🌿 Drumstick (Moringa): Health Benefits, Nutrition, Recipes, Farming & Global Value

🌿 Drumstick (Moringa): Health Benefits, Nutrition,                              Recipes,Farming & Global Value

1. Introduction to Drumstick

You must have encountered the selling of drumsticks in all local markets, had you been brought up in India and in the southern states. Not only a vegetable, the long and thin green pods represent a part of our culture, customs and our daily meals. Drumstick is scientifically known as Moringa Oleifera, but at home, it goes by the name of Murungakai in Tamil, Munagakaya in Telugu, Shevga in Marathi and Sahjan in Hindi.

I also recall how as a child my grandmother would make fresh drumstick sambar every Sunday. She would cautiously cut the drumsticks into long slices and make me chew the pulp and discard the fibrous skin. I was of the view that it was another vegetable at that age. However, now, reading about the nutritional value of drumstick, I understand that my grandmother was not mistaken in this idea, this simple vegetable is a health miracle.

Drumstick is termed as miracle tree as each part of it such as leaves, pods, flowers as well as the seeds are all useful in some way, either Medicinally or nutritionally. It is no wonder that it is being lauded by modern health experts and dieticians around the world and being branded a superfood.

Drumstick is not just a food; it features in our feasts and everyday cooking in India. It is used in various delectable preparations, sambar in Tamil Nadu, rasam in Andhra Pradesh, kerala dwrumstick curry, and North Indian drumstick dal, etc.

However, more valuable than taste, drumstick comes with another thing-health and wellness. It helps in improving immunity and regulating blood sugar among other things, which make it worth adding to our daily meals.

In this article, we shall take a trip to discover:

Drumstick so powerful, what makes it so?

Its nutritional values

Health benefits

Ayurvedic and traditional usage.

Agricultural and commercial opportunities.

And mouth-watering recipes, too!

Ok, we should start with the most significant aspect, nutritional value of drumstick.

2. Drumstick: The nutritional value of drumstick is provided below.

We most commonly look at two things when we eat a vegetable:

Taste - does it give something to our food?

Value of health- is it good or bad to our body?

Drumstick wins in both cases. It not only adds flavours to foods such as sambar and curry, but it is also a source of a combination of nutrients that our body requires on a daily basis.

 Rich in Vitamins:

Vitamin C: Stimulates immunity and fights the infection. The amount of Vitamin C in 100 grams of drumstick pods is nearly 200mg; more so than an orange!

Vitamin A: Benefits eyes, skin and hair.

Vitamin K: essential in energy and brain activity.

During school days, when I had exams, my mother used to force me to eat drumstick leaves curry as it is brain food. I later realised that she was right because Vitamin B helps in memory and concentration.

 Mineral Powerhouse:

Other minerals that are found in drumstick include:

Calcium - hardens both bones and teeth (quite handy among children and women).

Iron - Iron prevents anaemia and raises red blood cells.

Magnesium & Potassium - This keeps the heart healthy and maintains blood pressure.

Zinc – Assists skin and immunity.

Fun fact: Drumstick leaves are higher in calcium and iron as compared to milk and spinach respectively. It is not surprising that they are referred to as a natural multivitamin.

High in Protein:

Most of the times we only consider meat, eggs, and pulses to have protein. However, surprisingly, the leaves of the drumsticks are a good source of vegetarian protein. This is the reason vegetarians should incorporate it in their diet.

Low in Calories:

Drumstick is a blessing to people struggling to shed off some pounds. It is nutritious; it contains fibre that helps to keep you fuller longer and helps to avoid overeating.

Comparison: Drumstick Leaves vs Pods

Drumstick Leaves - Higher in vitamins (A, C, B), minerals and protein.

Drumstick Pods- Quality source of Vitamin C and dietary fibre.

The answer would be to ideally use both pods and leaves in cooking.

