Individual needs for nutrients vary according to age, sex, activity level, and caloric intake. The edible pods of the okra plant contain natural chemicals that mix to make mucilage, a sticky. Okra abelmoschus esculentus is an economically important vegetable crop grown in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Ive already mentioned proven health benefits of okra and briefly talked about research linking okra consumption to improvements with diabetes. Okra peel is the most traditional way to use okra medicinally. There are numerous reasons, 14 okra health benefits, to encourage use to consume okra as a regular part of your diet or even use it in topical applications.
The health benefits of okra are varied and reason enough to include this vegetable in your diet. Cultivation of okra plant is done in the warm and tropical parts. Because this mountainous region was so isolated for centuries, little is known about the cultivation and uses there. Okra also provides some iron, niacin, phosphorus, and copper. Okra is a nutritional powerhouse which has been grown for more than 2,000 years. It is no wonder that the ancient crop has been used as medicine for hundreds of years. Okra herbal medicine health benefits, side effects, warnings. Proven health benefits, nutritional content, recipes. Okra is a multipurpose crop due to its various uses of the fresh leaves, buds, flowers, pods, stems and seeds. Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants activity. Okra helps lubricate the large intestines due to its bulk laxative qualities.
Okra is rich in phenolic compounds with important biological properties like quartering and flavonol derivatives, catechin oligomers and hydroxycinnamic derivatives. Many people who have diabetes drink okra water to help regulate blood sugar levels. Okra is also abundant in several vitamins and minerals, including thiamin, vitamin b6, folic acid, riboflavin vitamin. Okra is good for your liver, has anticancer properties and can reduce stress and anxiety. Okra, commonly known as gumbo or lady finger, is a very nutritious pod vegetable. The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize the blood sugar by curbing the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. The leaves were used for urinary problems and pain relief. Okra is a multipurpose crop due to its various uses. Its believed that okra originated in the abyssinia region of africa, the area we now know as ethiopia. The health benefits of okra naturalon natural health. Okra has amazing health benefits thanks to having lots of beneficial nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Okra plant can grow up to 9 feet in height with heart shaped leaves that is palmate with 5 to 7 lobes. Okra is also abundant with several carbohydrates, minerals and vitaminswhich plays, a vital role in human diet and health.
These low levels of folate are also associated with spina bifida and other dangerous conditions. Okra, also known as lady finger, has important health benefits that reflect the indispensable role of vegetables in a diet. Find out more about the potential benefits and risks of eating okra and get some tips on using it. A 1 cup 100 gram serving of okra only has around 80 calories, and contains plenty of b vitamins like thiamin, niacin and b6, which provide energy, as well as 43 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin c, which strengthens the immune system. It is quite possibly one of the best vegetables out there and a great substitute for people who cant eat kiwis but want its health benefits. See recipes below nutritional benefits okras nutritional content may come as a surprise to many people. The pods of okra are packed with vitamin a as well as with some flavonoid antioxidants like xanthin, lutein and betacarotenes. Abstract okra is an economically important vegetable crop grown in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Okra is an economically important vegetable crop grown in tropical and subtropical parts of the world.
For diabetes, nutrition, other benefits health news. Nutritional quality and health benefits of okra abelmoschus. Here are some of the health benefits associated with eating okra. Okra is a multipurpose crop due to its various uses of the fresh leaves, buds, flowers.
The many health benefits of okra water and how to make it. March 19, 2011, harri daniel, comments off on health benefits of okra. Okra, abelmoschus esculentus is vitamin k and vitamin c rich vegetable support. Pdf okra abelmoschus esculentus is an economically important vegetable crop grown in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. The plant produces large, hibiscuslike flowers and green seed pods. Nonetheless, they are rich sources of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Okras mucilage binds cholesterol and bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver.
In the preliminary studies done to investigate the benefits of using okra, using shredded okra peel was seen to be the most favorable. Make use of okra as a means of achieving one or more of the health benefits listed above and take command of better health for yourself and your family. Using okra water for diabetes is a fairly new trend that requires you to. May 10, 2017 due to its various medicinal properties, parts of okra are used in ayurvedic formulations to treat a range of health problems. Okra flowers are large with 5 petals colored white or yellow and sometimes with a reddishpurple base. Known benefits of okra eat okra to improve type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.
Also known as ladies finger, bhindi, bendakaya, okra belongs to the same family as hibiscus, hollyhock, and rose of sharon. Although when we think of gumbo we usually think of soups, cajun and creole cuisine, okra has numerous health benefits. Okra pods are loaded with significant amounts of vital nutrients protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc. Okra has been called a perfect villagers vegetable. Now, without further delay lets move forward to know about the major health benefits provided by okra. For the presence of low caloric and higher dietary fiber content, currently, the benefits of okra for diabetes is being verified. Okra s mucilage binds cholesterol and bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. Okra has several potential health beneficial effects on some of the important human diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases and some cancers. Here are 20 impressive benefits of the deceptively simple looking okra. Calorie level is as low as 30 calories in 100 grams. An edible ornamental flowering hibiscus, okra is an annual, erect herb with stems that contain stiff hairs.
