PRACTICAL HEALTH TIPS

WHY VEGETABLES MUST BE ON THE TABLE?

As proven by experts/scientists from the World Vegetable Center in Taiwan, vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals for good health, balanced calorie-dense staple-based diets with nutrients and fibers and add diversity to diets, agroecosystems and urban economies.

With the spiraling prices of vegetables in local markets, there is an urgent need to sustain vegetable gardening on schools and backyards.

As a cooperative, let us support production of such crops among our members, including small farmers in urban areas. We can start with malunggay (moringa oleifera) which is so easy to grow and is packed with multi-vitamins and minerals.

Source out a meter long malunggay stem about 3 inches in diameter, chop the base side to form a pointed end then stick to the ground about 6 inches deep in any vacant space which not water-logged and exposed to sunlight, and water it just enough to moisten the soil. After few days, sprouts of leaf sheaths will appear. If no rain within two or three days, continue watering to enhance growth of emerging branches. Wait for a month or two before you can harvest dark green leaves high in chlorophyll needed for cooking.

Suggested simple recipe to benefit from essential nutrients from malunggay:

1. Boil a cup of dark green leaves in 2-3 cups of drinking water using a stainless kettle with cover to avoid evaporation of steam containing the nutrients up to boiling point (the liquid turns greenish as a sign of completed concoction).
2. Cool off before filling your cup or mug. Never add sugar to taste, just enjoy the tasteless drink with your balanced-diet breakfast.

During the day, you can feel that you are energized as claimed by vegans. A bit of warning: Avoid buying malunggay leaves from wet market. They are loaded with contaminants.