Spring and summer are the season for fresh Moringa leaves. Asian grocery stores carry them on a regular basis, as these are also part of the asian diet. They sell them in big bunches wrapped in plastic. One bunch will contain many branches with plenty of leaves that can easily last you 2-3 weeks. 
Take away the amount of leaves that you need to consume for the next few days, and leave the rest on the branches, wrap again in the plastic wrapper and tightly seal to maintain optimal freshness. You can cook your leaves as a stand-alone green vegetable, this will go very well with a side of quinoa or some rotis (indian flat-breads).
Here is a tasty SVA recipe:
Rinse your moringa leaves nicely with cool water and set aside
- warm your pan
- add 1 tsp Mum’s Ghee, or Organic Grapeseed oil (if you are trying to detox your fat tissue and want a lighter lipid base). Grapeseed oil is a very healthy substitute with a high smoke point and a very aromatic flavor.
- add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- add fresh ginger or chilies – if you are not high pitta, these are very good to add to your Moringa as they will help open the channel to support Moringa in reaching deep- tissue residing toxins.
- Next add your moringa leaves, stir so as to coat nicely with the oil and the turmeric.
- Lower your flame to a minimum, then add some water to your cooking moringa and let it cook nice and slow to a dark green color. It is important to cook your leaves properly and not consume them raw so you get full benefit of the nutrients and do not make ama or toxins from half cooked Moringa.
- Let your Moringa cook for 8-10 minutes.
- DO NOT ADD SALT. You may find that Moringa is salty enough on its own due to its high nutrients’ content. You can decide after the cooking if you would like to add a pinch for your tastebuds. Remember: it is always best to minimize or completely remove salt, even Soma Salt, from your meals when you are trying to detox.
If you do not have access to fresh Moringa leaves, then you can use any of Vaidya Mishra’s formulations with Moringa. SVA Moringa powder mixtures are organic, and originate from India. The Moringa Soup Mix in addition contains spices that are balancing for all doshas, and a delicious mix to your lentils or vegetables.
The Moringa powder can be added to be cooked with your vegetables at the initial stage when you are warming up the turmeric and the masalas in the oil before adding your protein and your vegetables.
Alternative, you can also use the Moringa tea during the day. It is easy to make and carry and sip on throughout the day.
Dear Vaidya Mishraji,
First of all, thank you so much for the wealth of knowledge that you share with us. I am a lifelong student of Ayurveda and you are my Guru. I have purchased several of your DVDs. I hope one day I am able to meet you in person.
My question is regarding juicing. There is a craze for drinking smoothies and vegetable juices. What it the Ayurvedic point of view for drinking freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juices?
Thank you.
Dear Purnima: it is true that raw fruits and vegetables are very high in nutrient content, but there are some specific issues which modern nutritional science fails to address. For one, nutritionally dense raw food has to go through the digestive system, and not everybody’s body is able to digest raw food 100%. When it is not, Ayurveda tells us that semi-digested remains in the body create “ama” or toxins. Ama, in its turn, is the raw material for “amavisha,” a highly virulent toxic build-up which is the root cause of all kinds of inflammatory diseases in the body. Certain raw foods, such as: cucumber, celery, lettuce, are easy to digest and they are ok to have with meals or juiced. However, heavy duty greens such as: Swiss chard , collard, kale, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, even arugula – these should always be cooked. They carry sulfur-containing chemicals called “thiocyanates” that can be harmful and imbalancing to normal thyroid activity when consumed raw. However, when they are steamed, and preferably cooked, then they lose that toxic property. The thing is this: for people who have had a not so balanced diet for years, eating preserved foods with bad fat, switching to juicing or raw foods is heaven sent because they find that their bodies get pranically recharged for the first time in a long time. But for people who have had a relatively balanced diet, with good protein, good fat and greens, eating raw is neither a necessity nor desirable. In the big picture, it is all about being able to digest (break-down) and absorb whatever you put in your mouth. Whatever you do not cook on top of the stove, you need to cook inside your body to fully break down and avoid making toxins or ama. But is your metabolism up to it? Do you have a good balance between physical activity and rest? Are all your transformative tissue metabolic fires in good shape? Our digestion and absorption is by and large compromised in this day and age due to the lifestyle we have to lead in urban context. So it is best to avoid raw foods, or eat them in minimal quantities. Same goes for fruit juices. Any liquid, whether water or a fruit juice, will dilute your digestive fire, unless you have added a good amount of, for example, fresh ginger, or some other such spicy ingredient. It is great to have some fruit juices as a refreshing snack, specially in hot weather, in between meals, if they are balanced in the recipe, but best to avoid them with meals. For example, starting your day with orange juice for breakfast, is one of the worst things you could do to your digestive fire! If you are in the mood for some fruit juice it is always nice to squeeze some limes, add a pinch of salt, sugar to taste, and a few sprigs of fresh mint. This is a great rehydrating and refreshing drink.
Dear vaidya,
Is it ok to give stewed apple/pear with prune for breakfast for a 20 month old kid?
How long should i wait after giving this to feed him his next food?
Thank you very much.
Thanks,
Pavithra
Vaidya replies:
Dear Pavithra: Prunes are specially given for problems in bowel movements – such as dry bowel, or constipation. I personally recommend that it not be given until 5 years of age. Stewed apples and pears are great to feed your child though. Stew and then blend them nicely into a pureed consistency. After you feed your child the stewed pureed fruits, wait for two hours until your next feeding. This of course also depends on the digestion and appetite of your child. If you child has high agni, then you may need to feed him earlier than two hours.
Dear vaidyaji,
Thank you very much clarifying.
Thanks,
Pavithra
Dear Vaidya,
I do get bad constipation while eating cooked moringa leaves. What could be reason
Can we add morniga leaves with spinach,beetroot,carrot, dil leaves,cucumber, nd tomatoes nd extract the juices frm all these vegetables nd can we drink this mix juice ? Is it healthy nd safe when consumed on regular basis after our breakfast.
There are many factors to consider, please consider scheduling a consultation with Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum: http://drmteitelbaum.com – SVA Customer Service Team