What does Moringa Taste Like?
Great question! I’m so glad you asked. And to give you the best possible answer to the question “what does Moringa taste like?” I am going to provide a range of opinions from 11 different people!
After all, we all know that describing a taste, can be pretty subjective.
As we go over the answers from these 11 individuals, I’ll be chiming in with my thoughts. At the end, I’ll also give some reasons for why I believe there is such a variety of opinion. After you read this post, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect Moringa to taste like.
Ok, let’s start with the taste of Moringa powder first as it’s the most common way people consume Moringa in the USA.
What does Moringa Powder Taste Like?
- Starting us off, let’s read what Claudi NcNeilly at Vogue wrote:
The powder smells like a mild, peppery version of green tea and adds a healthful burst of green to everything it touches. It tastes like matcha that has been spiked with notes of spirulina-like blue-green algae. When added to water, the light powder dissolves easily, providing a distinctly “green” flavor that is bitter and slightly sweet. (https://www.vogue.com/article/moringa-new-superfood-to-know)
Ok, I have a big confession to make. I haven’t had spirulina or matcha. I use Moringa every day, and that works for me. That said I hope this description is helpful for all of you that have had matcha and spirulina. Easily dissolves in water? Slightly sweet? Hmm, your mileage may vary on those descriptions, but more on that later.
2. Allison Young over at MindBodyGreen gave the following description:
Made from dried and ground leaves, the powder has a mild flavor with a slightly earthy taste (https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-22401/10-powerful-benefits-of-drinking-moringa-every-day.html)
Now, again, the taste is subjective, so it’s hard to be dogmatic here, but I’ll make the following suggestions:
When words like a “mild flavor” are used to describes Moringa powder, I feel that may be descriptive of a powder that is more brown than green.
It may be from Moringa leaves that have been poorly processed. For example, perhaps the Moringa leaves were exposed to the light or air (oxygen) for much too long in the drying process.
3. The good folks over at Aduna had this to say about Moringa powder:
Moringa Powder has a green, spinachy flavour which is often compared to the taste of matcha. Unlike other green superfoods like spirulina and chlorella, moringa isn’t an algae so it doesn’t have a strong, overpowering flavour and is easy to incorporate into your daily diet. (https://aduna.com/pages/aduna-moringa-frequently-asked-questions)
So, I am probably going to have to go out and buy some matcha and spirulina really soon. With two people comparing the taste of Moringa to these other green superfoods, I have no excuses. Plus, I think Moringa powder can taste borderline overpowering, so I’m interested in comparing it to spirulina which apparently makes it seem mild in comparison.
4. Evangeline Ruphael over at KuliKuli was positive when she said:
The slightly bitter taste of moringa is the work of the glucosinolates (https://blog.kulikulifoods.com/2018/12/10/what-gives-moringa-its-bitter-taste/)
I would describe the Moringa powder more directly and just call it bitter with a biting, slightly burning taste. That’s just me, though.
5. If Evangeline Ruphael was positive, Gavin Van De Walle over at Healthline is stretching it when he says:
It’s said to have a bitter and slightly sweet taste. (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/moringa-powder-for-weight-loss)
Bitter, I agree with, but describing the taste of Moringa powder as slightly sweet? Seems we’ve heard that description before.
This makes me think Vogue was subtly being referenced as the source for this information reposted by Healthline.
Spreading information about Moringa powder like this does seem rather misleading to me :(.
To make this even more confusing is the fact that this article alone states it is “evidence-based” meaning experts reviewed it :).
I’ll let you decide. And to double-check my sense of taste – does anyone else think Moringa powder tastes slightly sweet?
6. Amy Height at ClassPass said:
Speaking of powder mixed in water The flavor is very light, herbal and a little earthy. It tasted like a relative of green tea. (https://classpass.com/blog/2017/10/03/drink-instead-coffee-alternative-beverage-taste-test/)
Fair enough. Again, though, I think she is walking softy around the taste instead of coming right out and hitting us with the truth.
7. And finally, to round things up our last description from YourSuperfoods.com
moringa has a nice, earthy taste that’s slightly spicy and sharp. It’s also bitter (https://yoursuper.com/pages/moringa-benefits)
Please share your best description of what Moringa powder tastes like below. And please only comment if you have actually tried Moringa powder 🙂
What Do Fresh Moringa Leaves Taste Like?