 Why It is Called a “Superfood”

In the West, the term superfood is used to refer to products such as kale, broccoli, or blueberries. In India, however, it has long been a superfood without the flashy term, namely drumstick.

It gives all-round nutrition.

Works as a natural medicine.

Ready and available at low cost.

Growing even in small backyards is possible.

This is the reason world nutritionists are terming the drumstick (Moringa) as the Tree of Life.

✅ Now we know the nutritional content, the second step is to learn how the drumstick works to improve our health in the real world.

3. Health Benefits of Drumstick:

Elders always say eat your drumstick, it is healthy. But what is the practical use of it? Now we will deconstruct it in the simplistic way.

Drumstick is a kind of natural medicine cabinet all the parts of it (pods, leaves, flowers, seeds) have something special to tell. It works in almost all areas of our health such as boosting immunity and in the process of digestion.

Boosts Immunity:

Vitamin C in drumstick is one of the largest reasons this food is regarded as a superfood. As we all know Vitamin C helps our body to fight against cold, cough and other infections.

Vitamin C present in drumstick pods is nearly 7 times more than that found in an orange.

Your immune system can become stronger by regularly eating drumstick leaves, or drinking curry.

I recall how during the monsoon my grandmother used to make drumstick soup whenever we caught a cold. It was magic, quickly warming the throat, clearing the nose and giving an immediate energy.

 Good for Diabetes Patients:

In India, diabetes is becoming quite rampant. Drumstick is also found to be naturally effective in regulating sugar levels in blood.

The compounds present in drumstick leaves enhance the secretion of insulin.

They reduce the absorption of sugar in the blood.

Various researches indicate that intake of drumstick leaves powder daily can decrease the quantity of glucose in the blood.

This is the reason why nowadays a lot of diabetic patients are recommended to add drumstick sabzi, soup, or leaf powder to their food.

 Improves Digestion:

Noted how the addition of drumstick has become common in rasam or sambar? It’s not just for taste.

Plenty of dietary fibre is found in drumstick, which facilitates easy digestion.

It prevents constipation and bloating.

Its natural antibacterial properties aid in the maintenance of the stomach.

Having a small portion of drumstick curry or soup once a day can help maintain your digestive system and keep it light.

 Benefits for Heart Health:

Stress, junk food and no physical exercise are increasing heart problems. Drumstick is a basic domestic remedy.

Its antioxidants lower cholesterol.

Magnesium and potassium are useful in controlling blood pressure.

Regular use may lower the heart blockages risks.

As a cardio-protective food, many doctors recommend the use of drumstick leaves tea or soup.

Helps in Weight Loss:

Drumstick is a gift to the people who have problems with weight.

Fibre rich and low in calories.

Sustains you longer without a lot of unneeded snacking.

Increases metabolism and more fat is burnt.

Drumstick leaf powder in warm water in the morning is frequently taken as a natural fat burner.

 Good for Skin and Hair:

There is no need to spend thousands on that beauty product-drumstick can do it on its own.

The youthful radiant skin is maintained by vitamin A and C.

Antioxidants and zinc decrease pimples and acne.

Drumstick oil is other herbal hair oil- many of these hair oil strengthen roots and halt dandruff.

In college, my mom would make fresh drumstick leaves into a face pack. This may have seemed funny at the time but I have learned afterward that it was even better than the most expensive creams!

Strengthens Bones:

As a person ages, their bone strength diminishes particularly in women who are over 40 years of age. Drumstick can be considered to be one of the most excellent natural sources of calcium, phosphorus and iron.

Osteoporosis is prevented by regular use.

Makes joints stronger and less inflamed.

Quite useful when children are of growing age.

 Enhances Reproductive Health:

Ayurveda recommends drumstick as having a positive effect on reproductive health.

It assists in enhancing the energy and endurance in men.

It aids in menstrual cycles in women and relieves them of cramps.

