Moringa powder is good for athletes who want to build muscle mass and people who want to lose weight, as it has a great nutritional value. Moringa powder is an excellent dietary source of:
- complete vegan protein
- iron
- calcium
- chlorophyll
- vitamin C
- vitamin E
- vitamin K
Moringa powder is rich in protein
Above all, moringa powder is good for weight loss and muscle growth because it’s 30% protein (1,2).
Protein has the highest thermic effect. About 30% of calories of protein are burned during digestion! Moreover, protein keeps us full for hours, reducing cravings for fattening foods.
Furthermore, protein is necessary for building muscle mass.
You can add a tbsp of moringa powder to your favorite post-workout smoothie.
Moringa powder is a complete protein
Moringa powder contains 19 amino acids. Most noteworthy, moringa powder supports muscle growth because it contains all essential amino acids. It’s a complete plant-based protein.
Furthermore, moringa powder is a great dietary source of the 3 essential amino acids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine, which are called BCAAs. The BCAAs stimulate protein synthesis. Vegan athletes can benefit the most from taking moringa supplements.
| Essential amino acids | Quantity (%) | Other amino acid | Quantity (%) |
| Tyrosine | 2.65 | Alanine | 3.03 |
| Leucine | 1.96 | Glutamic acid | 2.53 |
| Phenylalanine | 1.64 | Arginine | 1.78 |
| Lysine | 1.64 | Glycine | 1.53 |
| Valine | 1.41 | Aspartic acid | 1.43 |
| Threonine | 1.36 | Proline | 1.2 |
| Isoleucine | 1.18 | Serine | 1.1 |
| Histidine | 0.72 | HO-Proline | 0.09 |
| Tryptophan | 0.49 | Cysteine | 0.01 |
| Methionine | 0.3 |
Moreover, all parts of moringa are high in complete protein. Besides moringa leaves, moringa seeds are also rich in protein. Moringa seed flour is about 19% protein, and it’s easily digested (3).
Another vegan source of complete plant-based protein is maca powder.
Vitamin E for muscle growth & weight loss
Furthermore, moringa powder is high in vitamin E. Moringa powder contains 77-155 mg of vitamin E per 100g (1). We need at least 15 mg of vitamin E per day. A tbsp of moringa powder provides up to 72% of the Daily Value (4).
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with powerful antioxidant properties.
We should have normal levels of vitamin E in order to lose weight because vitamin E is important for the metabolic process.
Furthermore, athletes who work out for muscle hypertrophy should get adequate amounts of vitamin E. It helps muscles recover faster. On the contrary, vitamin E deficiency may impair athletic performance (5).
Other foods that are good sources of vitamin E are vegetable oils, seeds (e.g. sunflower seeds), nuts (e.g. almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts). Certain vegetables and fruits, like spinach, broccoli, and kiwi, contain some vitamin E as well.
Calcium in moringa for weight loss
Additionally, moringa powder is pretty rich in calcium. It’s up to 3.65% calcium (1).
Moringa powder contains about 2,100-2,700 mg of calcium per 100g. A tbsp of moringa powder provides 18% of the DV. It’s the richest plant-based source of calcium.
Calcium is important for weight loss and athletic performance because it’s involved in many physiologic processes, energy metabolism and muscle contraction (6).
But, calcium deficiency is particularly common among athletes. Exercise may increase calcium losses. Both endurance and high-intensity training can decrease calcium stores.
So, athletes could benefit the most from consuming moringa powder! Vitamin D and vitamin C improve calcium absorption (7).
Iron is involved in energy metabolism
Furthermore, moringa powder is a good plant-based source of iron. It contains about 49 mg of iron per 100g. A tablespoon of moringa powder can provide about 3.4 mg of iron. That’s 19% of the DV.
Iron is a key component of many enzymes in muscle cells. Moreover, iron is involved in the transportation and metabolism of oxygen for aerobic energy production. This process is key during endurance exercise.
Other plant-based foods rich in iron are fruits (e.g. avocado, goji berries), vegetables (e.g. dandelion greens), seeds (e.g. pumpkin seeds), and nuts (e.g. almonds).
Nitrates in foods also supply oxygen to the muscles.
Moringa powder has vitamin C
Moringa is also rich in vitamin C. It has 270-870 mg of vitamin C per 100g. The vitamin C content depends on many parameters, such as the processing method (8).
Just a tbsp of moringa powder contains up to 60 mg of vitamin C, or 67% of the DV.
Athletes and people who want to lose weight should get high amounts of vitamin C because vitamin C is involved in the:
- metabolism of protein
- synthesis of collagen
- muscle recovery
Also, vitamin C increases iron and calcium absorption.
It’s so easy to get the recommended daily intake from food. There are many foods high in vitamin C.
Chlorophyll in moringa for a leaner body
In addition, moringa powder is the richest food in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll protects athletes and obese people from low-grade inflammation, increases energy levels, supports weight loss, and helps maintain a lean body.
How much moringa powder should I take a day?
Moringa is considered a safe dietary supplement. No side effects have been reported. Certainly, you should consult your healthcare provider before taking any dietary supplement (9).
Most people consume a tsp of moringa powder a day. If you’re an athlete, you can consume more. It’s better to gradually increase the consumed dose, though.
You’ll find a wide variety of moringa supplements (powder or capsule) on iHerb.
