Moringa Harvest Blog

Moringa Powder vs Moringa Capsules November 13, 2016 17:20

To mark the launch of our new combo deal, we thought it be worthwhile taking an honest look at the pros and cons, for both you and us, of using powder or capsules.

First of all, you should know, that of course there is no difference in the Moringa between each product. They both contain Moringa Oleifera Powder. 

Combo Pack of Moringa Powder and Capsules

Why the combo deal in the first place?

For a while we have sold multipacks of each in batches of three. Buying these multipacks gets you a little discount. This is us simply passing on the savings we make buy selling in larger quantities. As you know we are not in this for profit so you get a great deal when buying more. As an aside if you wanted even larger quantities then do ask, we are always happy to strike a deal. 

Having both Moringa capsules and powder in your cupboard at home lets you choose how best to take Moringa on a daily basis. If you take Moringa Powder with your cereal in the Morning or pop some in your smoothie, then you will have a habit to make sure you're getting the goodness every day. But what if you travel a lot or go on holiday, then you can't always add it so easily to your food. That's when we think you need a tub of capsules, for that occasional use to maintain your intake. Just slip it in your bag, don't worry about adding powder to your food and just take a couple of capsules instead. 

If you and others in your household prefer different ways of consuming Moringa, then buying a combo pack can save you money. That's why we are offering two different packs with different levels of savings; one with two tubs of capsules and one with just one. Perhaps your other half doesn't like to have Moringa powder in their food everyday but still wants the benefits. Having a stash of capsules in the house will allow you to maintain a regular dose with different preferences.

Keeping Moringa Fresh at Home

Did you know our Moringa has a naturally long shelf life? It will last up to two years from when it is tubbed, the date is stamped on the bottom of the tubs. The good news is that you can afford to store your Moringa in our safe airtight containers for a long time and not loose the goodness inside. So when you are buying a combo pack you don't need to worry about using it up at different rates. The 200g tub gives one person around 100 days supply whilst the 120 x 400mg tub can last one person between a month to two months.

Pros and Cons

Comparison

200g Moringa Powder

120 x 400mg Moringa Capsules 

Easy to take
Easy to add to food
Long shelf life
Vegan & vegetarian 
Organic certified
Free from: wheat, gluten, lactose, added sugars, colours, flavours, preservatives,
Take on the go 
Easily measured dosage
Value for money per gram Higher Lower
Free from taste
Make your own products. e.g Moringa chocolate!
Recyclable packaging 
Travel secure packaging 
Easy to manage for those with disabilties 
Added to daily pill boxes
Sports friendly 

The Miracle of Moringa - A cure on the doorstep of the malnourished August 26, 2016 09:08

Moringa Trees grow in fantastic locations around the world, and with a little education, can improve global health for those most in need. For those who know Moringa and its seemingly miraculous properties, it is no wonder that this tree also grows, almost exclusively, in areas of the world suffering from high levels of malnutrition. A tree that grows on the door step and cures malnutrition amongst countless other benefits, right where it is most wanted, unbelievable! 

Why does it seem unbelievable? Because our well trained corporate mindset of the modern western world says, it can't be that good or else I would have heard about it by now. Well follow the money, we are not going to get rich from selling Moringa, and I doubt others are either. But business can get rich from selling patented medicines!  Far from it to say that there is a global conspiracy going on, more endemic global greed and its washed up consequences. The point is, that by the malnourished sick and lame eating the products of the Moringa tree, they can be healed from many of their afflictions for next to nothing. So in this case don't follow the money, health grows on trees.

 

Why hasn't someone done something already?

I hear you cry, well they have, but like many good news stories it doesn't make good column inches. News today is about drama, horror, terror and the occasional heroes. An innocuous tree growing in a someone's garden on the sub-continent in a village which no one has ever heard of, with villagers picking leaves off it to put on their rice and beans, isn't going to sell.

Having said that though, if you look there are dozens of articles out there about just this sort of thing happening, but you have to search, and it won't be front page stuff. Have a look at this article on Moringa in Zambia  and similarly this one from Haiti 

Some time ago, I was flying to Nicaragua as a volunteer for the Peace and Hope Trust and to go and see the Moringa for myself.  Either by Twitter of Facebook, our project caught the attention of Philippe Barragne-Bigot, we arranged to meet in Managua Airport shortly after I landed. Philippe, a serious and exceptionally experienced man works for UNICEF and was currently working in Nicaragua on child development programmes with a considerable team. He told me a story of his previous role in DR Congo where they had experimented with giving out Moringa for free and teaching families how to use and consume it. He said the results were incredible and they had a high success rate of curing malnutrition, all for next to nothing. He wanted to do a similar thing in Nicaragua and was looking for a partner in the Peace and Hope Trust.

