In this post, we will provide you with 13 health benefits of okra that will wow you, including the uses and storage of okra.
Table of Contents
About Okra
Okra, Abelmoschus esculentus is a flowering plant known for its edible seed pods. Okra tends to thrive well in warm and tropical climates such as that in Africa and South Asia. Okra is commonly known in English speaking countries as ladies’ fingers or ochro. in Nigeria, it is known as okwuru by the Igbo.
Okra is biologically classified as a fruit but is generally utilized like a vegetable in cooking. It is popularly and commonly used in most African countries including Nigeria. Okra is a multipurpose crop because the fresh leaves, buds, flowers, stems and seeds of okra can be used for different purposes. It is mostly used in the preparation of a soup commonly known as okra soup.
Okra is also known among different regions and its culinary uses are wide. The immature, fresh, green seed pods of okra are eaten as vegetables and extract obtained from okra is used in different recipes to thicken stews, soup, and sauces to increase their consistency.
Nutritional Benefits of Okra
Okra is packed with so many nutrients which contributes to its many health benefits of Okra.
One cup (100 grams) of raw okra contains the following according to the US Department of agriculture
- Water 89.6 g
- Protein 1.93g
- Fat 0.19g
- Ash 0.86g
- Carbohydrate 7.45g
- Dietary fibre 3.2g
- Sucrose 0.6g
- Glucose 0.32g
- Starch 0.34g
- Calcium 82 mg
- Iron 0.62mg
- Magnesium 57mg
- Phosphorus 61mg
- Potassium 299mg
- Sodium 7mg
- Zinc 0.58mg
- Copper 0.109mg
- Manganese 0.788mg
- Vitamin C 23mg
- Thiamin 0.2 mg
- Riboflavin 0.06mg
- Niacin 1mg
- Vitamin B-6 0.215mg
- folate 60 µg
- Vitamin A 36 µg
- Carotene 416 µg
- Vitamin K 31.3 µg
This list of nutrients listed above contributes to the very many benefits of okra. Okra is an excellent source of vitamins C and K1 which contributes to your overall immune function, it also contains some protein and fibre, it is good for you to note that many fruits and vegetables lack protein, and this makes okra somewhat unique.
Health Benefits of Okra
there are so many health benefits of
1. Aids in weight management
Are you looking for meals that may help you shade some weights? Then okra is for you. Okra is low in calories and carbohydrates which makes it ideal for those who may want to lose some weight.
It may also interest you to know that eating enough protein is associated with many benefits such as weight management, blood sugar control, bone structure, and muscle mass, and protein is one of the nutrients present in a large quantity in okra.
This Is one of the health benefits of okra as weight management is very important for one to remain healthy as overweight has many times been associated with a lot of illnesses.
Okra also contains fibre which tends to reduce appetite by giving you a feeling of fullness, this, in turn, reduces your food intake which leads to may lead to weight loss.
2. Lowers risk of heart disease
Okra has very little or no cholesterol and high cholesterol levels have been associated with a greater risk of heart disease. Okra also contains mucilage, a thick gel-like substance which can bind to cholesterol during digestion thereby causing it to be excreted with stools rather than absorbed into your body.
In an 8-week study where mice were randomly divided into 3 groups and fed with a high-fat diet containing 1% or 2% of okra powder or a high-fat diet without okra powder.
The mice that were on the okra diet egested more cholesterol in their stools, and the result is that they had lower total blood cholesterol levels than the control group. okra is also rich in polyphenols, which tend to fight against and lower harmful inflammation thereby protecting your heart.
3. Fights against cancer
One of the health benefits of okra is its ability to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. This is possible because okra contains a type of protein called lectin which tends to prevent the growth of cancerous cells by 63%.
This was revealed in a study by PubMed, where they conducted one test-tube study in breast cancer cells, and they found out that the lectin in okra may prevent cancer cell growth by up to 63%.
4. Good for pregnant women
Okra is a rich source of folate which is an important nutrient for humans, especially pregnant women. pregnant women need folate as it helps lower the risk of a neural tube defect, which affects the brain and spine of a developing fetus in the womb.
A cup (100 grams) of okra provides 15% of a woman’s daily needs for folate. 400 mcg of folate is also recommended for all women of childbearing age.
