Health Benefits Of Okra Or Lady’s Finger

Okra is also referred to as gumbo or lady’s finger. It is an extremely nourishing green pod vegetable. This flowering plant comes from the mallow family and its scientific name is Abelmoschus esculentus.

Okra is grown throughout the warm as well as tropical temperate regions all around the world for its fibrous pods. It is best cultivated in properly drained and well manured soil. Each plant bears many dark green pods which are about five to fifteen cm long. It takes about two months for the okra plant to bear fruits that are ready to harvest.

The health benefits of okra:

1. The potassium content of okra helps in maintaining proper balance of the fluids. The proper balance of the fluids helps in transmitting nerve impulses. It is also required for optimum muscle function as well as metabolism. 
2. Okra is rich in pectin which aids in lowering the level of blood cholesterol by intervening with the absorption of bile within the intestines as well as forcing the liver to make use of cholesterol that is circulating to produce more bile.
3. Okra has good amount of soluble fibers. The soluble fiber absorbs water and adds bulk to the stool thus preventing constipation.
4. The pregnant women are advised to include more okra in their diet because it has folic acid in it. The folic acid plays an important role in the neural tube formation of the fetus throughout fourth to twelve weeks of the maternity period in the mother’s womb.
5. Okra is probiotic in nature as it aids the growth of good bacteria. The probiotic value found in okra is similar to that found in yogurt.
6. The oil and protein found within the okra seeds is an important direct source of proteins from vegetables. Okra is rich in amino acids as well.
7. Okra is also helpful in increasing the health of your hair. Slice okra horizontally and boil it till the brew is extremely slimy. Let the water cool and then add some drops of lemon to it. Use it to rinse your hair in the end and just relax and see your hair bounce back to life. 
8. Okra is also a good source of many significant minerals like iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium.

Preparation tips for okra:

1. This is true for most vegetables and fruits. The nutritional value of fruits and vegetables are reduced the more they are cooked. This simply means that the less you cook it the more nutritional value it holds for you.
2. Do not dice or slice the lady’s finger before you cook it. This way less juice will be release as the inner capsules are untouched.
3. Some people really cannot stand the sliminess of lady’s finger. There are some ways to reduce this attribute of okra. If okra is cooked for long it becomes soft and more slimy and gelatinous. To reduce the slimy nature of okra simply steam it blanch it till tender instead of boiling it.
4. If you cook okra with an acidic vegetable like tomatoes, it helps in reducing the sliminess of okra.
5. In Caribbean islands lady finger is cooked up and eaten as soup, often with fish.
6. The leaves of the okra are eaten raw in salads.