My Morning Moringa Tea

Like my mother, I have always been a tea drinker.  As a child, I enjoyed sipping tea with my mama during the early morning while my brother and father were asleep.  As a tween and then teen, I'd sit in the window with a cup of tea and a book. Reading and imagining that I was some character in one of my many novels.  I predict that my own daughter will be the same, as she already asks for tea when she sees me sipping my daily dose of liquid peace, or when she has an "ailment".  Yes, a cup of tea is the remedy for all hurts.

Perhaps, I have helped encourage that, a blend of nature and nurture. I have purchased more than one mommy and me tea set, throughout the years. I always have gotten them from the collection A Mother's Love by Amy on Amazon. I have also acquired quite a few mugs from students throughout the years, including the one in the picture below. I am sure that has something to do with the tea stash had in every classroom I have taught in.  But tea to me is more than a morning pick me up, more than memories and nostalgia. Tea is a lifestyle.  A part of my healthy life-style routine.

Of course, tea is simply tasty.  However, as I gotten older my tea choices have become a bit more purposeful.  This leads me to my current morning tea drink.  Moringa with a splash of blackseed oil and two tablespoons of honey. I know I have a sweet tooth.  If I had coconut milk in the house, I am sure I would add a splash, to give it a bit of a chai taste.I use non-dairy milk because dairy milk prevents the absorption of nutrients in moringa.

What is Moringa?

Moringa is a plant.  It is one of the superfoods we Millenials are obsessed with. Moringa is native to North Africa and Asia. Honestly, I do not have enough time to write about all of the health benefits of Moringa.  It is a plant that is completely edible.  It is used for everything from a being a natural multivitamin, to fighting malnutrition,to use for water purification, to an ingredient in cosmetics.  Moringa very high in antioxidants, and minerals and vitamins. It is also high in protein. It has Vitamins, A, B, C, D, and E.  In fact it has more than 7 times the vitamin C in oranges and two times the protein in milk. It also has the minerals potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, and magnesium.  More than that, it has all of the essential amino acids that our bodies can not make on their own. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant properties. It has 90 nutrients and 46 different antioxidants.  According to Ayurveda the Moringa Tree can cure at least 300 diseases. Although Moringa is eaten and used in many Muslims countries I have not found it specifically mentioned in Quran and Sunnah. (I am not saying it is not mentioned, I just have not found it.) However, Moringa, like all plants, is surely a blessing from Allah. Allah tells us in surah 6:59

He Alone has the keys of the unseen treasures, of which noone knows except Him. He knows whatever is in the land and in the sea; there isnot a single leaf that falls without His knowledge, there is neither a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry which has not been recorded in a Clear Book.

Moringa can help blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cholesterol, asthma, allergies, anemia, it boosts the immune system, increases milk production, it can help prevent cancer and is recommended to AIDS patients, the list goes on.   Moringa is my multivitamin.  At one point in time, I took hair vitamins regularly.  I had a slew of supplements, from Vitamin D to E, to calcium, to fish oil, to red yeast rice extract. The problem with vitamins is that much of them are not actually absorbed into the body. Studies say only  3 to 20% of the nutrients found in pill vitamins are actually absorbed into the body.  More than that vitamins are often made of synthetic nutrients, I prefer to get my nutrients from whole foods.

Abu Hurayrah narrates that The Prophet pbuh said:

“There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its remedy.”

Bukhari 7.582

Moringa, Hair, and Skin

Just as I often took supplements, I was quite consistent with hair vitamins. I have tried quite a few brands throughout the years. While I have experienced accelerated hair growth with a vitamin, most times I did not.  What is more is that they always came with side effects. Worse than not experiencing accelerated growth included dry mouth, acne, and headaches. Now that I am drinking Moringa regularly I have no desire to take hair and skin vitamins.

Moringa has many if not all of the nutrients necessary for healthy hair and skin.  It has twice as much protein than yogurt and four times as much as in eggs.  It has fatty acids. it also has many B-vitamins, iron, vitamin C, and A, calcium, and zinc. These Nutrients provide the support for healthy hair. For skin, the antioxidants and nutrients help, collagen production, sun- damage prepare and reducing wrinkles.

What is black seed oil?

If you follow my blog or vlog you will hear me mention blackseed often. I use both the seeds and the oil, topically and internally. As for my daily routine, I put black seed oil into my tea. in a way similar to how many people put coconut oil in tea or hot chocolate. Like coconut oil, it gives my morning tea an additional a nutritional boost and a silky texture.  Both moringa and black seed can be an acquired taste. They are earthy and strong in flavor.

Black seed, like moringa, is known by many names.  You may know it as Nigella sativa, black-cumin, kalonji or other names. It is known as the seed of blessings. The nickname is very befitting.  Black seed is known to cure numerous illnesses. The healing properties of black seed are not just recognized in the Muslim world, it is used by neuropathic, functional medicine practitioners and other alternative doctors.  Over 600 studies have been conducted to prove the effectiveness of black-seed.  It has been shown to help in treating asthma, allergies, cancer prevention, diabetes, hair loss, Alzheimer's, liver health, heart health, acne, infections, boost the immune system and more.  Black seed has Anti-bacterial, Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fungal, anti-cancer, antiasthmatic, antihistamine, anti-viral and anticoagulant properties. I do not have enough room or time to list all of the amazing benefits of black seed.  However, when I get a chance I will write as much as I can and link it here.  As far as I am concerned though, the case is closed and black seed is and will continue to be, God willing, a consistent part of our diet and lifestyle. For even without the research into to the health benefits of black seed, it is well documented that the Prophet Muhammad said.

 There is healing in Black Cumin for all diseases except death.

Why honey?

Honey has always been my favorite choice when it comes to sweeteners for tea.  The flavor profile of honey just simply can not be compared to other sugars.  While I do use other sugar alternatives such as dates, date sugar, maple and coconut sugar, when it comes to my tea honey is the way to go.  The prophet Muhammad said

 Make use of two remedies, honey and Qur'an.

Some of the healing properties of honey include but are not limited to, treatment of colds, allergies, cough syrup and insomnia. I will not elaborate too much on honey, as this is a post about Moringa.  If you want more information about honey and it's health benefits please read my article healthy sugar alternatives. 

Other ways to consume Moringa

I do feel I am a bit boring when it comes to my Moringa consumption.  I do have my hot chocolate recipe here and smoothie option here, but I guess I pretty much dink Moringa.  I do know that in many countries people make Moringa into soups and other foods.  Do you eat or drink Moringa? If you do please comment below and share your recipes, I'd love some new ideas.