How to make Malunggay Capsules and Tea

Due to the popularity of the Malunggay leaves (also known as Moringa) as a natural health supplement, some industrious folks at the The Bureau of Plant Industry have devised a way to prepare the leaves in either tea or capsule form to make it easier for human consumption. In this way, the malunggay leaves are preserved and its shelf life increased.

From the malunggay plant, we have been able to derive antibiotic’s, medicines to treat arthritis, rheumatism, gout, cramp, boils, sexually transmitted disease and has also been known to help lower cholesterol in people.

Traditionally the leaves are being used by lactating mothers as a stimulant for them to improve production of breast milk. Usually it is prepared in soup form but now with the advent of capsules and tea, options for the intake of malunggay has widened.

Processing the Malunggay are as follows:

1. Harvest 2-3 young green compound leaves that show no signs of yellowing. Place collected leaves in a tray and transport them in a drying shade.
2. Immediately after harvest, clean and sort out from the leaves any unnecessary materials such as dust and other foreign particles.
3. Lay out the leaves on a clean sheet of paper for 2-3 days in order to dry them. Manila paper, bond papers, and other similar materials can be used as the drying mat. Do not sun dry it as this would destroy the vitamins and minerals packed in the leaves. Expect for the weight of leaves to decrease after drying. After drying, shake off the leaflets from the leaf petioles (the stems). The leaves will naturally fall-off or detach from the petiole.
4. Shake the dried leaves by placing them on an 0.2-0.3cm fine mesh to remove leaf petiole that was shed out during the drying period. This process will eliminate other unnecessary materials that were incorporated in the dried leaves during the drying period.
5. Roast the leaves in a pan over a low fire to reduce the moisture and sanitize it. Do this by constantly turning over the air dried leaves for 2-3 minutes. Roasting helps to preserve the leaves and improve the tea’s flavor. Do not overcook the leaves. Place the roasted leaves in a transparent plastic bag, tighten the bag and crush the bag until the leaflets are broken into tiny powder particles.
6. Storage conditions affect Malunggay tea quality and flavor. Do not expose them directly to sun and air. Pack and store the leaves in a cool, dry, dark place in air-tight containers.

How to make Malunggay Capsules

1. First powder the roasted malunggay leaves with the use of a food processor or ordinary blender.
2. Empty capsules can be bought from your local drug store.
3. Pour the powdered leaves into the empty capsules. For mass production, you can purchase a capsuling machine to automate the process of filling. For manual methods, be sure to sanitize your hands with alcohol.
4. Storeage of the malunggay capsules should be in amber bottles or any appropriate container.
5. It should be stored in a dry place or in a refrigerator, ensure also that the finished product is kept dried.

Preparing Malunggay as a Tea

Place 1/2 teaspoon of crushing malunggay leaves in a tea bag. Tea bags are commonly found in processing stores or chinese drug stores. Boil some water then submerge the malunggay tea bags in the boiling water for a few seconds. You can then place the malunggay tea bag in some hot water and let it soak for 1-3 minutes to let the malunggay mix with the water before drinking it.

Instructions for the proper way to plant Malunggay can be found here.

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