreshing tea is thought to increase wellness and vitality. The moringa leaves contain a high concentration of nutrients, and also have the ability to retain these when dried. The tea has a light grassy, earthy flavor, and it is becoming extremely popular in many parts of the world. ^[1]

Watch Video: 6 Amazing Benefits Of Moringa Tea

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) has received a lot of attention in recent years for its ability to help with weight reduction. This small tree (also called drumstick tea or Miracle tea) is native to India and Pakistan. Generally, the root and extracts from the plant can be toxic and should be avoided, but the leaves, flowers, stems, seeds, bark, and fruit are all available and recommended for health.

Moringa Tea Nutrition

Moringa tea gets its nutrients from the dried moringa leaves, which are abundant in potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins A, C, and D. The tea also has high levels of essential amino acids, antioxidants such as beta-carotene, polyphenols, and flavonoids such as kaempferol and quercetin. Moringa tea does not contain caffeine. ^[3]

Health Benefits

Let’s take a look at the most popular health benefits in detail:

Moringa tea and moringa leaves on a wooden sticks Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Weight Loss

Moringa tea, with its powerful nutrient profile, is thought to help boost metabolism, burn calories, balance sugar levels, and increase energy levels. This is why a cup of moringa tea is often an excellent addition to a weight loss diet. ^[4]

Energy Booster

If you are looking for a non-caffeinated drink that can give you an energy boost, moringa tea could be the answer. For many years, this tea is considered to increase vitality and overall wellness and has no sugar or caffeine.

Anti-inflammatory Properties

Known primarily as an anti-inflammatory tea, moringa is excellent for reducing inflammation throughout the body, relieving pain, aches, stomach upsets, headaches, and fever. This is one of the main reasons why moringa is considered in some countries to be a “cure-all”. ^[5]

Rich Source of Antioxidants

Moringa tea has high-antioxidant power; this helps fight free radicals and may reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular damage. Researchers found that moringa leaves, from which the tea is made, contains polyphenols, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid. ^[6]

Skin Care

With its high concentration of vitamin C and bioflavonoids, moringa tea is a highly nourishing drink for the skin. It is an anti-aging drink which boosts collagen production, reduces free radicals, diminishes the formation of fine lines, and increases the moisture and the youthfulness of the skin. Its anti-inflammatory nature helps fight acne breakouts. ^[7]

Boosts Immune System

High levels of ascorbic acid and other antioxidants make this tea an excellent way to help protect against common cold and flu symptoms. Vitamin C stimulates the production of white blood cells and acts as an antioxidant to slow down oxidative stress and the weakened immune system that results from it. ^[8]

Helps Manage Diabetes

There are certain blood sugar and cholesterol-lowering effects of moringa powder (and tea), which potentially make it important for diabetics or people at risk of diabetes. By reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, your chances of developing diabetes are lowered. Also, chlorogenic acid in moringa tea may help provide a natural protection against diabetes. Further studies are needed to confirm these effects. ^[9]

Aids in Digestion

The anti-inflammatory nature of this tea can make it ideal for soothing stomach upsets, calming diarrhea and constipation symptoms, and generally improving gastrointestinal health. ^[10]

The antibacterial effects of moringa tea can help rebalance intestinal flora so that your gut works more efficiently, while eliminating excess gas, cramping, and bloating.

Boosts Heart Health

A significant content of potassium makes this tea an excellent source for lowering blood pressure. As potassium is a vasodilator that can ease tension in arteries and blood vessels, the inclusion of moringa as part of your diet may help, lower your risk of developing atherosclerosis. ^[11]

Improves Healing Rate

Vitamin C in moringa tea is not just good for the immune system, but also for the creation of new cells in the body. High levels of ascorbic acid mean more collagen creation and a reduction in blood clotting time. This results in faster healing, particularly for someone who is recovering from an injury or extended illness. ^[12]

Boosts Cognition

The antioxidants found in moringa tea, as well as the other neuroprotective vitamins and nutrients, help make moringa tea a brain booster. Research has shown that this tea has the ability to regulate neurotransmitter levels, which can affect memory and cognitive strength. ^[13]

Balances Hormones

Packed with antioxidants, moringa tea helps regulate hormones. It has the therapeutic potential for the prevention of hormone-imbalance complications during post-menopause. It also helps regulate the thyroid gland and can help prevent hyperthyroidism. ^{[14] [15]}

Relieves Menstrual Cramps

Drinking a cup of moringa tea can help alleviate menstrual cramps, nausea, bloating, mood swings, and migraines during the menstruation cycle, according to folk medicine practice. The juice of the leaves has analgesic properties and can relieve pain.

