Short-Term Intake of Moringa oleifera Leaf Soup and Its Effect on Fasting Blood Glucose in Overweight Office Workers: A Preliminary Study

Background: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia continues to rise, particularly among workers with sedentary lifestyles and overweight conditions. Moringa oleifera leaves are known to contain antidiabetic bioactive compounds; however, studies regarding their effectiveness in the form of a cooked vegetable dish (soup) remain limited.

Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf soup intake on changes in fasting blood glucose levels among overweight employees at the University of Nusa Cendana.

Methods: This study employed a pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design. Twenty-seven employees with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 25 were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The intervention consisted of administering Moringa leaf soup (100 grams of fresh leaves boiled at 80°C for 3 minutes), consumed daily for one week.

Results: Phytochemical analysis confirmed that the soup contained flavonoids, tannins, and vitamin C. Clinically, the intervention resulted in a decrease in mean fasting blood glucose from 121.37 mg/dL to 118.33 mg/dL, with 16 out of 27 respondents (59.3%) showing a reduction. However, statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test indicated that this change was not statistically significant (p = 0.361).

Conclusion: Although the results were not statistically significant—likely due to the short duration of the intervention—a clinical downward trend was observed in the majority of respondents. This finding suggests the potential of Moringa leaf soup as a functional food to support glycemic control.