PMC full text:
Ecol Food Nutr. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2010 May 1.
Published in final edited form as:
Ecol Food Nutr. 2009 May 1; 48(3): 212–225.
doi: 10.1080/03670240902794598Table 1
Table of Moringa oleifera leaf nutrient composition and nutrient RDAs* (Trees for Life 2005, The National Academies Press 2002, 2004, 2005)
| Fresh leaves a (value/100g edible portion) | Dried leaves b (value/24g [≈3tbsp] edible portion) | RDA for healthy children age 1-8 years old c | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 92 cal | 49 cal | |
| Macronutrients | |||
| Protein | 6.70 g | 6.5 g | 13-19g/day |
| Fat | 1.70 g | 0.55 g | 30-40 g/day |
| Carbohydrates | 12.5 g | 9.2 g | 130 g/day |
| Micronutrients | |||
| Carotene (Vitamin A) | 6.78 mg | 4.54 mg | 300-400 μg/day |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.06 mg | 0.63 mg | .5-.6 mg/day |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 4.92 mg | .5-.6 mg/day |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.8 mg | 1.97 mg | 6-8 mg/day |
| Vitamin C | 220 mg | 4.15 mg | 15-25 mg/day |
| Calcium | 440 mg | 480.72 mg | 500-800 mg/day** |
| Copper | 0.07 mg | 0.14 mg | 340-440 mg/day |
| Fiber | 0.90 g | 4.61 g | 19-25 g/day** |
| Iron | 0.85 mg | 6.77 mg | 7-10 mg/day |
| Magnesium | 42 mg | 88.32 mg | 80-130 mg/day |
| Phosphorus | 70 mg | 48.96 mg | 460-500 mg/day |
| Potassium | .26 g | 0.32 g | 3.0-3.8 g/day** |
| Zinc | 0.16 mg | .79 mg | 3-5 mg/day |
| Essential Amino Acids 7 | |||
| Histidine | 149.8 mg | 147.12 mg | 8 mg/g protein |
| Isoleucine | 299.6 mg | 198 mg | 25 mg/g protein |
| Leucine | 492.2 mg | 468 mg | 55 mg/g protein |
| Lysine | 342.4 mg | 318 mg | 51 mg/g protein |
| Methionine + Cysteine | 117.7 mg | 84 mg | 25 mg/g protein |
| Phenylalanine Tyrosine | 310.3 mg | 333.12 mg | 47 mg/g protein |
| Threonine | 117.7 mg | 285.12 mg | 27 mg/g protein |
| Tryptophan | 107 mg | 102 mg | 7 mg/g protein |
| Valine | 374.5 mg | 255.12 mg | 32 mg/g protein |
aTrees for Life (2005) reported M. oleifera fresh leaf content from Gopalan et al. (1971).
bTrees for Life (2005) reported M. oleifera dried leaf nutrient content from Fuglie (2001).
cRecommended Daily Allowance (RDA) values are given as an estimate of what an individual’s recommended intake should be. For the purpose of this paper, these values should be interpreted as a general comparison of leaf content to what an average healthy child should intake. Source: Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences Dietary Reference Intake database (2002)
7Gopalan et al. (1971) originally expressed amino acid content per g N, and have been converted to mg per 100g leaves
*Leaf nutrient composition will vary depending on the geographic region the leaves are sampled from and the type of analysis used. This table acts to give a general idea of the nutrient content of the leaves.
**Represents Adequate Intake (AI) for an individual