- Ok, so in my opinion, fresh Moringa leaves are much easier to add to your diet than the plain Moringa powder is. But, to counter that opinion here is what David Watsky of ChowHound had to say:
The leaves of moringa oleifera have an earthy spiciness and have been compared to horseradish (hence its nickname, the “horseradish tree”) or arugula. When consumed on their own, raw or cooked, the leaves are not widely known for their great taste, but as a fine powder, it is much easier to incorporate the moringa plant into tasty recipes. (https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/222709/what-is-moringa/)
So, I like his description of how fresh Moringa leaves taste a lot. I would argue though, that Moringa leaves are easy to add to a sandwich, or salad or nearly anything I’m eating. I find the leaves blend in with other foods very well compared to the powder.
2. Specialty produce had an excellent overview of the taste of Moringa leaves:
Moringa leaves offer a slightly bitter flavor with grass-like undertones and can often have a horseradish-like heat. During the cooking process, they release a distinct grassy aroma. (https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Moringa_Leaves_10123.php)
3. Another description of how fresh Moringa leaves taste came from Moringa The Miracle Cure. They said:
Raw Moringa leaves have a slight “bite”, reminiscent of watercress or radish. When cooked, the “bite” goes away, and Moringa tastes like “pecany” spinach. (http://moringathemiraclecure.weebly.com/moringa-faq.html)
4. Finally, Amy Quinton from UC Davis writing for the Washington Post noted:
Leaves, when tossed on salads or on meat, taste a bit peppery like arugula. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/brand-studio/wp/2018/10/09/feature/moringa-the-next-superfood/)
Absolutely, I never get over the bite Moringa leaves have.
After reading the four above descriptions of how Moringa leaves taste I was honestly surprised at how closely aligned they are to each other.
So why the variation in descriptions of taste of Moringa powder?
It seems to me that there is much more of a consensus on how fresh Moringa leaves taste vs. how Moringa powder tastes.
I think there are two main reasons for that.
1. Moringa powder has a greater variety of taste due to a variety of processing techniques and quality. There are a lot of low-quality Moringa powders for sale. For example, describing Moringa as mild-tasting powder may be indicative of a powder that has been over-processed and is also not nearly as potent or nutritious.
2. People may want to soften the description of how Moringa powder tastes to encourage more people to buy Moringa powder.
Wrapping it all up
At a Healthy Leaf, our Moringa powder is potent and fresh.
Take a deep breath in, and your nostrils will burn a little. You might imagine you are smelling a freshly cut grass field that was particularly “green” smelling.
The flavor is earthy, bold, bitter, and biting with a just a little burning aftertaste 🙂
Ok, take it all with a grain of salt, but our Moringa powder isn’t mild or slightly sweet to the taste at all!
I’m mean, here is the reality. Moringa is arguably the most nutrient-dense food ever discovered and, guess what, it tastes like it!
If your Moringa powder doesn’t taste like it could be the worlds most nutrient-dense food ask yourself the question “why not?”.
And after all those descriptions, let’s be honest, the only way to know for sure what something tastes like is to try it yourself!
Buy Organic Moringa Powder Now!
Please comment below about the taste of Moringa. I would love to hear from you.
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I just made some and mixed it w a bloom tea that I bought that has turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, and black pepper. I could not taste the moringa. I’ve previously been unable to make myself drink it because it’s such and awful tastIng powder. And nothing I was making it w was making it consumable.
So is dried or fresh better for health/nutritive benefits?
Hi, and great question. Fresh is always going to be best but not many people have access to fresh Moringa. The powder is a great alternative that brings the benefits of Moringa to people who otherwise could never experience it. Regards, Mark
Bought moringa powder from a local supplier in the PH. Been taking it for a week now, I can’t consume it without mixing with powdered milk. It tastes awful! It does taste a bit like spinach but stronger since the powder form is more concentrated. I agree to one of the comments cited here, it does have a spicy and sharp taste, I could feel a slight burning sensation when swallowing. As for the mild and earthy taste, I think that could more likely be associated with powdered seeds and not this one.
Glad I discovered your info.. I was curious .. I planted a ton of this stuff and don’t know what to do with it!
