7 Reasons to eat Okra

1. Anti-diabetic
2. Binds cholesterol
3. Antioxidant
4. Gastro-protective
5. Anti-ulcer
6. Anti-adhesive to bacteria such as helicobacter pylori
7. Good source of plant protein

The botanical name is Abelmoschus esculentus from the family Malvaceae. This vegetable was originally from Ethiopia until later it was grown in North Africa, the Mediterranean, India and Arabia. In Ethiopia it is known as Kenkase, Andeha or Bamia, in England okra is known as lady’s finger, in the US it is known as gumbo, in Spain it is known as guino-gombo and in India it is known as bhindiin. You can consume it in soups, curries, stews, salads, fresh, dried or oven roasted. Once cooked the vegetable forms a mucilage (Gemede et al. 2014).

Nutritional value

Contains 88.6g water, 36 kcal of energy, 2.1g protein, 8.2g carbohydrate, 0.2g fat, 1.7g fibre, 84 mg calcium, 90 mg potassium, 1.2 mg iron, 185 micrograms of beta carotene, 0.08 mg riboflavin (B2), 0.04 mg of thiamine (B1), 0.6 mg of niacin (B3) and 47 mg of vitamin C per 100g. Other nutrients include zinc, magnesium, manganese, folate, vitamin A and sodium (Gemede et al. 2014).

Cholesterol

Rich in gums and pectins (fibres) that aid to reduce cholesterol in the blood. The mucilage is known to bind with cholesterol and toxins and the seeds are a good source of essential fatty acids omegas 3 and 6 (Gemede et al. 2014).

Plant Protein

Okra seeds are high in amino acids (protein) lysine, tryptophan and other essential amino acids. Okra as a protein source can be likened to the protein found in soybeans and makes a nice addition to a vegan or vegetarian diet for its nutritional value particularly with cereal and legume based diets. The oil and protein rich seeds have been used for oil production and the seeds when ground can be used to make a coffee sans caffeine (Gemede et al. 2014).

Mucilage and the Gut

The mucilage has a viscous, sticky and slimy texture but don’t be put off by this description if you haven’t tried it. In this way okra is a protective, nourishing and moisturising agent to gastric and intestinal tissues particularly in inflammatory diseases. In folk medicine okra is known to be anti-ulcer and gastro-protective. In other words okra acts like a moisturiser in the stomach.

Okra contains polyscaccharides found to be anti-adhesive reducing the ability of certain bacteria to bind to gastric tissue particularly helicobacter pylori (bacteria that causes gastric inflammation and ulcers). Also the vitamin A found in okra has a therapeutic action on mucus membranes particularly in the digestive tract and has the added benefit of nourishing the retina making okra good for eye health (Gemede et al. 2014).

Blood Glucose

The presence of fibre in our food especially in okra helps to slow down the uptake of sugar which makes okra a medicinal food in diabetes to aid blood glucose regulation. As nearly half of kidney disease sufferers experience kidney disease as a chronic complication of type 2 diabetes okra has been suggested to protect against kidney disease as well (Gemede et al. 2014).

Extras ~ in case you aren’t convinced that Okra is a valuable addition to your diet!

Okra is also beneficial to maintain healthy skin and hair due to its vitamin C content which is needed to make collagen, and is a useful food during pregnancy due its folate content. Folate is an essential nutrient during fetal development to prevent neural tube defects as it is required for new cell growth and DNA synthesis and repair (Gemede et al. 2014).

If you are already an avid okra lover I would love to hear your favourite recipe using this vegetable? Leave a comment below J

Disclaimer: This blog is for education and information purposes only and is not a substitute for personal health advice. Seek advice from a healthcare practitioner for personal health advice and treatment if anything you have read here raises any questions regarding your health.

Reference

Habtamu Fekadu Gemede, Negussie Ratta, Gulelat Desse Haki & Ashagrie Z. Woldegiorgis Fekadu Beyene 2014, ‘Nutritional Quality and Health Benefits of Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus): A Review’, Global Journal of Medical Research, vol.14, no.5, pp.1-10