"Ang Malunggay" - take a bow

When takbo.ph posted in their website that they shall be conducting a Health and Nutrition Seminar I signed up with no hesitation to gain whatever knowledge that I could learn to enhance the physical strength and endurance in my race walking/running passion. The resource speaker for the seminar was BLECENDA MIRANDA-VARONA DrPH, MPH, RND.

The speaker touched on various subject matters with respect to health and nutrition and interrelation to running. I will not touched on the specifics of each topic, however, I wish to share one subject matter that has gotten much of my attention for the night which was the “MALUNGGAY” known scientifically as Moringa oleifera Lamk. I just could not believe that this plant that I do not care much of has great wonders and value.

One hundred grams or 1 cup of cooked malunggay leaves contain 3.1 g. protein, 0.6 g. fiber, 96 mg calcium, 29 mg phosphorus, 1.7 mg iron, 2,820 mg ß-carotene, 0.07 mg thiamin, 0.14 mg riboflavin, 1.1 mg niacin, and 53 mg ascorbic acid or vitamin C. The antioxidant activity of malunggay is about 71%, with µ-tocopherol (vitamin E) equivalent of 45.

Malunggay leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A and B, and minerals such as calcium and iron. It is even an excellent source of protein, being higher than the amino acid pattern of Food and Agriculture Organization-reference protein, yet contains very low fat and carbohydrates. The leaves are incomparable as a source of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine, often the natural minerals humans lack.

But my basic knowledge and application of Malunggay is limited to vegetable add-on with chicken as tinola, or with fish and other vegetables, mongo soup dishes, and blanched as salads.

The speaker promised to cook on our next meeting a pancake with malunggay this should be interesting.

Congratulations to Jinoe and the staff of Takbo.ph for this Health and Nutrition seminar who conceptualized and offered this seminar of two sessions for free to the running community. Carbo loading will be tackled in the next session and should be of great interest to all runners.