‘Malunggay’ headed for the big time

Behold the malunggay.

Once regarded as a "lowly" backyard outgrowth, it is now headed for the big time, thanks to R&D breakthroughs about its potentials chalked up by the researchers over the years.

A few years back, for instance, in one of our visits to northwestern Philippines, we were treated to malunggay ice cream by nutritionists of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac, Ilocos Norte.

That malunggay (scientific name: Moringa Oleifera) is now well regarded worldwide can be borne by the fact that there are now much entries about it in the Internet.

For example, as gleaned by Junelyn de la Rosa of the DA Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), malunggay has seven times vitamin C in oranges, four times the vitamin A in carrots, three times the potassium in banana, and two times the protein in milk.

More facts and figures about this health food from other studies:

• Every 100 grams of malunggay pods contain 2.5 grams protein, 0.1 g fat, 8.5 g carbohydrate, 4.8 g fiber, and minerals such as calcium (30 milligrams), phosphorus (110 mg), and iron (5.3 mg). It has vitamin A, niacin, and vitamin C.

• Malunggay leaves (per 100 grams) contain 8.5 g water, 6.7 g protein, 1.7 g fat, 14.3 total carbohydrate, 0.9 g fiber, 2.3 fiber, 2.3 g ash, and minerals, calcium (440 mg), phosphorus (70 mg), iron (7 mg), copper (110 mg), and vitamins A and C.

This writer has also been told (and please check, if you wish) that the longetivity of the father of Chief Justice Hilario Davide is attributed to, among other things, malunggay soup often. – Rudy A. Fernandez