Drumstick is a common and popular vegetable in our country. All parts of the drum - stick tree are useful. A plant that is favourably grown in the tropics, it is said to be indigenous to North - west India. It is grown in Asia, Arabia, Madacaskar, etc.
The botanical name of drumstick is - Moringa oliefera,
Syn - Moringa pterygosperma
Vernacular names - Sanskrit - Shobanjana, Hindi - Soanjana, Tamil - Murungai
General properties:- Drumstick - Stimulant, Antispas modic, Expoctorant, Diuretic, Tonic.
Drumstick flower - Aphrodisiac, Stimulant, Emmenagogue
Root - Stimulant in paralytic afflictions, Acrid, abortifacient,
Bark - Aborifacient.
Leaves - Diuretic, tonic.
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Ayurveda says the leaves of the moringa tree can prevent 300 diseases! And modern science confirms the basic idea.
Gram for Gram, Moringa leaves contain:
· 7 times the vitamin C in oranges and 4 times the calcium in milk.
· 4 times the vitamin A in carrots and 2 times the protein in milk.
· 3 times the potassium in bananas
Use of Moringa leaves as food was in vogue even before the vedic age. The foliage is eaten as greens, in salads in vegetable curries, as pickles and for seasoning.
100 gms of leaves contain 63% Moisture, 6.7 g protein, 1.7 g fat, 14.3 g total car- bohydrate, 0.9 g fibre, 2.3 g ash, 440 mg Ca, 70 mg P, 7 mg Fe, 110 mg Cu, 11,300 IU vit. A, 120 mg vit. B, 0.8 mg nicotinic acid, 220 mg ascorbic acid, and 7.4 mg tocopherol per 100 g. Estrogenic substances, including the antitumor compound, b - sitosterol, and a pectinesterase are also reported. Leaf amino acids include 6.0 g arginine/16 g N, 2.1 histidine, 4.3 Iysine, 1.9 tryptophane, 6.4 phenylalanine, 2.0 methionine, 4.9 threonine, 9.3 lucine, 6.3 isoleucine, and 7.1 valine.
Medicinal Uses:
Leaves
1. The leaves can be cooked like any other greens and taken. The leaves seasoned with Tuar dhal, Ginger, Garlic, Pepper, Jeera and Ghee, could be added to plain cooked rice and taken. The brain is stimulated and the nerves get toned up. Eyesight improves, Head ache, vertigo are prevented. Moringa greens are real tonic. Its vitamin A content benefits children and provides them with better vision.
2. The juice of the raw leaves, mixed with honey, taken early in the morning, gets rid of intestinal worms. Stomach ache abates.
3. The leaves cooked with ‘Til’ (sesame) are beneficial to diabetic patients.
4. Leaves ground to a paste can be applied as poultice on swellings. Fried leaves can also be used.
5. Leaves promote blood production, increase secretion of breast milk in lactating mothers.
6. Persons suffering from high blood pressure can take 15 ml of the juice of leaves with crushed pepper (10 number) and honey, daily twice.
7. The leaves reduce body heat. Improve stamina and strangth.
Drum stick
1. Drum stick, cut in to thumb length pieces, make a very tasty ‘Sambhar’. More than that it improves libido. It cures nervous debility.
2. It has diuretic propertics and helps passing urine easily.
3. Tender drum sticks, cooked and taken with skin, promotes potency, corrects loss of sperm. It cures respiratory problems. It expels intestinal worms.
Flowersru
Dry the flowers and powder. Mix 1 tsp of this powder with a glass of cow’s milk and add palmyrah sugar candy. Take this daily. It improves sperm count.
Drumstick soup
(For one person)
Ingredients
Drumstick leaves - 100 to 125 gm
Water - 250 gm
Carrot, tomato, onion, , Garlic, Drumstick, Ginger, Beans, Coriander leaves, Curry leaves All
Put together - 75 gms
Pepper, cummin seeds powdered) - a little
Optional : Flour - 20 gm
Method:
Boil the Durmstick leaves in water. Just before the water reaches the boiling point, add the cut and mashed vegtable. Immediately, on boiling, add powdered pepper and cummin seed. Strain and serve. If more thickness is required, add flour or oats or flour from sprouted grains.
Benefits of this soup
Take this soup twice a day for atleast 48 days. It helps reducing diabetic problems and need for insulin. The soup improves stamina and vitality. Good for curing nervous debility and also eye diseases. Several menstrual problems of women can be cured.
Seeds, Resin and bark
Seeds have anti - toxic properties. These are used to purify drinking water. Seeds are powdered and put in a pot of drinking water. The seeds screen the water and let the pure water gather at the top.
An oil extracted from the seeds and used for Rheumatic problems. The oil is used in soap manufacture and oil paints. Extract from the bark of the drumstick tree is used in the preparation of ‘Thailams’.
The drumstik gum / resin is added in Lehiyams prepared for improving potency, virility and libido.
Include drumstik at least once in a week in your diet. Sage Agasthiya says that regular use of drumstick makes a person gain the strength of 10 elephants!