Antimicrobial & Antibacterial Properties

Moringa tea may be effective against certain kinds of bacteria, as research suggests it could have powerful antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. The tea can help prevent boils, skin infections, common digestive problems, blood impurities, and urinary tract infections. This drink is also thought to help fight several types of bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections such as athlete’s foot, body odor, and gum diseases (gingivitis). ^[16]

Protects Against Arsenic Toxicity

Moringa tea can reduce and reverse the effects of arsenic toxicity, according to a rodent study, which usually occurs due to contaminated water. High levels of arsenic can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. ^[17]

Boosts Sex Drive

If you want to give your sex life a boost, try having a cup of moringa tea every morning. The moringa plant has been used as a natural remedy to increase female and male libido. In folk medicine, it has been used to treat sexual dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and boost overall sex drive.

Manages Depression & Migraines

Moringa tea can act as an antidepressant as it balances serotonin and dopamine levels, which are key to pain perception and mood regulations. According to a 2012 study, moringa showed the ability to treat and manage migraines and chronic headaches. ^[18]

Hair Care

Moringa tea has high levels of iron, vitamin C, vitamin B-complex, and all essential amino acids from protein. These nutrients, along with an overall healthy diet, help promote hair growth and maintenance, prevent dandruff and dry hair, and regulate sebum. Intake of moringa tea is also thought to prevent split ends in hair strands.

Galactagogue Properties

Moringa leaves, used in the tea, are a natural galactagogue; they are known to increase milk production in nursing mothers. However, it is advised that nursing mothers should take herbal supplements and teas, only after consulting with their doctor. ^[19]

How To Make Moringa Tea?

Follow these simple steps to make moringa tea at home.

How to make Moringa Tea: Easy Recipe

Enjoy this natural detox weight-loss boosting drink!

4.15 from 7 votes

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Course: Beverage

Keyword: moringa tea

Appliance: Blender

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2 people

Author: Ishani Bose

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Ingredients

• 1 tsp Dried Moringa leaves and stalks or 3-4 stalks of fresh moringa
• 1 cup Hot water
• Honey as per taste
• Lemon optional

Instructions

• Take 3-4 stalks of moringa and use the mature leaves to make tea as they are said to dry quickly.
  
• Air dry the stalks and the leaves till they become crisp. You do not need to separate them as most people love to include them in the process of making tea due to their high fiber content.
• Scoop the dried moringa leaves into a blender and grind.
• Add hot water and allow the leaves to steep for 3-5 minutes (or until the color changes).
• Mix in honey to taste. You can also use lemon if you want.

Notes

This tea can be served both hot and cold, making it a year-round beverage!

Selecting: Moringa trees, when fully grown, stand about 4-5 feet tall and can be cut back to approximately 1-2 feet in height, multiple times in the growing season. Those “cut back” branches will be filled with leaves that are perfect for making moringa tea. It is important to wash the leaves thoroughly before hanging them to dry.

Drying: To acquire the dry leaves for the tea, bundle the moringa stalks with a rubber hand and hang them upside down in a dry, cool place. After 10-14 days, the stalks of leaves should be completely dried out. Place the leafy side of the stalks in a bag, crushing the stalks so the dry leaves fall off.
Remove any larger stems from the mix of leaves.

Storing: These leaves should then be stored in an airtight container, in a cool and dry place. When you are ready to use them, you can further crush, crumble or blend the moringa leaves for tea, or even make moringa powder, which can be used as a healthy remedy.

Side Effects of Moringa Tea

The side effects of drinking moringa tea may include:

• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Risk of miscarriage: This tea can cause contractions and tightening of the uterus, and may raise the risk of miscarriage during pregnancy.

There are no commonly seen side effects or toxic components of moringa tea, provided you drink it in moderate amounts.

With these few exceptions, the versatile benefits of moringa tea are definitely worth exploring if you are looking for a new herbal remedy in your life!