Moringa Powder Uses: Moringa Soap

As promised on my blog post about moringa powder benefits, I'm sharing my soap recipe here.

It's been a while since I've made my own soap, so I've made some last week for my personal use. I was feeling a little bit under the weather so I couldn't update my blog, but I'm feeling much better today. 

I wanted to use the soap right away so I decided to use melt and pour soap base instead of making one from scratch through cold-process. I've been making my own soap and cosmetics since 2009, and I still have all my tried and tested formulas, so next time, I will make cold-process moringa soap when I have more free time.

The measurements and ingredients are all the same except for the essential oil combinations. The essential oil combinations are my own, so you're free to change your formula depending on your needs. 

Moringa Soap 1
500 grams white melt and pour soap base
5 grams moringa powder
5 grams honey
3 capsules of Vitamin E
5-10 drops each of the following essential oils: lavender, chamomile, patchouli, and ylang-ylang

Moringa Soap 2
500 grams white melt and pour soap base
5 grams moringa powder
5 grams honey
3 capsules of Vitamin E
5-10 drops each of the following essential oils: lavender, patchouli, cedarwood, and rose absolute

STEP 1. Melt some soap base in a double boiler on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally and slowly until the base has fully melted.  

STEP 2. Add moringa powder slowly onto your soap base so that the powder does not clump.

STEP 3. Add honey and stir until incorporated.

STEP 4. Poke a small hole in each vitamin E capsule and add them to your soap base.

STEP 5. Add your essential oils and then pour them into your soap mold. After pouring, leave the soap to set.

SOME NOTES ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL OIL COMBINATIONS:

*Lavender, chamomile, rose absolute, and patchouli essential oils have anti-inflammatory and healing properties and may help heal skin irritations, while ylang-ylang is great for treating oily or acne prone skin. Patchouli is also a bug-repelling oil, so it's perfect to use against mosquitoes, fleas, ants, moths, and flies. Cedarwood is good for dry and acne-prone skin, while rose absolute has antiviral and astringent properties that may help tone and strengthen aging skin.

Moringa Powder for Healthy Skin

Moringa does not have only health benefits on the body. The powdered form of dried moringa leaves are used these days to make beauty soap, too, and has an important role in skincare. Here are some of the benefits of moringa (malunggay) powder:

1. It has astringent properties - Using moringa soap can help heal and dry out wounds and is effective as well in killing germs. Say hello to smooth, glowing and blemish-free skin!

2. It has anti-aging properties - Because moringa is packed with high amounts of antioxidants and is loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals, using soap with moringa powder can help prevent aging by helping your skin retain elasticity and moisture. Therefore, you can say goodbye to fine lines and wrinkles!

3. It can help reduce skin inflammation - People with psoriasis, eczema, and other skin disorders may benefit from the use of moringa soap. Its antibacterial properties can speed up the healing of itchy or broken skin. 

So, I'm gonna spend the rest of the day today to make my own moringa soap. I'll share with you the pictures once I'm done. 

How to Prune Moringa Plants

Pruning the malunggay tree is essential so that harvesting moringa leaves is well within our grasp. When left to themselves, moringa trees can easily grow up to 30 feet tall, and it would be impossible to harvest the leaves. Malunggay trees love to be chopped, so we're going to prune some of the first moringa seedlings we've planted 2 months ago.  

The moringa tree is about 60 cm tall now.
We're snipping about 10 to 20 cm of the branches to encourage more foliage.

One of the basic rules when pruning moringa plants
is to trim them to a height you can easily trim them back.

Another important thing to remember when pruning malunggay trees is that they have to be pruned always from the top. Moringa plants must be trimmed this way, or you will have to harvest your moringa leaves way up above your head! There is no such thing as "overpruning" Moringa plants. :)

How to Germinate Moringa Seeds

There are various ways to plant malunggay seeds. We have tried growing them from cuttings and through seed germination, but so far, we have had better results when we germinate the moringa seeds first. We would like to try planting the seeds directly on the soil next time, and once we've done that, we'll share with you the results. 

Once the moringa seeds have started sprouting, you may be able to transfer them in polybags.

These are the malunggay seeds a day after they were planted.

These are the moringa seedlings 2 days after planting.

Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera): A Tree Rich In Nutrients

Fresh moringa leaves / malunggay leaves contain the following nutrients per serving:

AMAZING, BUT TRUE!

Why Malunggay? Health Benefits of Moringa

Moringa Oleifera

When I went to the Department of Agriculture Palawan to meet the OIC, Ms. Librada, I mentioned my interest in the moringa / malunggay leaves and seeds, not only because the lowly moringa / malunggay is easy to grow, but also because of the many health benefits that the moringa leaves, seeds, flowers, and even the roots and trunk can provide for our body, for animals, as well as for the environment.

As you can see, all parts of the malunggay tree is valuable. The moringa leaves are edible. They can be eaten raw or added to soups, meat, fish, or chicken dishes. You can mix them with rice, in porridge, or in bread. You can extract oil from the moringa / malunggay seeds which is now being used in many industrial applications.

Here is a list of some of moringa / malunggay leaves health benefits:

1. Moringa / Malunggay leaves are a rich source of essential amino acids. It is an excellent substitute for meat because of its protein content. If you are a vegetarian, or just prefer to eat more veggies than meat, you can be sure to get your protein fix from your moringa / malunggay leaves.

2. Moringa / Malunggay leaves contain antioxidants, and is a great source of vitamins and minerals. One serving of moringa / malunggay leaves contains 7 times more vitamin C than oranges, 4 times more vitamin A than carrots, 4 times more calcium and 2 times more protein than milk, 3 times more potassium than bananas, 3 times more vitamin E than spinach, and 3 times more iron than almonds. My sister, who breastfeeds her 1 year old son, drinks moringa / malunggay leaf capsules, and swears that her son seems to have a stronger immune system and rarely catches a cold. Who wouldn't want to eat that?

3. Moringa / Malunggay leaves can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and prevent other cardiovascular diseases. Several research and scientific studies have proven that consuming moringa leaves in either dried or raw form can help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and can help treat cardiovascular disorders.

4. Moringa / Malunggay leaves helps regulate blood sugar levels. My husband who has a higher than normal blood sugar level, has been drinking moringa capsules for 2 months twice a day, once in the morning and once after dinner at night. He has recently tested his blood sugar levels and says that there are times when it's lower than the readings last month.

There are many more health benefits that the moringa / malunggay tree can offer. No wonder it is called "The Miracle Tree" or "The Tree of Life." It is the most nutritious plant on earth.