MALNUTRITION-CHALLENGE IN 21ST CENTURY AND PROBABLE CONTRIBUTION OF AYURVEDA THROUGH MORINGA LEAVES

Abstract

Nutritive diet has grabbed the center stage in current times among common men as well as researchers &food has turned into a whole damn industry. Despite of everything, Malnutrition is the largest single contributor to diseases in the world & leads to 45% of all deaths in children under 5 in developing countries. Due to interrelated mother- child nutrition, if a breastfeeding mother gets required nutrition, her kid becomes healthy. The causes of improper nutrition are variable but lack of nutritious food combinations in all classes are most important throughout the world.

Ayurveda is science of individualistic need based dietetics & nutrition and describes foods accordingly. There is recommendation of a super food named Shigru (Moringa) for Sutika (lactating mothers) in Bheshajyaratnawali,taking this as reference we have conceptualized a food combination of Moringa +wheat flour+ jaggery which is super nutritious and serves as a cheap, affordable, easy to collect and easy to make, palatable preparation.

When 11% of the world’s population is under nourished, need for such right food combination increases manifolds. Owing to per 100g nutritive value of these contents and their cost effectiveness, this combination has a potential to be a perfect staple dietary option for nutrition deficit individuals. It needs to be further established at large scale through RCTs so that large population can be benefitted.