Moringa - a super food for mitigating malnutrition.

MULTAN -- Right from the ancient times down to modern era, human beings passed through a series of research and experiments to fully utilize the natural potential of agricultural sector especially in terms of food items.

Living close to nature in thinly populated areas four to five centuries back, the mankind usually banked upon fresh meat, fruits and vegetables and water flowing through rivers, brooks and streams.

But time changed and in recent centuries, the earth not only witnessed mounting population load but also rising need of edibles. This made the researchers and scientists to opt for research for enhancing agricultural produce through hybrid seeds and use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Multiple corporate giants emerged on the world map and introduced packaging for conservation of food with the use of supplements to meet local needs and export to other countries.

This voyage went on for decades when the experts felt that use of additives was resulting in multiple health hazards and researchers once again felt to promote organic food.

Many new ordinary and medicinal plants came under focus and scientists and health experts believe use of these ordinary plants are sometimes far beneficial for human health than the medicines.

Moringa is one of the series with its nutrition rich composition as it contains multiple variants and even in this modern age experts recommend it to overcome malnutrition.

'Moringa can help overcome malnutrition as its leaves and fruits were very rich in calcium, vitamins, potassium and protein,' informed Dr Zahid Rasheed, a fruit scientist at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) Faisalabad.

'It has miraculous properties that's why is called 'Super Food' and science has proved Moringa as one of the best nutritious and medicinal plants having powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and tissue-protective properties,' he said.

Dr Zahid regretted that most often our people depend on allopathic medicines although we have vast potential for Moringa cultivation in terms of land richness and climate.

'We can easily cultivate it in areas of Sindh and Punjab. But, unfortunately this plants as well as plants like Neem, Amaltas, Ajwain, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Aloevera and Stevia were badly ignored in our country,' he remarked. 'India was earning billions of dollars from export of medicinal plants but we are still faltering to explore this avenue.'

Moringa, he said, was not only nutritious but also a remedial plant as...