KNOW ABOUT YOUR FOOD

OKRA / LADY FINGER

It is a good source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.

It is an essential crop in many countries due to its high nutritional value. Also, people can use many parts of the plant, including the fresh leaves, buds, flowers, pods, stems, and seeds.

Okra has a mild taste and a unique texture, with a peach-like fuzz on the outside. Inside the pod are small, edible seeds.

This article will look at the nutritional content of okra, its possible health benefits, some recipe tips, and any possible health risks.

Nutrition

100 Gm Okra

  • 33 Calories
  • 1.9 g of protein
  • 0.2 g of fat
  • 7.5 g of carbohydrate
  • 3.2 g of fiber
  • 1.5 g of sugar
  • 31.3 milligrams (mg) of vitamin K
  • 299 mg of potassium
  • 7 mg of sodium
  • 23 mg of vitamin C
  • 0.2 mg of thiamin
  • 57 mg of magnesium
  • 82 mg of calcium
  • 0.215 mg of vitamin B6
  • 60 micrograms (mcg) of folate
  • 36 mcg of vitamin A

Okra also provides some iron, niacin, phosphorus, and copper.

Okra is also a source of antioxidents. Okra, its pods, and seeds contain a variety of antioxidant compounds, including phenolic compounds and flavonoid derivatives, such as catechins and quercetin.

Scientists think that these compounds may help lower the risk of cancer.

Benefits

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce a person’s chances of developing a range of health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

The mucilage of okra may also help remove toxins from the body.

The nutrients in okra may make it useful for preventing several health problems, including:

Cancer

Okra, beans, peanuts, and grains contain lectin, which is a type of protein.

In a 2014 study, researchers used lectin from okra in a lab test to treat human breast cancer cells. The treatment reduced cancer cell growth by 63% and killed 72% of the human cancer cells. More studies are needed to see if okra has an effect on cancer in humans.

Okra is a good source of folate. folate may have preventive effects against breast cancer risk.

A low folate intake may also increase a person’s risk of developing a range of cancers, including cervical, pancreatic, lung, and breast cancer.

However, there is no evidence that taking a folate supplement lowers the risk of cancer. Some scientists think that very high levels of folate may fuel the growth of cancer cells.

Consuming folate from food sources alone is unlikely to have this effect, and people should aim to obtain enough folate from foods, such as okra.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Folate is also important for preventing fetal problems during pregnancy. Low folate levels can lead to pregnancy loss and problems for the child, including conditions such as spina bifida.

of  400 mcg of folate each day for adults. Doctors usually advise that women take more folate during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Many women take vitamin supplements during pregnancy. 

Diabetes

In 2011, researchers made a powder from the peel and seeds of okra to treat rats with diabetes. After approximately 1 month, the rats that consumed the powder had lower blood sugar and fat levels than those that did not.

More research is needed to confirm whether this treatment would work in humans.

several rodent studies that seemed to confirm okra’s potential as an antidiabetic agent. The authors called for further studies to see if people could use it as a nutraceutical, which is a food with medicinal properties.

Heart health

Eating foods that are high in fiber can reduce harmful cholestrol levels in the blood.

High fiber foods lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity, and diabetes. Fiber can also slow heart disease in people who already have it.

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend eating 14 gm of fiber in every 1000 calories consumed.

The guidelines also recommend that adults consume the following amount of fiber each day:

  • 25.2–28 g per day for females between 19 and 50 years
  • 30.8–33.6 g per day for males between 19 and 50 years

After the age of 50 years, they recommend a daily intake of:

  • 22.4 g for women
  • 28 g for men

Children and teenagers require different amounts of fiber, depending on their age and sex.

People can incorporate fiber into their diet by choosing fibrous foods, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.

Osteoporosis

Vitamin K  play a role  in bone formation and blood clotting.

Consuming foods that are good sources of vitamin K may help strengthen bones and prevent fractures.

Okra, Swiss chard, arugula, and spinach are all excellent sources of vitamin k and calcium.

Gastrointestinal health

Dietary fiber helps prevent constipation and maintain a healthy digestive system.

Research suggests that the more fiber a person eats, the less chance they have of developing colerectal cancer.

Fiber in the diet also helps reduce appetite, and it may contribute to weight loss.

In Asian medicine, people add okra extract  to foods to protect against irritation and inflammatory gastric diseases. The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial action may help protect against gastrointestinal problems.

Other health-related uses

Okra seeds can also provide oil and protein, and people have used them as a source of oil in small-scale production.

In regions where food is scarce, the seeds can offer a source of high quality protein.

In medicine, the viscous extract of okra could be useful as a tablet binder, a suspending agent, a serum albumin extender, a plasma replacement, or a blood volume expander.

Okra also has some uses in medicine. Scientists use it to bind the compounds in tablets, to make liquids for suspending compounds, as a replacement for blood plasma, and to expand the volume of blood.

Dietician Neelam Dhanagar

Dietician & Nutritionist | Weight loss Diet | Weight Gain Diet | Therapeutic Diet

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