Moringa Vs Kale 2024: A Battle Of New Superfood!

Gone are the days, when In the world of superfoods, kale’s established role as the go-to green superfood often overshadowed moringa (miracle tree). Moringa is gaining more and more attention and it is not wrong to say that this superfood could be the next kale.

The health claims for moringa powder sound way too good to be true. The nutrient-packed plant has become the next big super green of the decade and can be used as a powerful supplement.

Moringa Vs Kale

Kale and Moringa have a lot in common. Both have a very promising nutritional value. Let’s find out more about them.

	Kale	Moringa
Nutrient Content	High in vitamin K, A, C, calcium, fiber	High in essential amino acids, iron, calcium, vitamin C, Quercetin
Health Benefits	Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, supports bone health, immune system support	Weight loss promotion, antibacterial, anti-asthmatic, anti-diabetic, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory
Eye Health	Rich in Lutein and zeaxanthin	Beneficial for macular degeneration and cataracts
Blood Sugar	–	Chlorogenic acid helps moderate blood sugar levels
Water Purification	–	Seeds aid in purifying drinking water
Cancer Prevention	Contains glucosinolates with anti-cancer properties	Contains glucosinolates with anti-cancer properties

Kale 

Prepared using cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussel sprouts, Kale – a vegetable^[1] with green or purple leaves is earning popularity amongst Europeans and Americans looking to get in shape. These can be boiled, steamed, or even eaten in the form of salads. Kale is also called borecole.

Power-packed with a plethora of nutrients^[2] including calcium, vitamins, iron, potassium, copper to name a few – it is a rich source of plant protein that forms a hot favorite item in the menu of vegans and vegetarians. 

Carotenoids and phytonutrients are found in abundance in Kale. These are known to boost the immune system, help with digestion and even protect from a few ailments.

Moringa

Another close companion of Kale is Moringa. Known globally by many other names—”the miracle tree,” “the never die,” “the drumstick tree,” “horseradish tree,” “mother’s best friend,” and “ben oil tree or benzolive tree”—Moringa oleifera, offers an abundance of nutritional and medicinal benefits^[3], as per the anecdotal evidence and increasing scientific studies. 

Moringa shares equal (if not more) status of being a known superfood^[4]. It is known to be rich in Vitamins, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and manganese. Moringa is known to contain 40 antioxidants compounds, 35 anti-inflammatory compounds, and 20 essential amino acids that are a rich source of proteins.

According to research^[5], 3 separate flavonoids contained in Moringa are known to reduce risks of coronary ailments and certain types of cancer.

To understand how both fare against each other in terms of their impressive nutritional profile, let us compare the nutrients present in 100 grams of fresh, uncooked moringa/kale leaves.

The below chart provides both the actual amount and the Percent Daily Value (percent DV) for each nutrient.

	Kale	Moringa
Protein	9.4 g	4 g
Fiber	3.6 g (13 percent DV)	2 g (7 percent DV)
Calcium	150 mg (12 percent DV)	185 mg (14 percent DV)
Iron	1.47 mg (8 percent DV)	4 mg (22 percent DV)
Magnesium	47 mg (11 percent DV)	42 mg (10 percent DV)
Potassium	491 mg (10 percent DV)	337 mg (7 percent DV)
Vitamin A	500 RAE (56 percent DV)	378 RAE (42 percent DV)
Vitamin C	120 mg (133 percent DV)	51.7 mg (57 percent DV)
Vitamin K	705 mcg (587 percent DV)	–
Thiamin	0.11 mg (9 percent DV)	0.257 mg (21 percent DV)
Riboflavin	0.13 mg (10 percent DV)	0.66 mg (51 percent DV)
Niacin	1 mg (6 percent DV)	2.22 mg (14 percent DV)
Vitamin B6	0.271 mg (16 percent DV)	1.2 mg (71 percent DV)
Folate (B9)	141 mcg (35 percent DV)	40 mcg (10 percent DV)

It is evident from the table that Moringa^[6] has twice the protein, thrice the iron, and almost six times vitamins to Kale^[7]. In saying that, Kale has a slightly higher concentration of Vitamins and potassium. 

