The drumstick tree is a common sight in most parts of India, especially in South India. Every household, you could see a drum stick tree, especially in villages. They have beutiful small white flowers, and long fruits which are the basic ingredient in the mouth watering South Indian Sambar and finds also its place in other recipes like Aviyal etc.
Its leaves are also edible and one can make innumerable curries with its leaves, or chutneys with garlic, ginger, green chillies etc (some times also called thuvayal in Tamil.
Those days, when you have mouth ulcers, when Vitamin B complex capsules or tablets were difficult to procure (especially for those in villages), a handful of its leaves is chewed or you make a Poriyal (Tamil) or Thoran (Malayalam), you are assured of immediate relief. The flowers are also a delicacy and rich in nutrients and vitamins. The drumstick leaves are known to have high levels of Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Manganese and many more minerals other than Vitamin A, B and also C.
Now the trees have started to flower everywhere in Pondicherry and you can see long tender fruits (the drum sticks) emerging . as bunches. One can also see a heightened increase in the awareness about this humble tree as urban elites have started buying drum stick leaf extracts and powder in online shops. For the rural people, it is a ready-made vegetable at their backyard which can be harvested anytime.
The leaves being rich in Calcium and iron, this is a must include the diet of all women, especially mothers who breastfeed their kids. Consumption of drum stick leaves have to found to have good impact on the yield of breast milk and one can get away from the so called baby foods which actually do more harm than good. So next time you see a drumstick tree, get a small cutting or get a seed from a dried fruit in your back yard or in a large HDPE bag so that you need not store those coloured vitamin tablets anymore..
Another interesting use of the drumstick seeds is in the purification of turbid water. When crushed moriga seeds are mixed with turbid, impure water, it clarifies the water which can be boiled and drunk. This is part of a traditional knowledge system in many parts of India. Anyhow, traditional knowledge also tells us that one must not consume the leaves during rainy season, possibly due to its high fibre content could create problems for our gut.
Its leaves are also edible and one can make innumerable curries with its leaves, or chutneys with garlic, ginger, green chillies etc (some times also called thuvayal in Tamil.
Those days, when you have mouth ulcers, when Vitamin B complex capsules or tablets were difficult to procure (especially for those in villages), a handful of its leaves is chewed or you make a Poriyal (Tamil) or Thoran (Malayalam), you are assured of immediate relief. The flowers are also a delicacy and rich in nutrients and vitamins. The drumstick leaves are known to have high levels of Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Manganese and many more minerals other than Vitamin A, B and also C.
Now the trees have started to flower everywhere in Pondicherry and you can see long tender fruits (the drum sticks) emerging . as bunches. One can also see a heightened increase in the awareness about this humble tree as urban elites have started buying drum stick leaf extracts and powder in online shops. For the rural people, it is a ready-made vegetable at their backyard which can be harvested anytime.
The leaves being rich in Calcium and iron, this is a must include the diet of all women, especially mothers who breastfeed their kids. Consumption of drum stick leaves have to found to have good impact on the yield of breast milk and one can get away from the so called baby foods which actually do more harm than good. So next time you see a drumstick tree, get a small cutting or get a seed from a dried fruit in your back yard or in a large HDPE bag so that you need not store those coloured vitamin tablets anymore..
Another interesting use of the drumstick seeds is in the purification of turbid water. When crushed moriga seeds are mixed with turbid, impure water, it clarifies the water which can be boiled and drunk. This is part of a traditional knowledge system in many parts of India. Anyhow, traditional knowledge also tells us that one must not consume the leaves during rainy season, possibly due to its high fibre content could create problems for our gut.