During pregnancy, it is common to be advised to have drumstick leaves soup as a source of nutrition.

 anti-inflammatory activity:

Arthritis, joint pains and swelling are very common these days. Drumstick contains isothiocyanates which are natural products that reduce body inflammation.

This is the reason why in villages the elderly must consume the drumstick leaves on a regular basis in order to stiffen their joints.

Helps Detoxify the Body:

The new way of living introduces a plethora of toxins junk food, pollution, and stress. Drumstick is a natural detoxifier.

It cleanses the liver.

Removes unhealthy elements in the body.

Maintains purity of blood.

Drumstick juice or powder has become a part of the detox program of many naturopathy centres.

✅ Well, then we can easily tell that drumstick is not an ordinary vegetable only, it is a medicine disguised in the form of a vegetable.

Top 10 Health Enhancing Properties of Drumstick (Quick View Table)

Benefit How Drumstick Helps Best Way to Consume

Strengthens                       Vitamin C is a powerful                    rasam, curry,soup
Immune System                  antioxidant                          

                                         

Manages Diabetes Blood sugar level,                               sabzi, Leaf powder.

Enhances Digestion Fibre is good to avoid constipation Sambar, curry

Heart Health Reduces cholesterol & BP Drumstick leaves                                                                                                                                      tea.

Weight Reduction Low cal, high fibre Leaf powder in warm water.

Shining Skin Vitamins C and A, antioxidants Hist fresh leaves, oil.

Good Bones Large amount of calcium and iron Curry, leaf sabzi.

Reproductive Health Aids fertility and cycles Drumstick leaves soup.

Reduces Inflammation Natural anti-inflammatory Rasam Leaf juice.

Cleanses Body Wastes liver and blood                                 Fresh juice, soup.

4. Ayurveda and Traditional Medicine of Drumstick:

The value of drumstick was known long before the era of modern science had realized the power of it. Ayurveda, Siddha and other traditional systems in India had known about the value of drumstick long before the contemporary science realized it. Our poor forebears thought that food was medicine--and one of their favourites was the drumstick.

 place in Ancient Indian Medicine

Drumstick in Ayurveda is known as Shigru.

It is said to possess hot potency (ushna veerya), something that promotes digestion and removes obstructions in the body.

It balances both the Vata and Kapha doshas and is helpful in joint pain, cold, cough and slow digestion.

 Drumstick, Siddha Medicine.

In Tamil Nadu, the siddha doctors have never ceased recommending the use of drumstick in:

Improving male vitality

Strengthening bones

Decrasing pain and inflammation in the body.

Improving the milk secretions in lactating mothers.

To this day in most families in the villages, new mothers receive the soup made of drumstick leaves as part of the post-birth process to ensure a quicker recovery.

healings of various parts.

The medicinal use of the drumstick tree: Every part of the tree is of medicinal use:

Leaves- Contained vitamins and minerals and were used in cases of weakness, anaemia and skin ailments.

Pods - Digestion, immunity and appetite enhancing.

Seeds - Clean the water (yes, the seeds of the drumstick purify water!).

Flowers-Used to treat urinary tract infection and reproductive health as medicine.

Bark & Roots: Ayurveda uses it as a pain reliever of joints and also as an antibiotic.

 Drumstick Natural Medicine.

Some traditional medicines are:

Honey and Drumstick leaf juice to treat anaemia.

Urinary problems: Drumstick flower tea.

Bone marrow (Drumstick seed oil) to massage the joints.

Drumstick pod soup as an energy booster in times of fever.

✅ Ayurveda and Siddha Since Ayurveda to Siddha, drumstick is a healer by nature.

Now we will proceed to something everybody enjoys, the use of drumstick in cooking. That will be the fifth section: Culinary Uses of Drumstick, including well-known recipes and new variations.

5. Culinary Uses of Drumstick:

Drumstick is not only healthy, but also tasting when cooked properly. In Indian restaurants, most particularly in the South, it forms a tubular constituent of curries, dals and soups. It is nutritious and comforting, with its own distinct earthly taste combining with spices.