Okra has many uses and health benefits that include the treatment of pain related inflammation such as rheumatism, arthritis and sprains. What is okra ladys finger and 6 benefits of adding the. Overall, okra is an important vegetable crop with a diverse array of nutritional quality and potential health benefits. Okra is regarded as a favorite food for the healthconscious people from the beginning. This is one of the richest sources of these antioxidants at least when it. Nov 06, 2019 okra is a mildtasting vegetable that produces a thick juice to enrich sauces. Okra is high in vitamin a, vitamin c, vitamin k, folate, and fiber. Due to its various medicinal properties, parts of okra are used in ayurvedic formulations to treat a range of health problems. Over time, okra extracts can reduce levels of glucose in the blood and can be useful in managing type 2 diabetes. This benefits the organism in general, as the toxins and bad cholesterol can induce various health conditions. One of the many health benefits of okra is that it helps to prevent blood sugar levels spiking after a meal. Other popular members include hibiscus, cocoa, and cotton.
Okra is a mildtasting vegetable that produces a thick juice to enrich sauces. Scientific studies provide some evidence to support the potential. Pdf nutritional quality and health benefits of okra abelmoschus. Even though most people are only familiar with okra pods, the leaves of the okra plant are edible too and they are beneficial in many ways. The high fiber content in okra absorbs water and adds bulk in the stools while the slimy texture of okra known as mucilaginous soothes the digestive tract, allowing a more comfortable elimination process. Okra has a long history and a wealth of health benefits. Pdf nutritional quality and health benefits of okra. I also included okra as part of my list of foods that can control type 2 diabetes.
Okra poses no threat to the organism, causes no addiction. As stated, okra is abundant with several vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that handles the health advantages the plant provides. Journal of food gemede et al, food process echnol 21. The following are benefits of okra, most of which would probably have never occurred to us. Nutritionalhealth benefit of okra to human development. High cholesterol is what almost everyone needs to avoid because this is the main cause of so many risky health problems like stroke, diabetes, heart diseasethe truth is, once you get these problems, it is so difficult for you to retain the former health status. Okra and diabetes what is okra, effect on blood glucose. The okra seed oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid, which is essential for human nutrition.
Okra is fast gaining a reputation as a socalled superfood for people with or at risk of diabetes or cancer. As we can see from the nutrition chart, okra is a wonder vegetable that can provide many health benefits because of its ingredients. Okra seed oil is also a rich source of linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid essential for human nutrition. Okra perhaps better known as gumbo is a vegetable that is originally from northeast africa. Phytochemical, nutritional and pharmacological evidences for. Feb 15, 2018 the following are benefits of okra, most of which would probably have never occurred to us. Apart from what you read, there are other nutrients in this veggie that contribute to its goodness. Okra is a nutritional source of power used throughout history for both medicinal and. Oct 27, 20 okra has a long history and a wealth of health benefits. Okras nutritional content may come as a surprise to.
There are many health benefits of okra due to its high nutrient content. Known as a highantioxidant food, okra may support improvement in cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases, and even some cancers. Top 11 super health benefits of okra you must know 1. Okra packs a potassium punch, has many vitamins and minerals and is nearly caloriefree. Okra is not just delicious to eat but can be used to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve your mood, and strengthen your immunity. Soluble fiber provides several other health benefits. Okra benefits your bones by supplying them with essentials such as vitamin k, c. Okra packs impressive amounts of nutrients into its little pods. Okra is believed to have originated in africa, and gumbo is the swahili name for okra. It contains potassium, vitamin b, c, calcium and folic acid. It is a fibrous vegetable containing vitamins, minerals, folates, and antioxidants like beta carotenes and lutein. Okra benefits your bones by supplying them with essentials such as vitamin k, c, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.
In india, it ranks number one in its consumption but its original home is ethiopia and sudan, and. Okra is a highly nutritious vegetable that is non toxic and safe for consumption even for young children and pregnant women. Okra is a hardy plant that can grow even with less water and in hot conditions. A powerhouse of valuable nutrients, okra provides numerous health benefits. Okra has beneficial health benefits on diabetes and some cancers. Oct 29, 2018 okra, both a common pod vegetable and nightshade vegetable eaten in the deep south, is also called gumbo in the u. While not as widely discussed as many other nutritious vegetables such as kale and sweet potatoes, okra. Okra health benefits include aspects such as being low in calories, being a great vegetable for people trying to lose weight, and being good for the digestive system. Here are some of the main health benefits associated with consuming okra.
The okra pods are among the very lowcalorie vegetables. Nutritional quality and health benefits of okra abelmoschus esculentus. Okra mucilage from the immature pods was found to be suitable for industrial and medicinal applications. Today, in turkey, the leaves are still used to reduce or soothe inflammation. Okra is part of the mallow family, which includes cotton, the kola nut, and the durian fruit. In this article, we will cover the major health benefits of okra but before that lets take a look at the nutrients present in okra. Commonly referred to as ladyfingers, or by its biological names abelmoschus esculentus and hibiscus esculentus, okra is known to have a positive effect on blood. Heres a list of 20 amazing health benefits of okra. Because of this, it would be highly beneficial for pregnant and even breastfeeding women to consume a lot of okra to get the benefits of the high folate content. Pdf okra is an economically important vegetable crop grown in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Some believe okra has the ability to help the body stabilize your blood glucose levels, especially if you eat it raw. Commonly referred to as ladyfingers, or by its biological names abelmoschus esculentus and hibiscus esculentus, okra is known to have a positive effect on blood sugar control, among many other health benefits. While okra might be easy to overlook in the produce section, dont overlook it in your health and weightloss regimen.
Okra is regarded as a favorite food for the health conscious people from the beginning. Okra has been discovered to lower cholesterol levels in diabetic lab mice. The fruit was digested and analyzed for protein, carbohydrate cho and fat as presented in table 1. It sails down the colon and absorbs the toxins and excess water in its path. While eliminating waste, okra cleans out toxins found in bile acids and excess cholesterol. The main reason why okra is a favorite of dieticians is its near perfect ingredients.