Okra Nutrition Facts and Benefits

Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber

Okra is packed with vitamins and minerals and is an extremely nutritious vegetable to include in your
diet. Okra also contains a large amount of fiber that can help improve your digestive health and slow
down the release of glucose into the bloodstream.

Excellent source of vitamin C

According to the University of Arizona, okra contains impressive levels of essential vitamins that we
need to stay healthy. For example, one cup of okra contains about 40% your recommended daily vitamin
C needs. This means that okra can help boost your immunity and keep your skin looking healthy.2

Rich in vitamin K

Okra is rich in vitamin K which your body needs to help blood clot properly and prevent bruising and
improve bone health.2

Good source of vitamin A

Okra is also a rich source of vitamin A and other antioxidants that help to maintain good vision and rid
your body of free radicals and the visible signs of aging.

Contains high levels of magnesium

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, okra also contains high levels of magnesium.
Magnesium is an essential nutrient to give you energy, regulate blood pressure, and control blood sugar
levels.

Calcium and potassium

Other important beneficial nutrients in okra are calcium and potassium which help maintain good bone
health and control muscle function.3

Good source of folate (B9)

Another beneficial nutritional value of okra is that it contains many B-group vitamins. For example, 100
grams of okra contains around 20% of your recommended daily folate (B9) intake. It is known that folate
is essential during pregnancy. Your body needs folate and vitamin B12 to prevent anemia and to boost
the immune system and brain function.

Low carb vegetable

Okra is also a healthy lower-carb vegetable if you consume low carb diet.

Okra Health Benefits

Taking into consideration the many health benefits of okra, it’s not difficult to see why this wholesome
pod can help boost your health. Let’s look at what scientific research has revealed as to the benefits of
consuming okra.
Full of nutrients

One of the best reasons for consuming more okra is that it is packed full of nutrients that are essential
for good health.

The journal Food Science & Nutrition stated that okra is a rich source of vital nutrients required by the
body to maintain a healthy immune system. The researchers stated that among the beneficial nutrients
found in okra are:4

Calcium that is needed for strong bones and healthy teeth.

Iron to keep your blood healthy and produce red blood cells.

Potassium for maintaining normal blood pressure levels.

Zinc to help protect DNA and strengthen your immune system.

Antioxidants that help to eliminate free radicals from your body and protect against diseases.

Dietary fiber to improve the health of your digestive system.

The researchers concluded that okra is a rich source of mineral, vitamins, and nutrients in the diet.

Boosts energy

If you suffer from fatigue and a general lack of energy, consuming more okra in your diet can help to
boost your energy naturally.

The journal Nutrients published a study showing that okra contains anti-fatigue properties. Certain
enzymes and nutrients in the seeds of the okra plant reduce levels of blood lactic acid and other
chemicals that affect feelings of fatigue. The research found that okra seeds have anti-fatigue properties
and okra pods are rich in antioxidants.5

Helps lose weight

There are a number of ways that okra can help you shed pounds of excess weight quicker than you
might imagine.

As research in this article has shown, okra is a rich source of dietary fiber, and consuming okra in meals
will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Also, okra is very low in calories but high in vitamins in nutrients.
This means that okra can help to nourish your body without piling on extra pounds of excess body fat.

Controls cholesterol levels

You can help reduce cholesterol levels in your blood by eating more okra in your diet. Not only does
okra contains no fat, it also has compounds that actively reduces “bad” cholesterol (or, low-density
lipoprotein, LDL cholesterol).

According to research published in the journal Phytotherapy Research, components in okra reduce fat
cells in the blood. In animal study, dried okra powder was added to the diet, and after 8 weeks the total
cholesterol in blood was lower. It was also found that raw okra can help to manage conditions
associated with high LDL cholesterol and other metabolic disorders.6
Regulates blood sugar levels

One of the many health benefits of okra is that it helps to prevent blood sugar levels spiking after a
meal.

A review of medical literature on the benefits of adding okra to a diet found that okra is a food that has
a hypoglycemic effect. Over time, okra extracts can reduce levels of glucose in the blood and can be
useful in managing type 2 diabetes.7

Reduces stress and anxiety and boosts your mood

One of the benefits of eating okra or making okra water is that it can help to reduce stress and lift your
mood at the same time. In fact, extracts of dried okra have been found to have a similar effect as some
drugs that are prescribed for anxiety.