Recipes of South Indian popular dishes:

🍲 Drumstick Sambar (Murungakkai Sambar)

It is most likely the most renowned dish of drumsticks in India.

Ingredients:

2-3 drumsticks (cut in 2 inch pieces)

½ cup toor dal (pigeon peas)

2 tbsp sambar powder

Tempering with curry leaves and mustard seeds and dry red chilli.

Salt, turmeric, and oil

Method:

Bring to boil toor dal until soft and mash it.

Bake the pieces of the drumstick with tamarind water and turmeric.

And add the sambar powder, and salt, and the cooked dal.

Make tempering, with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and red chilli.

Pour tempering over the sambar, and serve, hot, with rice.

Pro tip: It is always better to chew on the pulp within the drumstick pods as it is most delicious and nutritious.

And the North Indian style of Drumstick Curry.

A basic but delicious curry which can be served with chapati or rice.

Ingredients:

2 drumsticks, cut into pieces

2 tomatoes (chopped)

1 onion (chopped)

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp garam masala

Oil, turmeric, chilli powder and salt.

Method:

Heat oil, sauté onions, and then add ginger-garlic paste.

Add tomatoes, turmeric and chilli powder and cook until soft.

Add pieces of drumstick with water, and cover and cook until soft.

🍵 Drumstick Soup:

A folk medicine remedy against cold, cough, and weakness.

Ingredients:

4 drumsticks (cut into pieces)

1 onion (sliced)

1 tsp pepper powder

2 garlic cloves

Salt, water, and a little ghee

Method:

In water, soften pieces of drumsticks.

Pulp and strain the soup.

Add onions, pepper, garlic and simmer 10 minutes.

Serve hot with a spoon of ghee.

��ivedo This soup is quite comforting in monsoon and winter.

Drumstick Leaves 

The leaves are even healthier than pods.

Ingredients:

2 cups leafy drumstick (washed and cleaned)

1 onion (chopped)

2 green chillies

1 tsp mustard seeds

Coconut (optional)

Method:

Add oil, mustard seeds, onion and green chillies and heat.

Add the drumstick leaves and sauté it 5-7 minutes.

Add salt and grated coconut.

Serve hot with rice and rasam.

🥗 Drumstick Flower Curry:

Yes, even the flowers ought to be eaten!

Drumstick flowers are sauteed in onions, garlic and spices.

They are nutritious and taste very bitter.

Given to fresh mothers as a source of strength.

 Drumstick Seeds and Oil:

The seeds may be roasted and consumed in the style of nuts.

Bespoke products also use the crushed seeds to extract ben oil that is used in cooking and in cosmetics.

Simple Home Cooked Drumstick Recipes:

You have little time, but you may have drumstick:

Dal tadka can be served with the addition of drumstick pieces to it.

Add powdered chapati dough with drumstick leaves.

Prepare idli/dosa drumstick chutney with coconut.

✅ Now you should be hungry 😋 But not only in taste, drumstick also is particularly useful to women and children. That’s what we will discuss in the following section

 More Special Drumstick Recipes:

Drinking: Drumstick Pickle (Murungakkai Urugai)

Indian kitchen is not complete without pickles and drumstick pickle has a unique taste.

Ingredients:

2 drumsticks (cut up small pieces)

2 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric

2 tbsp mustard seeds

Sesame oil and salt

Method:

Bake the pieces of drumsticks until half cooked.

Heat oil, spice and mustard.

Add the pieces of drumsticks and stir properly.

Drumstick Dosa:

A nutritious version of dosa.

Ingredients:

2 cups dosa batter

1 cup chopped drumstick leaves.

1 green chilli (finely chopped)

Salt

Method:

Add dosa batter with mix drumstick leaves.

Put dosa on a hot tava and fry with ghee or oil.

Serve with hot coconut chutney.

👉 Crispy, nutritious and breakfast worthy.

