Because Moringa oleifera is considered one of the best superfoods, there are dozens of brands which sell it. If you are confused about which Moringa powder to buy, here’s what you need to know about how to choose the best Moringa powder plus my top picks based on quality parameters.
Quick Picks:
- Best Moringa powder capsules: Pura Vida Organic Moringa Capsules
- Best Moringa loose powder: Pura Vida Moringa Powder
- Best budget Moringa powder: Zen Principle Moringa Leaf Powder
How to Choose a Moringa Powder Supplement
When trying to decide on a brand of Moringa powder, these are the most important things to keep in mind.
Avoid Bulk Providers
A lot of brands buy their Moringa powder from bulk providers (usually in India). They then repackage the Moringa powder, slap their brand name on it, and sell it at a profit.
The problem with these bulk providers is that the Moringa sold is usually of low quality. It might be sitting around in a warehouse for months before it even makes it to the reseller. The Moringa is often mass produced with methods like oven-drying which destroy nutrients.
Choose Single-Source Origin
Instead of getting their Moringa from bulk warehouses, good brands of Moringa supplements will get their Moringa from a single source. Or they might work with a few specific farms across the world. This allows them to control how the Moringa is grown so they can guarantee a quality product.
Packaging Matters
The antioxidants in Moringa easily get destroyed by light and oxygen. The best brands of Moringa will package their powder in air-tight packaging which won’t let any light through. Avoid Moringa powder in clear jars or plastic.
Avoid Heat-Treated Moringa
Cheap brands of Moringa dry the leaves by putting them in ovens. The high heat dries the leaves quickly but destroys nutrients in the process. By contrast, good brands of Moringa will dry the leaves in the shade. The process is labor-intensive as the leaves must be turned frequently to prevent fungal growth.
Heavy Metal Testing
As with shilajit and turkey tail mushroom supplements, Moringa supplements often contain high amounts of heavy metals. This is especially true of Moringa which is grown in India or China as these areas can have insanely high levels of environmental toxins which get into the soil and then into plants grown there. Good brands of Moringa powder will provide third-party test results for heavy metals. You may have to contact the brand to get these test results though as each batch of product gets tested individually.
Does Moringa Powder Go Bad?
Raw Moringa oleifera leaves go bad fairly quickly. Moringa powder is made from dried leaves which have been ground up. Dried Moringa powder will not go bad in the sense it will make you sick. However, the nutrients in Moringa do degrade over time, especially if exposed to air, heat or light. For this reason, old Moringa powder won’t have as many – or any — health benefits as fresh Moringa powder.
Good brands of Moringa powder will take steps to keep their products fresh. These steps may include:
- Using airtight packaging which doesn’t let light through
- Manufacturing Moringa in smaller batches to ensure freshness
- Sourcing Moringa from sellers with quick shipping times
Signs Moringa Powder Has Gone Bad
- Brown Color: Moringa powder should be a vivid green color. Moringa which is brown has already oxidized or was made from old, dead leaves.
- Sour Taste: Moringa leaves contain a substantial amount of omega 3s and other healthy fatty oils. Over time (especially in high temperatures) the oils will start to go rancid. When this happens, the Moringa will get an unpleasant sour taste.
Resources:
https://www.imedpub.com/articles/chemical-constituents-of-Moringa-oleiferaleaves-and-seeds-from-abakaliki-nigeria.pdf,
https://www.summerwindsnursery.com/az/inspire/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-amazing-Moringa-tree/,
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40093-017-0175-5,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321119834_Bioactive_Components_in_Moringa_Oleifera_Leaves_Protect_against_Chronic_Disease,
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/drp/2020/8197902/,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4649788/
Image credits:
“starr-090905-4954-Moringa_oleifera-leave” by Starr Environmental,
“Moringa Baby Elite Event Hamburg” by Yelp.com,