Much has been said and written about the benefits of the moringa tree, especially its leaves. Whether the leaves are eaten fresh, dried, or in powder form, there is no denying that moringa lives up to its monikers “The Miracle Tree” or “The Tree of Life,” because of its amazing benefits.
Articles and information about the moringa seed, however, are rather sparse, so not many people are aware of their incredible benefits.
Moringa seeds are obtained from the pods of the moringa plant. The green, tender young pods can be used to make delicious stews, soups and curries. When they ripen, the pods turn tough, crispy, and brown, and mature seeds can be collected from them.
The seeds can either be used for planting or as a source for moringa oil. While moringa leaf powder is easy to make as long as you have access to fresh leaves, moringa oil is not easy to come by. Prized for its incredible effects on the skin, moringa oil is a premium product not only because of its extraordinary benefits but also because of its scarcity.
If leaves are frequently harvested from a moringa tree, its branches have to be cut from time to time so that the leaves can flourish. This practice, however, prevents the tree from blooming and bearing pods. In order for a moringa tree to yield pods, it has to be allowed to grow to maturity. Because of this, a moringa tree either has to be grown for its leaves or for its pods and not for both purposes at the same time.
To produce extra virgin, cold-pressed moringa oil, you need to buy a moringa oil extraction machine, which can cost you several hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on the quality.
In the absence of a machine, however, you can still make moringa oil at home.
How to Make Moringa Oil
#1. Buy or harvest moringa pods that are brown, tough, crispy, and hollow. Don’t include the green pods unless you want to use them for cooking. Immature seeds will not yield oil.
#2. Extract the seeds from the pod. The pods will easily crack with very little pressure.
#3. Remove the brown outer shell of the seed. You can either do this manually or you can use a mortar and pestle. Either way, the shell should easily come off.
#4. Roast the seeds in a pan on medium heat till the inside turns slightly brown. 
The flimsy husk around the seed stays light, even when the inside of the seed is already dark and burnt, that’s why it’s best to cut the seed in half to see if it’s already golden brown. 
#5. Heat some water and pour the moringa seeds into it. Bring to a boil until the oil rises to the top. Simmer for about 20 minutes more.
#6. Skim the oil off the top of the boiling water, and allow it to cool.
#7. To get rid of the water content in the oil, place the cooled oil into the refrigerator for an hour. The oil will coagulate and separate from the water.
#8. Skim the oil again from the top, and let it settle to room temperature before pouring it out into a container.
Medicinal Uses
Since the world has been made aware of the benefits of powdered moringa leaves, its demand has catapulted, and so the pods have become scarcer.
But the benefits of moringa seed oil cannot be ignored, especially its role in reducing inflammation and cleansing the liver.
The liver is one of the largest and most crucial organs in the body; without it, we cannot live. It is involved with nutrient processing, storing nutrients, breaking down fats, regulation of blood clotting, and 500 other metabolic processes. It is also the body’s huge detoxifier.
Related: You Pass by This Plant Everyday Without Knowing How to Use It When SHTF
It is common knowledge that alcohol, drugs, and extra pounds can damage the liver, but not many are aware that sugar is as damaging to the liver as all of the above. Can you live without soft drinks, pastries, candies, chocolates, ice cream, and the many other sweet temptations?
I have great news for you though. Thankfully, moringa oil has been proven to help the liver stay healthy and function optimally. Regular consumption of moringa oil can reduce and prevent liver damage. It has even been known to help the liver repair itself from damage caused by hepatitis.
Moringa oil is also known to restore liver enzymes, combat free radicals, reduce oxidative stress, and balance hormones to help the liver stay in shape.
Chronic stress can lead to liver disease. Moringa oil’s anti-inflammatory properties help the liver function smoothly by regulating the body’s stress response hormones.
Moringa oil also helps reduce inflammation throughout the entire body. Inflammation is a good thing in itself; it is one of the body’s defense mechanisms against threats and invaders, such as stress, toxins, and viral and microbial infections.
Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, can expose you to a number of health issues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disorder, and many other conditions that affect the lungs, bones, skin, and major organs. Inflammation has also been linked to cancer.
Again, moringa oil plays an important role in treating acute inflammatory conditions due to its astoundingly high levels of anti-inflammatory properties— 36 phytonutrients to be exact!
