So yeah… malunggay juice. I started drinking it last year when I was fed up with being stuck at the same weight forever. My bestie in Minnesota kept saying “girl try malunggay, it’s magic” and I was like yeah right, another leaf water. But I was out of ideas so I gave it a shot.
And honestly? It’s not magic… but it kinda works better than I expected.
What is Malunggay even?
Malunggay is just that drumstick tree thing. The leaves. People call it moringa too. Grows everywhere in Pakistan, India, Philippines, super cheap, super common. The leaves are tiny and dark green and they’re loaded with stuff your body actually needs.
Like way more vitamin C than orange, calcium better than milk, iron better than palak. I didn’t believe it either until I looked it up.
You basically just blend the fresh leaves with water and some flavor so it doesn’t taste like lawn clippings.
Does It actually Help Lose Weight?
Not like those scam pills where you drop 10 kg in a week. But yeah it helps. Here’s what I noticed after 3–4 weeks of drinking it almost daily:
- I stopped getting hungry every 2 hours. Seriously. I used to eat breakfast at 9 and be raiding the fridge by 12:30. Now I can go till 2–3 easily.
- My stomach feels less bloated. Like visibly flatter by evening.
- Energy is more even. No more falling asleep at my desk at 3 pm.
- I started losing like 0.5–1 kg per week without changing much else. When I added walks and cut some roti, it went faster.
Why Does it Work? (my simple version)
- It’s got fiber. The good kind that fills you up and stays in your stomach longer.
- It keeps your sugar level from jumping around like crazy → fewer cravings for mithai and chips.
- Those B vitamins help your body actually burn food instead of storing everything.
- It’s anti-inflammatory. I don’t know the science words but I just feel less puffy and heavy.
I’m not saying it’s the only reason I lost weight. I also started walking 30–40 min most days and stopped eating dinner at 11 pm. But the juice made the whole thing way easier because I wasn’t fighting hunger all the time.
The Malunggay Juice Recipe I Actually use (nothing fancy)
I don’t measure super exact. Eyeball it.
Take:
- One good handful of fresh malunggay leaves (like enough to fill a small cup)
- One cucumber (helps make it less bitter)
- One lemon (squeeze the whole thing)
- 1–2 small spoons honey or no honey if you’re strict
- Around 1.5–2 glass water
- Ice if you want it cold
Just chuck it all in the blender. Blend till smooth. If you hate the tiny leaf bits, pour through a strainer. I usually don’t bother.
Drink it first thing in morning before anything else. Tastes fresher that way.
If it’s too green-tasting:
- Add half apple
- Or 4–5 frozen berries
- Or tiny piece ginger
I make 2 glasses at once, keep one in fridge for next morning. Stays okay for about 24 hours.
Things I learned the hard way
- First 3–4 days my stomach was making weird noises and I went to bathroom more. Normal. Just start with half glass if you’re worried.
- Don’t drink like 4 glasses thinking it’ll work faster. One is enough.
- If you’re on sugar medicine or blood pressure tablets, just ask your doctor once. It can lower sugar a bit.
- If you can’t find fresh leaves, the powder works too but fresh is way better taste-wise.
My Journey with Malunggay Juice
First Month:
So after that first month I was down maybe 2–2.5 kg. Not huge, but enough that my belt went from the third hole to the fourth and I didn’t have to suck in when I sat down lol. The biggest difference wasn’t even the scale — it was that I stopped thinking about food every 20 minutes. Before, I’d be sitting at my desk and suddenly my brain would be like “samosa… or maybe two?” Now it’s more like “eh I could eat but I’m okay.” That mental peace is worth more than the weight drop tbh.
Second Month:
Second month I got a bit cocky. Thought “if one glass is good, two will be better.” Drank it morning and evening for like four days straight. Bad idea. My stomach went full protest mode — bloating, gas, running to the bathroom way too often. Lesson learned: one glass is plenty. Now I stick to one, sometimes skip a day if I’m traveling or just lazy, and it’s fine. No need to force it.
Third Month:
Around month three my friend noticed. She’s the type who comments on everything. “You’re looking really fresh/radiant, what are you up to?” I told her malunggay juice and she laughed — “Oh, Does this old stuff really work? She didn’t believe.
Other Benefits
I also started noticing other little things. My nails got stronger — they used to break all the time, now they don’t. My hair feels less dry too. Might be coincidence, might be the extra vitamins and iron. Who knows. But I’ll take it.
People keep asking me “but doesn’t it taste disgusting?” Yeah the first few times it does. It’s like drinking a plant. But your taste buds adjust stupidly fast. By day 5–6 it just tastes normal. Like how black coffee tastes bitter at first then you start liking it. Same thing. If it’s still rough for you after a week, add more cucumber or a tiny slice of green apple. Don’t give up after one sip — that’s what I did the first time I tried and wasted two weeks.
Malunggay Fresh Leaves VS Powder Version
Another thing — I tried the powder version when fresh leaves weren’t available (monsoon season, market was out). The powder is okay but it’s nowhere near as good. Tastes more grassy and sometimes a bit gritty even after blending well. Plus I don’t trust the quality of random packets. Some smell off or have weird aftertaste. So whenever I can get fresh, I go fresh. Costs almost nothing here — 50–80 rupees for a big bundle that lasts 4–5 days.
One random benefit I didn’t expect: better sleep. Not falling asleep faster, but actually staying asleep. Before I used to wake up at 3–4 am hungry or just restless. Now I sleep straight through till fajr alarm. Maybe it’s the blood sugar staying stable at night. Maybe it’s just placebo. Either way I’m not complaining.
Mistakes I made so you don’t:
- Added too much honey first week → basically drinking sugary green water. Defeats the point.
- Used old leaves that were turning yellow → tastes bitter and sad.
- Drank it right after a heavy oily breakfast → felt heavy and nauseous.
- Kept it in fridge more than 30 hours → started smelling weird and I had to throw it.
Now my routine is boring but works: Wake up → glass of water → blend malunggay → drink within 10 minutes → wait 30–45 min then normal breakfast.
On cheat days (yes I still have them — fatty and spicy food doesn’t scare me anymore) I still drink it in the morning. Feels like it softens the damage a little.
And yeah I’m not super strict anymore. I lost most of what I wanted (about 7–8 kg total over 5 months) and now I just maintain. Still drink it 4–5 days a week because I actually like how it makes me feel. More steady, less bloated, less brain fog.
If you start tomorrow, just do one thing: commit to 14 days straight. No skipping, no half glass, no excuses. After two weeks you’ll know whether it clicks for you or not. Most people feel the “I’m not starving” part by day 8–10. That’s when it stops feeling like effort.
Let me know when you make your first glass. Send pic if you want — I’ll tell you if it looks too watery or too thick 😂
Bottom line from me
It’s not a miracle. You still have to eat normal food and move a little. But for me it took away the worst part of trying to lose weight — that constant hungry, angry feeling.
Now when I wake up I actually look forward to my green drink. Sounds weird but it’s true.
If you try it, just start with one glass a day for a week and see how you feel. Don’t expect overnight change. But if it helps even a little like it did for me, it’s worth the 5 minutes it takes to blend.
You have malunggay tree nearby or are you buying leaves from the market? Let me know how it goes if you make it. I’m curious now 😂
