Effect of moringa oleifera cookies to improve quality of breastmilk

Objective: This study aims to analyze the effect of moringa cookies consumption to improve the quality of breastmilk on exclusive breastfeeding mothers.

Method: This was an experimental study with pre and post control group design. The intervention group consumed 50 grams of moringa cookies for a month. The quality of breast milk was measured by analyzing carbohydrate, protein, fat, and vitamin A level. Data were analyzed using independent T-test.

Results: There was an increase in the levels of fat, protein, carbohydrate and vitamin A in breast milk in both the intervention and control groups (fat level in intervention group (2.8587±0.1149) vs control group (2.8694±0.1098), p=0.145; protein level in intervention group (1.5135±0.1566) vs control group (1.5692±0.1343), p=0.029; vitamin A level in intervention group (0.0067±0.0008) vs control group (0.0067±0.0072), p=1.000; carbohydrate level in the intervention group (7.1677±0.5205) vs control group (7.2344±0.6831), p=0.565. Only protein levels increased significantly in the intervention groups compared to the control groups (p<0.05).

Conclusion: This study showed that consumption of moringa cookies increase the quality of breast milk especially protein level.

Keywords: Breast milk; Breastfeeding; Cookies; Moringa.