Notably, both Moringa and Kale are packed with nutrition and have immense health benefits.

Kale has gained more popularity as a nutrient-dense green vegetable, but Moringa has the winning edge over kale. Moringa is known as an immensely powerful anti-inflammatory green food man has ever known. In addition, Moringa comes with many real benefits backed with scientific evidence.  

Potential Health Benefits Of Moringa And Kale

Research suggests that moringa has multiple health benefits^[8], a potent leafy green vegetable rich in essential amino acids and boasting remarkable nutritional value. It promotes weight loss in humans. Moringa benefits span from weight loss promotion to its anti-bacterial, anti-asthmatic, and anti-inflammatory effects. The powerful antioxidant – Quercetin present in moringa reduces blood pressure and fats in the body and the blood.

Leaf extracts of moringa are also helpful to relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis by lowering fluid swelling, redness, and pain.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) – a phenolic compound present in moringa helps moderate blood sugar levels in diabetic patients after meals. Moringa also possesses cholesterol-lowering effects, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease.

The moringa powder obtained from crushed seeds helps to purify drinking water since the proteins in moringa seeds aid in creating bacterial clumps that fall to the bottom and can be easily removed.  

Kale, like moringa, contains heaps of nutrients and offers multiple health benefits^[9]. It possesses exceptionally strong antioxidant properties that may help slow the progression of a wide range of age-related diseases as well as aging in general. 

Kale contains Lutein and zeaxanthin^[10] (types of organic pigments termed as carotenoids), nutrients that give kale its dark and deep green color and safeguard against macular degeneration (an eye disease that causes vision loss) and cataracts.

Calcium and phosphorus present in kale are crucial for healthy bone formation.

Kale is rich in fiber and water that supports a healthy digestive system and prevents constipation. 

Other nutrients present in kale like – beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E support a healthy immune system.

What’s more, both moringa and kale contain glucosinolates (biologically active compounds with nutritional effects). Glucosinolates are sulfur-containing compounds that convert into isothiocyanates in the body. Isothiocyanates are powerful phytochemicals that are also called stress-response chemicals known for their anti-cancer properties, and this is the reason why kale and moringa are hailed as effective anti-cancer foods.

To sum up, both moringa and kale are powerful superfoods, rich in nutrients offering a multitude of health benefits

Adding Moringa Or Kale To Your Diet

One major difference between moringa and kale is that kale grows in cooler weather and moringa grows only in warm weather. So, fresh moringa leaves are not available in places where the climate is too cold. In such places. Moringa powder is easily available at health food stores. The powder can be used in smoothies and soups, added to coconut water, fresh apple juice, or orange juice, or stirred into dressings and sauces. Some people use moringa powder in making green “lattes”.

Kale (both fresh and frozen)  is easily available in regular supermarkets if you want to use it in cooking. Kale powder is also available in health food stores for people who want to use it as supplements. You can have kale leafy greens by adding them in juices and smoothies, by baking kale leaves, and in the form of homemade kale chips.

Conclusion

Both kale and moringa boast significantly higher nutritional content across various categories compared to many other foods, earning them the esteemed title of ‘superfoods’. Kale, often regarded as the reigning champion of the super greens realm, has long been celebrated for its abundance of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, A, and C, as well as calcium and fiber. Additionally, kale’s rich antioxidant properties contribute to overall health, supporting functions such as immune system strength and healthy skin.

However, in recent years, the emergence of the ‘miracle tree’ Moringa oleifera has challenged kale’s supremacy, offering an even more potent and diverse nutritional profile. Moringa not only rivals kale in terms of essential vitamins and minerals but also stands out for its exceptional plant-based protein content, making it a valuable addition to vegetarian and vegan diets. Moreover, moringa has garnered attention for its purported medicinal benefits, with claims of over 300 potential health-promoting properties, ranging from anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects to blood sugar regulation and cholesterol reduction.

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