The great thing for us was that, here was living testimony from a reputable agency. It's one thing for us saying its great go buy it and helps save lives. But here was someone with resources, from human to scientific, they conducted studies which we just do not have the resources to do. We rely on trust and faith, and as we also don't work in the sceptical western world we can can build trust with whom communities, were simplicity and honesty go a long way and where people are willing to try! That means we can make big inroads with Moringa. But we can only do that if we build trust with you, our customers and quite simply you buy Moringa from us. Sure the feeding programme won't stop and we will still be able to give out trees if we don't sell anything but we can increase scales if we do.

There are lots of Moringa products out there now, but none have a feeding programme, tree distribution and education programme behind them. Our Moringa processes have to be the best else it just doesn't have the same impact on the ground. 

So Moringa programmes like ours can be run all over the impoverished world and we are pleased to say we are not the only ones doing it. There are a dozen small charities out there like ours working our at the edges. nibbling into the core of the problem and demonstrating to the world that most of what you need grows on trees.

 

Show me the map!

The good folk at Trees for Life have produced a very good map, which we use on our printed literature. Play a quick game of spot the difference below and you'll see how the world can be changed!

 

Countries where Moringa grows

 

Above:  green square Countries where Moringa grows

 

Countries with 5-35% of population are malnourished

 

Above red square Countries with 5-35% of population malnourished 

 

 


What does Brexit mean for Moringa Harvest? July 23, 2016 18:00

You've probably all heard about Brexit, the UK's vote to the leave the EU, but you've probably not thought about what that means for small social enterprises like us.  We've been giving it some thought and have come to the conclusion that whilst there are challenges ahead, there are also opportunities. 

The immediate effect right now, has been the drop in the value of Sterling against Euro and therefore the cost of Moringa for those living in the Eurozone, so for those living in:

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.

You can pick up Moringa Harvest leaf powder for €21.50 and capsules for €19.10 or even less if you buy in batches of three! That's a saving of between €2-3 euros on single tubs and even more on batches.  So we're setting our sights high on the export market and looking to Europe for out future growth.

Of course the challenges are different, we are currently organic certified under EU regulations and display the EU organic symbol on our packaging. At this point in time we don't know what the future will hold. Will there be trade barriers to the EU? Meaning we still have to have the same certificate or will the UK have its own certificate which could be more competitively priced further reducing our product price. 

These days everyone wants organic certification and whilst our products have always been organic, the certification added a big cost to our operations. For a small business such as ours it means many man hours and a hefty bill which of course we have to pass on to our customers. We would welcome any reductions to this but it is unlikely as EU trade laws as they stand mean anyone exporting from outside the EU into it must have EU certification. I doubt the UK would get a special deal there, it is unlikely to be on the top of the trade negotiations. 

With all said and done, we don't expect much change, but we won't know more for 2-3 years when negotiations are over. I have a sneaky suspicious Brexit will mean the UK just looses its seat at the negotiating table, but still has access to the single market and still pumps in billions of pounds to prop up the EU machine.  Like all business we will adapt. 


Moringa Oleifera Seeds and Drumsticks July 10, 2016 11:21

Seeds from Moringa are amongst the most versatile and beneficial seeds on the planet, and before we go into just why that is, we should say we are unable to import seeds from the farm and sell them in the UK at present. Sorry!

The seeds grow on a drumstick and are supple as they grow but when picked become dry, turning from green to grey / white. The drumstick could be compared to a large pea pod, as you can see in the pictures below.  The Moringa drumstick itself has fantastic health benefits and can be eaten as it is, steamed or boiled and some even roast it. But to preserve nutrients we recommend steaming. 

Moringa Seed Drumstick on Tree

Whilst the benefits of our Moringa powder are derived from the leaf matter, the rest of the tree also provides similar health benefits. The Moringa seeds contain antioxidant benefits, Vitamin A, B, C and can remove free radicals from the body. They also reduce the quantity of oxidised lipids which is beneficial for the health of your heart. 

Moringa seeds fresh from the tree

If you were to look at your own research online, you will find mention of claims regarding certain illnesses which under UK / EU law we are unable to discuss here. But we advise you to do extensive research of your own simply by searching for articles on Moringa Seed.

Moringa seeds contain zinc, which effectively regulates insulin levels in the body ensuring the bloodstream sugar levels are normal.  This is beneficial for those with diabetes. 

Dried Moringa Seed Pods

The seeds are also high in protein and will easily fulfil the body's daily requirement for amino acids. The oleic acid in the seed is good cholesterol reducing the levels of cholesterol and potentially preventing blood clots and other cardiovascular health issues. They also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, and more.  


While we may not be able to benefit directly from the seeds here in the UK at the moment, the families that we support in Nicaragua can. The trees we plant in people's homes soon provide seeds and we have taught them how to prepare and to eat them, before the animals do!

The current trend for super foods that help your appearance has lead to the promotion of Moringa seed for better skin and hair but we see it as more than that. We see it as part of quality of life and stopping malnutrition. So if you see Moringa Seed extract in a beauty and health shop just remember it can do more than make you hair nourished and strong, it can do that for your whole body!