🍚 Drumstick Rice:

A simple one-pot meal, particularly lunchboxes.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked rice

1 onion (chopped)

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp garam masala

Drumstick pods (boiled)

Oil and salt

Method:

Add onion, ginger-garlic paste and heat the oil.

Add drumstick pods and masala.

Add cooked rice and mix.

Serving in coriander leaves.

👉 Easy but substantial meal, full of flavour.

6. Drumstick Woman and Children:

We have already noted that drumstick is a nutritional powerhouse. However, some of its advantages are especially useful to women and children. Let’s look at them in detail.

 Benefits for Pregnant Women:

During pregnancy, women require extra food to nourish themselves and their developing babies. Drumstick can be considered one of the most natural and safest ways to obtain those nutrients.

Abundant in Iron and Folic Acid- helps in preventing anaemia and helps in maintaining healthy blood flow.

Contains a lot of Calcium -Makes the mother and baby stronger.

Vitamin C- Strengthens the immune system and improves iron absorption.

Healthy Growth in kids:

Children tend to be picky eaters. However, when properly cooked, drumstick can be healthy as well as delicious.

Calcium and Phosphorus - Strengthen the bones and teeth.

Protein - Aids in muscle development and the development of the brain.

Vitamin A – Improves eyesight.

Zinc and Antioxidants - Increase immunity and decrease common diseases.

👉 Hack: To make the drumstick leaves kid friendly they can be chopped finely and added to dosa batter, parathas or even idli.

Drumstick During Menopause:

Menopause is one of the stages when women lose their hormones, and they get weak, have some pains in their joints, and lose their bones.

Drumstick contains natural calcium, iron, which lowers chances of osteoporosis.

Its antioxidants aid in hormonal balancing.

Frequent use produces less fatigue and enhances energy.

👉 It is suggested by many doctors that the woman should take the powder of drumstick leaves after 40 years to maintain bone health.

 Postnatal Maternal Recovery:

A woman loses strength and requires special type of nutrition after giving birth. Drumstick is significant here.

Drumstick leaves soup serves to provide the boost in breast milk production.

Gives minerals and vitamins to recover the strength.

Has the effect of being a natural antibiotic and it avoids infections.

That is why in villages young mothers receive dishes based on drumsticks regularly during several weeks after giving birth.

among the teenagers and young girls:

The other stage in which nutrition is significant is during adolescence.

Drumstick is useful in the regulation of an irregular menstrual cycle.

Avoids anaemia, which is quite widespread among teenage girls.

Increases the energy and decreases fatigue.

✅ It is obvious that drumstick is not a vegetable. It is a life long health companion of women (teenage to old age) and growth inducer of children.

7. In India, drumstick farming and cultivation were practiced:

Besides being a domestic favourite, farmers also find drumstick a lucrative crop. It requires little attention and can yield good fruits and constant income. Indeed, India is one of the biggest producers and exporters of the drumstick (Moringa) in the globe.

Best Soil and Climate

Drumstick is a plant that thrives in a loose soil with a lot of moisture.

It likes a little acidic to a neutral pH (6.27).

Needs hot dry weather-optimal temperature is 25-35C.

Excessive waterlogging will destroy the roots.

Varieties of Drumstick

In India some of the common types cultivated are:

PKM-1 and PKM-2 – Tamil Nadu hybrids which are also very productive.

Jaffna variety - well known in Sri Lanka and South India with long and fat pods.

Local desi varieties- Popular in just about every village back yard.

 Plantation Method

Transmission may be through seeds or stem cuttings.

Spacing: Between 2.5 and 3 metres.

Within 6-8 months of planting trees begin to produce pods.

Yield and Production:

A healthy tree could yield 200-300 pods in one year.

Commercial farms may produce 40 tonnes per hectare per year with hybrid varieties.

This is what makes drumstick a high-paying crop amongst small farmers.

