GREEN FINGERS
The various health benefits of the marum plant
NORMITA THONGTHAM
I was surprised at the overwhelming response to the articles on Moringa oleifera (drumstick tree, horseradish tree, or marum in Thai) in "Green Fingers" of June 1 and 8. Several readers sent emails to give testimonies, share their knowledge or ask questions about this wonderful tree.
Klaus Prinz, who started it all by sending me invaluable information from Chiang Mai about this highly nutritious vegetable, expressed surprise that Thai people have superstitions about marum. "On our village road several trees are growing just outside fences of people's properties," he writes, adding that the reason marum trees are often seen in temples is that monks used the leaves to make traditional medicine.
Lourdes Leusen wrote to ask where to buy marum tea. "I also went around the market but I couldn't find any fresh marum leaves," she writes.
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| Moringa tea, anyone? To make marum tea all you have to do is dry and grind the leaves of `Moringa oleifera'. — PHOTOS: NORMITA THONGTHAM |
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| Planting marum is easy; just cut a branch and plant it in the soil. |
The reason one couldn't buy fresh leaves is that not many Thais know it is edible. Even if you search every market in the Kingdom, you could hardly find marum leaves for sale. Which is a pity, as making marum tea is very easy. All you have to do is dry and grind the leaves.
One person who made sure that his family has a steady supply of fresh young leaves for their favourite Filipino dish, corn soup with young malunggay leaves, is Jess Rola, who planted a tree in his back garden in Bangkok. Rola wants to make it known that marum is known as malunggay in his native Philippines.
Pornprapa Blakes wrote to ask whether eating young marum leaves would improve her red blood count. The answer to this is yes; when I was a child my mother was anaemic but by regularly eating marum leaves her health improved. She will turn 79 on Wednesday.
Pornprapa also wants to know what leaves are used to make tea. The tender, young leaves at the tip of the branch are perfect when parboiled, stir-fried or put in soup. The green, mature but not-so-old leaves are used for making tea.
Vilaiwan Anusarnsunthorn is living proof of the health benefits of marum. "Taking moringa powder every day has helped save my life," she writes. "I suffered from many illnesses and moringa has nearly eliminated all of them after I diligently incorporated it into my diet for the past seven years. Now not only myself but my entire family take moringa tea daily."
To spread the word about the health benefits of marum, Vilaiwan wrote a booklet in Thai titled Moringa: The Tree of Life, which has been on sale since last December. Needless to say, the book is based on her own experience.
She says she has since built up a strong following of people interested in marum here in Thailand. "Hundreds of people have called me from all over the country asking how to grow moringa, as well as the various techniques on how to make their own powder," she writes.
"I have also been contacted by several medical professionals who are beginning to explore the potential of moringa powder/seeds to help treat HIV/Aids. I strongly believe that there is a real potential, as moringa has an incredible ability to boost the immune system.
"If you look around, moringa is everywhere, but most people have no idea at all about its medicinal benefits," she adds. "[Writing the book] has been a very fulfilling period of my life as my intention has been to spread knowledge in order to help people in rural areas where access to medical assistance is scarce and expensive."
Meanwhile, Madhaiyan Seenivasan wrote to say that the fruit and leaves are not the only edible parts of the tree. "Marum flowers can be fried and eaten as well," she writes. "In India they fry marum leaves with oil and onions. It is very delicious and nutritious. Almost every house garden has this plant.
"It costs nothing for maintenance and planting is easy. Just cut a branch and plant it in the soil. In villages, wherever there is wasteland, people plant marum."
Madhaiyan says that Indians believe in the "Viagra effect" of marum. Families of newly married couples make them eat it almost every day, she writes.
What Douglas Clapperton wants to know is whether marum can be planted on his ocean-front property in Sattahip. "We are trying to plant trees that offer some nutritional benefit, but aside from coconut palms, we don't seem to have many options," he writes.
As long as it is not planted in the sand I think marum can be grown by the seaside. For a more striking effect, plant at least three trees distanced two metres apart. However, marum is unsightly when allowed to grow too tall, so cut back the tree every year or two to make it bushy.
Post your questions on the http://www.thaigreenfingers.com/forum, or email normita@thaigreenfingers.com.
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