I decided to start this spotlight page with a bang by writing about one of my all time favorite super foods: Moringa Oliefera: I have been absolutely obsessed with this plant since my mother-in-law introduced it to me a few years back. She has a moringa tree in her yard in Jamaica so I am lucky enough to get large bunches of fresh moringa leaves whenever I visit. I use the whole leaves to make tea, or grind them into powder to add to smoothies. I also use the powder in my raw vegan brownies to add nutrition.

So why do I love it so much? Well, the nutritional benefits are extensive. Due to its high nutrition content it is used to treat malnutrition in many places across the world. It is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin A, B 1, B2 and B3, C, D, potassium, magnesium, calcium and amino acids. In fact it has 18 of the 20 known amino acids, including all 8 essential amino acids making it a source of complete protein. Great news for vegans and vegetarians!

I usually add about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of powder into my smoothie but I would recommend starting small (around 1/2 teaspoon) and letting your stomach warm up to it- moringa is a powerful aid to digestion so best not to over do it straight away!

Here are some links for more information:

http://www.purehealingfoods.com/moringaInfo.php

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/moringa.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/042435_Moringa_oleifera_health_benefits_herbal_medicine.html