The Scientific World Journal published a clinical trial on how eating okra extracts can have a calming
effect and get rid of stress. It was found that okra has an anti-anxiety, anti-stress, and anti-depression
effect. Okra supplements helped to induce calm and reduce physiological and biochemical responses to
stress. The dried okra had a similar effect to benzodiazepine drugs that treat depression and anxiety.8

Research carried out in 2013 found that okra extracts have antidepressant properties. In one clinical
trial, okra extracts were as effective as some pharmaceutical antidepressants. The researchers
concluded that okra can be used as a natural antidepressant.12

If you are battling with feelings of anxiety, depression, and despair, then you can also try some natural
alternatives to depression drugs. There are also many essential oils that have mood-boosting properties
and can help with fatigue, depression, and anxiety. You can also help to reduce the effect that stress has
on your body by trying some of my natural methods to cope with stress and anxiety.

Protects the liver

This delicious and versatile lady’s finger fruit also has properties that protect the liver from damage and
can prevent liver disease.A study published in the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal found that okra has an
antioxidant effect on liver tissue. In the study, okra helped to stop liver disease and had liver-protective
properties. Okra extracts increased protein concentration in the liver and helped to counteract the
effects of liver disease.

It’s important to recognize the early signs of liver disease and avoid unhealthy habits that can damage
the liver. As well as using okra to cleanse your liver, some other foods that help to keep your liver
healthy include drinking plenty of water, consuming cold pressed oils, and consuming green leafy
vegetables.

Helps treat ulcers and gastritis

Because of the gelatinous liquid that okra produces, the nutritional benefits of okra mean that it is an
excellent treatment for gastritis and stomach ulcers. The high amount of mucilage in okra helps to glue
bacteria in the gut and treat the symptoms of ulcers.Peptic ulcers and gastritis (inflammation of the
stomach lining) are often caused by the Helicobacter pylori infection. According to the journal PLoS One,
okra can bind H. pylori bacteria to it and prevent the bacterial infection damaging stomach lining. This
process is caused when the glue-like juice from okra inhibits bacteria infecting the gut. Boosts cognitive
power

The health benefits of okra also extend to boosting your brain’s cognitive abilities and may also help
prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

According to a study published in the journal Neurochemistry International, compounds in okra have a
protective effect on the brain. It was found that quercetin and rutin from okra helped to improve
learning abilities and reverse cognitive deficits.10

Other studies have pointed to the fact that okra extracts can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and
protect against other degenerative neurological diseases.11

Can assist with symptoms of asthma

One of the benefits of eating okra is that it can help treat the symptoms of asthma and other respiratory
conditions.

For example, the journal Clinical and Translational Allergy reported that okra is one of the fruits and
vegetables that can help reduce asthma symptoms.13 The anti-asthma effect of okra could be due to
the high content of vitamin C in okra that helps boost immunity and improve bronchial symptoms. Okra
is one of the foods that can help to cleanse your lungs. You can also try these essential oils to relieve
asthma.

Anti-cancer properties

The nutritional benefits of okra also extend to it having anti-cancer properties and helping to reduce the
size of tumors.

The journal Phytotherapy Research reported that extracts of okra pods can help to treat melanoma cells
and be effective against skin cancer.15 Also, okra extracts have been shown to have a positive effect in
reducing breast cancer cells.16

It’s important to remember that the evidence of okra as an anti-cancer treatment has only been shown
in clinical settings. Scientists say that more research has to be carried out to see how okra can be used
to treat various cancers.

Okra Benefits for Diabetes – Recent Studies

One of the greatest benefits of okra if you suffer from type 2 diabetes is that okra can help to lower
blood sugar levels. This is one of the most important factors in treating diabetes mellitus and preventing
diabetes complications.
The journal IRSN Pharmaceuticals reported on 2011 that the dietary fiber content of okra helps to
reduce glucose absorption. It was noted that okra has been traditionally used to treat type 2 diabetes to
control blood glucose levels after a meal.17

Another study published the same year on the Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciencies found that
consuming powdered okra seeds and peel extracts for 28 days resulted in a significant reduction in
blood sugar levels (the seed extract provided higher reduction in blood sugar than the peels). In
addition, scientists noted that okra helped reduce elevated lipids and that the lipid profile returned to
near normal. 22

How to make healthy okra water:

Thoroughly wash 4 medium size okra pods.

Slice down both ends of the pods.

Poke the pods with a fork on opposite sides or split them in half.

Place in an 8-oz. glass of water and leave overnight.

In the morning, squeeze the goopy substance from the pods before discarding them from the water.

Drink daily to help give your health a boost and benefit from the nutritional content of okra.