Hope it lives through our winters!
Hi, where do you live? How harsh are your winters? Did your plants survive the winter season? (Although, if your weather is as crazy as it is here!??? Lol it snowed today) I wanted to plant moringa but I live in Ohio and I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep them alive here.
You are taking moringa tea on daily how much feel better then your past.
I grew up eating fresh Moringa leaves in the Philippine Island, we had several small trees around our front and backyards. To best describe fresh Moringa is similar to Spinach. We eat everything fresh meat and add Moringa leaves, we make soup and they are delicious. The following is a simple recipe.
12 cups of Water in a large Kettle
2 cups of diced Chicken Breast
1/2 cup chopped fresh Ginger Roots
1/2 cup chopped Onions
12 cups of Fresh Moringa Leaves or more the better – add last and wait 2 min and ready to serve.
Add Sea Salt to your taste.
Note: My grandfather lived to be 120 yr. old and my mother still living and now 99 yr. old.
Actually I came to search online for the taste of moringa powder because the one I recently got tastes like pepper as opposed the first moringa powder I ate which was just some mild earthlike taste. So I agree with you that the more processed the moringa, the less nutritive. I am glad I read your post.
I’ve consumed fresh morning leaves from Carriacou and Grenada for the past three years and find it quite mild-tasting. I would add I’m not an expert by any means, but the current leaves I’m brewing into tea and adding to soups, etc, seems to have more of a sour aftertaste than bitter. I would equate it to adding a little lemon and parsley to my hot water in the morning.
I’ve been a proponent of the benefits of lemon and hot water for clearing the digestion for many years, so, I might not be as sensitive to the taste of this superfood as other people who’ve commented seem to be. Interesting to read about the dehydrating process, I’ll pay more attention when buying it at home now. I wish I could grow it in Canada. Does anybody know if this has been attempted? I live in one of the colder zones in the Ottawa valley.
I just started brewing Moringa tea using fresh leaves from the tree. I would say it’s like any other green tea but with definite peppery taste, meaning it leaves a slightly scratchy feeling in the throat as one drinks. I used both flowers and leaves.
Thank for you saying it! I thought there was something wrong with my tree. It is not a fun taste. The Emperor is Naked! Its not just me.
This is a real review on the powder taste.
It is really awful tasting and requires sheer dedication to continue with any sort of regimen!
I will however take this for the rest of my life! Taking this is literally 8-9 seconds of pure train wreck and then it’s over.
I’ve been taking moringa for many years now. Every morning I fight through it! My wife and kids also take it by mixing with a small amount of Suja. I have used many brands including the big name brands as well as smaller less known. I now consistently take a brand that does regular testing for heavy metal content (Moringa is a bioaccumulator) as well as the other most common testing.
All in all, the powder, no matter the source is horrendous but I am not taking it for a sweet taste. I take it because of its personally realized beneficial value to mine and my families health. Aside from occasionally mixing and burying the taste, I take it with just enough water to get it down in one big drink, while chasing that as quickly as possible with water. My body seems to now tell me when and how much I need.
This is the most amazing stuff!
The fresh leaves mixed in a super greens salad is however…amazing!
I have been trying to consume moringa for about a month. It makes me so nauseas even when I use a small amount. I mixed it with my collagen and matcha drink mix. It never bothered me until I added the Moringa. Im debating trying to put into capsule form but seems like a huge hassle. What is the best way to get this super healthy, disgusting drink down?
Hahaha! I couldn’t help but laugh at your description of your morning routine with moringa. Personally I can’t imagine committing to a nine minute “train wreck” every morning!! I commend you for your courage and dedication. So I will share a little secret with you. If you want to enjoy your moringa tea, you have to mix it with some lemon juice and ginger. The lemon cuts out the awful grassy taste and the ginger mellows it out. That trick will save you from ever going through a “train wreck” with moringa again.
Mornings does not dissolve in water. It softens though. I put the dehydrated powder in a pepper shaker and sprinkle it on and in anything I consume solid or liquid. even coffee!. After it’s is cooked. I never cook my moringa!! I
Fresh is better though. I’m growing some trees (from seeds). in a big planter so I can move them around. They grow fast. I live in Phoenix, so they are protected from the fierce sun on the shaded patio. Later I will put them out in the yard.