5. Lowers blood sugar
A healthy blood sugar level is crucial for your overall health as consistent high blood sugar can lead to diabetes. one of the health benefits of okra is its ability to help reduce blood sugar.
Researchers suggested that the consumption of okra may decrease sugar absorption in the digestive tract and thereby, leading to a more stable blood sugar response.
Please note that some researchers suggest that okra may interfere with a common diabetes medication known as metformin. Therefore, eating okra or its extract is not recommended for those taking this drug.
6. Fights free radicals
One of the health benefits of okra is its ability to fight off damage from harmful molecules called free radicals. Okra is packed with antioxidants that may be beneficial to your health.
Polyphenols are the main antioxidant found in okra, and research has shown that eating a diet high in polyphenols may improve heart health and lower your risk of blood clots and oxidative damage.
Polyphenols have the special ability to enter your brain and protect against inflammation thereby assuring you good brain health.
7. Osteoporosis
One of the health benefits of okra is the vital role it plays in the formation of bone, this role of okra is made possible because it contains calcium and vitamin K. Vitamin k also aids in blood clotting.
Eating food rich in vitamin K may help in the formation and strengthening of the bones, and prevent bone fractures.
8. Gastrointestinal health
Okra is a good source of dietary fibre which prevents constipation and maintains a good and healthy digestive system.
the more fibre a person eats the lesser chance they have to develop colorectal cancer.
Okra has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ability which may help prevent and protect against gastrointestinal problems. In Asian medicine, okra extract is added to food to protect one from irritation and inflammatory gastric diseases.
9. It is diuretic
Okra has the ability to aid the body to detoxify itself, this will the body to be clean and free from toxins. Okra may also help you shed excess water weight.
It may interest you to know that okra may be your go-to meal if you are bloated as it will help de-bloat you.
10. It may help boost the immune system
Okra contains nutrients such as vitamin C, B, and A, which helps to build and strengthen the immune system against infections and viruses.
okra also contains good fibre which feeds good bacteria in the intestine necessary for a healthy and strong immune system.
11. For good hair
Do you wish to have healthy, shiny and bouncy hair? okra water is the answer. one of the benefits of okra water is its ability to help improve the appearance of your hair.
Boiled and cooled okra water mixed with lemon juice can be applied to the hair for a shiny, neat, bouncy finish. sounds good right? This is the time to change your hair game.
12. good for the eyes
One of the health benefits of okra is its ability to promote good eye health which can be attributed to vitamin A present in okra.
Studies have shown that vitamin A is linked to the reduction of the risk of cataracts. vitamin A also helps to maintain the outermost part of the eye known as the cornea.
Vitamin A combined with protein opsin forms a molecule necessary for colour vision and low light vision.
13. It aids ulcer healing
One of the health benefits of okra is its ability to aid the healing process of ulcers. When okra is consumed, it coats the digestive tract which helps to speed the healing of peptic ulcers. Are you an ulcer patient? if yes, why not give this a try. You can take it as a juice, snack or meal.
How to Store Okra
Do you have okra in excess? You need not worry because there are many ways to preserve okra which we will bring to your notice today.
For you to enjoy all the health benefits of okra all year long, you need to know how you can store okra both for a long and short period of time.
The quality of the okra you wish to store to a higher extent determines your degree of success. It is not advisable to store okra that is not in good condition. You have to ensure that the okra is fresh, green in colour and free from moulds.
On the shelf
Fresh whole okra can be stored for up to 3 days or more by just wrapping them with a paper and placing them on a shelf in a cool and dry place away from heat. This method is effective when you want to preserve okra for a very short period of time.
In the refrigerator
Fresh whole okra can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week by simply wrapping it in a paper and placing it in the refrigerator, the same way you place your vegetables.
In the freezer
Okra can be freezed for a longer period of time. place the Okra in a freezer bag and place it in the freezer. Freezed okra can stay for up to 6 months.
Drying
You don’t have a freezer? Is your power supply unstable? there is a storage method for you which is the drying method.
Drying is the process of completely dehydarating okra, it allows you to get rid of any form of moist present in okra, this will help improve it shelf life for up to 6 months.
To facilitate the drying process, you have to slice the okra and dry it under the sun or in a dehydrator. The dried okra can be kept on the shelf in a container.
Another way to preserve dried okra is to put them in a ziplock bag and place them in the freezer. When dried okra is placed in the freezer it can stay for up to a year.