On top of that, moringa oil can slow down the aging process, aid in speedy healing, and help regulate sleep. You can either purchase it from your local grocery store or order moringa oil online, which can be pricey. (Be wary of cheap moringa oil; chances are, they are fake.) You can also make your own if you can buy moringa seeds or are growing moringa trees in your back yard. It usually takes an average of a year or two for a full-grown moringa tree to bear pods.
Other Ways to Use Moringa Oil
- As a salad dressing;
- In sauces;
- As shortening for your baking;
- On pizza;
- For cooking (stir fry);
- Mix with herbs for dipping bread;
- With pasta;
- Or you can simply take a tablespoon of it daily for optimum health;
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Cool. Something that can be done at home and without a masters in chemistry. Now I need to get some of the pods
I planted 4 trees this fall. Intend to use the leaves, will set aside 1-2 for the pods. Thank you for how to do it.
where are Marana trees grown? Is it a southern tree?”
Most of the specific health claims for this or any other plant are hogwash, especially the whole idea of cleansing the liver. No one actually knows the role of phytonutrients in combating inflammation, and the whole idea of anti-oxidants as miracle health bombs is almost completely w/o basis. That said, Moringa oil and many other oils are very very good for you, no one knows why exactly, probably just that natural oils have been a vital component of the human diet for hundreds of thousands of years. Moringa is not very cold tolerant but even here in zone 8 my clients from South Asia grow it in their backyards, a very cool and useful tree.
Seem to remember a very good article on Moringa in AskAPrepper last year.
Are you being paid by big pharma to tell these lies or you really that stupid. Plant medicine has been proven to be way more effective than man made drugs and have passed the test of time for thousands of years. Before the big drug companies came along plants and plant compounds as well as other things from nature was the only medicine there was. Even now almost all medicines come from plant compounds that the drug manufactures alter and often add poison to so they can patent it.
It is very clear that to post lies and garbage like you posted you are either on the take or you are just plain stupid.
I am 63 years old and was raised my my Grandmother and Nanny Both which were mid wives. I have personally seen many cases of diseases, illness infections, that the Doctors gave up on the people and sent them home to die Because their drugs could not help them. But in every case they were 100% cured by using the plants and nature based home remedies provided by my Grandmother. I still use and make plant medicine to this day and make my own medicines as well as tonics to maintain a healthy immune system.
Do you make mornings oil? If so, do you sell it? If b very interested in getting some!
I live on the island of Montserrat and I make and sell moringa oil .
Hardiness zones 9 and 10…maybe in pots further north.
I’m sorry John, we are all going to need natural remedies. One of my scrips is no longer available, Gov shut them down? Another vitamin mfg just went out of business, all this in the last 6 months.
In regards Moringa, planted 4 two months ago. They are medicinal, the neighbors only see shade, so are disguised.
Too bad it wont grow where I live, only in zones 9 to 11 but good article and info.
Can I harvest & dry the green pods manually? & if so, would it affect the oil’s quality.?
What the blue blazes does a Maringa Tree look like
What does a Maringa Tree look like. Leaf shape, height of tree, leaf color, shape of pods/length/color etc.
there are two different varieties,it can be grown as an indoor tree,and its very pretty,https://www.schneiderpeeps.com/in-the-garden-growing-moringa/
so i’ve tried it but it doesn’t work at all no oil, just a weird white foam
Harvested my first Moringa. Actually one tree had limbs hanging too low. Took the branches and kept the leaves. This has one side effect I like and one I don’t. The one I like; appears to be having a lowering effect on my blood sugar. The one i don’t: Do NOT need lower blood pressure. 102/49 is not comfortable. Having said that, my trees are beginning to thrive. Want to top the trees so i can reach to harvest. I haven’t steeped oil yet, may start doing that when i make my own vanilla.
Where can I get Moringa seeds or a start of a tree?
Check Etsy, for seeds and starts. I’m not on Etsy yet. Starts are better, can take several years to harvest with seeds. I made a mistake with my trees. i planted in the irrigation, they are drought tolerant, so are very prolific. I was told in the south, you want a tree for every human and animal. I will say the leaves are a natural vitamin. If you are stuck, they can be grown in large barrels, but they won’t be as abundant.