Health benefits of eating okra

Read on to know how consuming okra can benefit your health!

Okra or lady’s finger is an edible vegetable with seed pods that are cultivated in South Asia and Africa. This is a fruit and used to prepare many popular food preparations such as gumbo. Here are 6 health benefits of consuming okra.

Nutritious

This low-calorie vegetable is very healthy and is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber. It also provides some amount of proteins, which is unique to the vegetable food group.

Antioxidants

It contains polyphenols, flavonoids, and isoquercetin, which have been studied to protect against free radical damage and improve heart health. These polyphenols also improve brain health and protect against inflammation.

For heart health

Okra contains mucilage, which is a thick gel-like substance that binds to cholesterol present in our body during the process of digestion. This vegetable also contains polyphenols that control inflammation and protects heart health.

Prevents cancer

It contains the protein lectin that inhibits the growth of cancer cells in humans.

Lowers blood sugar levels

Consuming okra or okra extract has been studied to decrease blood sugar levels as okra decreases the absorption of sugar in the digestive tract. However, people taking metformin should avoid taking okra as it interferes with this drug.

During pregnancy

Okra is a good source of folate and a cup serving of this vegetable provides as much as 15% of the daily dietary requirement of this nutrient in pregnant women.