One to watch: South African company tout Moringa

25 Jun 2018 --- South African supplement and natural foods company Moringa Wellness are capitalizing on what it calls, “the most nutrient-rich plant known to science”: the moringa oleifera. The health food company's food scientists have developed a process in which they use reverse osmosis and atomization to create a water-soluble botanical extract called Moringex.

“Our slogan is 'nutritious meets delicious,' because our functional foods include tasty snacks for all ages,” says Grant Momple, Moringa Wellness Chairman. “We pride ourselves on using extracts of plants indigenous to South Africa, which provides phenomenal benefits to the body. Our Moringex extract augments the flavor of moringa to make it easily masked by other delicious ingredients.”

The company will soon debut its first products using Moringaex. Among the products are Moringa Wellness brand fruit cereal bars, health bites, honey, muffins, nut-free peanut butter and hazelnut spreads. All foods are produced in FDA, GMP and FSSC 22000-compliant pharmaceutical-grade processing facilities. They are also low in fat, gluten-free and packed with omega 3 fatty acids, protein, antioxidants, folate, fiber and micronutrients, the company add.

Moringa Wellness already produce a “popular” moringa Leaf supplement line.

The company further touts that moringa is “the new turmeric,” citing studies that reveal that moringa may be more beneficial for inflammation than some compounds found in turmeric. According to Moringa Wellness, people around the world are also using moringa to treat cancer, diabetes, anemia, arthritis and rheumatism, allergies and asthma, constipation, epilepsy, stomach and intestinal ulcers or spams, chronic headaches, kidney stones, fluid retention, thyroid disorders and bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic infections.

What is moringa?
Often ranked among turmeric and ginger, moringa is a known “superfood.” Native to India, the moringa olefera plant is also known under the names drumstick or miracle tree. The leaves of the plant can be eaten raw or cooked, but the moringa that features in health products is typically in powder or capsule form and is derived from harvesting, drying and milling moringa leaves.

Innova Market Insights has noted moringa as a trend to watch. Gold Coast Ingredients Marketing team member, Megan Trent, says that: “Another flavor trend to watch out for is moringa flavor. We expect to see new moringa, today's trending superfood, flavored beverages and snacks.”