Business and Export Value

India also sells the drumstick pods, leaves, and powder to other countries such as USA, UAE, UK, and Germany.

Drumstick leaf powder is under immense demand as a health supplement in the international market.

Even drumstick seed oil (Ben oil) is sent to be used in cosmetics and herbal products.

Eco-Friendly Crop

Drumstick trees do not need a lot of water as most vegetables will need.

They are able to survive even during drought.

Roots discourage soil erosion.

This makes drumstick a good sustainable crop to use.

So, not only is drumstick a health booster, but also a money crop.

8.Globally, Drumstick:

Drumstick has long been an honorable Indian vegetable. However, over the past few decades it has become renowned in other parts of the world through its Latin name Moringa Oleifera. It is now one of the fastest expanding super foods in the world of health.

 Moringa International Superfood

Drumstick leaves are currently sold in powder form to western countries as a natural health supplement under the brand name Moringa Powder.

It is marketed as a detoxifier, immunity enhancer and natural multivitamin.

It is promoted by celebrities and fitness trainers all over the world as an ingredient in green smoothies, teas, capsules.

Export from India

In the world especially in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka Moringa is the highest producer of Moringa.

India sells fresh pods, dried leaves, powder of leaves, and oil.

The large importers: USA, Germany, UAE, UK, Canada, Japan.

Moringa has a global market worth more than USD 6 billion (and is fast growing).

Demand in Health Products

Drumstick (Moringa) has now appeared in:

Green powders and herbal teas.

Protein shakes and energy bars.

Ayurvedic pills and tablets.

Beauty creams and hair oils

Organic herbal supplements

👉 E.g., in the USA, a lot of health stores sell Moringa Tea as a natural substitute to green tea.

 Why Global Demand is Rising

Human beings are moving to vegetarian diets.

Moringa is being promoted as an environment-friendly and sustainable crop.

High in antioxidants, vitamins and protein as compared to other vegetables.

Growing popularity of Ayurveda and natural systems of healing in the West.

✅ Since it was just a normal vegetable used in Indian sambar, drumstick has indeed been through a long journey.

9. Side Effects and Precautions:

Although drumstick (Moringa) is usually safe and highly nutritious, as with any food, it must be eaten in the proper manner and in the proper amount. We shall take a glance at some notable precautions.

 Who Should not Overeat Drumstick?

The pregnant women (in the initial stages) - When one excessively consumes the bark or roots of the drumstick it can lead to complications. Only moderately, the leaves and pods only.

Individuals with low blood pressure- As drumstick is a natural drop in blood pressure, excess of it can result in dizziness.

Individuals taking diabetes drug As drumstick reduces sugar, taking it with potent drugs may lead to hypoglycemia (rapid fall in sugar).

 Possible Side Effects

Consumption of excessive numbers of the drumstick pods can lead to gas, stomach upsets or loose stools.

They should not be eaten because the roots and bark can be poisonous.

Excessive consumption of leaf powder supplements without consulting the doctor can cause imbalances.

 Safe Consumption Tips

Cook with fresh pods and leaves (best naturally produced form).

When taking Moringa powder, make sure that it is not more than 1-2 teaspoons a day.

Never purchase contaminated powder because this can be sold as pure and organic, hence the brand must be reputable.

Before taking supplements, pregnant and lactating women should seek the opinion of a doctor.

✅ Drumstick is safe to cook with daily but as with all superfoods, it should be consumed in moderation.

10. Conclusion:

Not only a vegetable, drumstick is a full health package. Since its use in India in daily cooking, its history is quite remarkable, as the world has come to refer to it as a Miracle Tree. Drumstick can offer you something better, tasty foods, or the opportunity to farm, it has it all.

I do recall my grandmother telling me, Eat drumstick leaves, you will never be weak. Her wisdom is concurred by science today.

The next time you find fresh drumsticks in the market take them home and make a new recipe. It will help your body and your family and your pocket (assuming you are a farmer).