MORINGA 101

Most moringa is a powder. Ours is a leaf.

Most moringa sold in the US is dehydrated and milled into a powder, or concentrated into an extract. Ours is grown in Thailand, lightly dried and crushed from the whole leaf. 500mg in every can, with real fruit. Here's the plant, and why that matters.

WHAT IS MORINGA?

A tree with a few nicknames.

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is a tree that started in the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Today it grows across the tropics, from India and the Philippines to Ethiopia, Sudan, the Caribbean and Central America.

"Drumstick tree" comes from its long, thin seed pods. "Horseradish tree" comes from the sharp taste of its roots. The part we use is the leaf.

Not all moringa is the same

  • Whole leaf, crushed: what's in our can

    Leaves lightly dried and crushed whole, never ground into powder. Nothing extracted, nothing isolated.

    Where you see it: home cooking across Asia and Africa, and every can of Orange Toucan.

  • Leaf powder

    Leaves dehydrated and ground fine.

    Where you see it: scoops, smoothies and capsules.

  • Extract

    Compounds pulled out of the leaf with water or solvent, then concentrated.

    Where you see it: gummies and some capsules, often labeled "equivalent to" a much larger amount.

All three come from the same plant. The difference is how the leaf is processed, and how much of it you're actually getting.

ONE LEAF, MANY NAMES

A leaf the world already eats

In much of the world, moringa isn't a supplement. It's dinner. Cooks use the leaves like spinach, in soups, stews and sauces.

  • Malunggay

    Philippines

  • Ma-rum

    Thailand

  • Chùm ngây

    Vietnam

  • Kelor

    Indonesia

  • Sahjan / Murungai

    India (Hindi / Tamil)

  • Zogale

    West Africa (Hausa)

  • Mlonge

    East Africa (Swahili)

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

Green on its own. Fruit-first in a can.

On its own, a moringa leaf tastes green and earthy, a little like spinach with a peppery edge. That's why most people meet it as a bitter powder they stir into water and don't enjoy.

We built Orange Toucan around the opposite idea: real fruit first, so you taste watermelon, mango or citrus, with the moringa, turmeric and ginger underneath.

HOW IT GROWS

Fast, sun-loving and tough

Moringa is one of the fastest-growing food trees there is. Farmers can harvest the leaves less than three months after planting, and cut the same tree several times a year.

It likes full sun and warm weather, roughly 77 to 86°F, and it handles drought well. That's why it thrives in places where many crops struggle.

Why our moringa is different

  • Never a powder

    The leaves are lightly dried and crushed whole, never dehydrated or ground fine like most moringa powders and capsules.

  • Grown and made in Thailand

    Our moringa is grown in Thailand, and every can is made there too. Locals call it ma-rum and cook it into everyday meals.

  • The whole leaf

    500mg of crushed leaf in every can. Not an extract labeled "equivalent to" something bigger.

  • No preservatives needed

    Aseptic processing: the drink and the can are sterilized separately and filled in a sterile environment.
Try all three flavors

Moringa questions

Is your moringa dried?

Lightly. The leaves are lightly dried, then crushed whole. They are never dehydrated or ground into a powder, the way most moringa powders and capsules are made.

Which part of the tree is in Orange Toucan?

The leaf. 500mg of crushed leaf in every can.

Where does your moringa come from?

Thailand. It's grown there, where locals call it ma-rum, and every can is made there too.

Is moringa related to matcha or green tea?

No. Matcha comes from the tea plant. Moringa is a different tree entirely.

Does moringa have caffeine?

No. Orange Toucan has no caffeine.

Is there added sugar?

No. The sweetness comes from real fruit juice and a touch of monk fruit. No added sugar, no stevia.

How many should I drink?

Most customers drink one a day.

Sources for the plant facts: Feedipedia (FAO), UST Manila plant database.