By Alex Jordon
Posted Thursday, April 23, 2015 at 01:24pm EDT
Keywords: food and nutrition, okra benefits, okra for health, okra nutrients
Okra is a nutritional powerhouse that may provide a variety of health benefits and decreases the risk of several medical problems.
It’s low in calories and contains a number of vitamins and minerals. Okra seeds and pulp are high in the antioxidants catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin B1 and B2, quercetin and rutin that can fight the damage caused to cells by stress and other environmental factors. The young leaves of the plant have a wide range of medicinal values and have been used historically to treat many diseases.
Here are some prominent vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients found in okra that deserve some spotlight. Each figure is based on 1 cup (100g) of okra.
- Fiber – 2.5 grams. 10% of RDA (recommended daily value)
- Vitamin C – 16.3 milligrams. 27% RDA.
- Folate – 46 micrograms. 11% RDA.
- Vitamin A – 283 international units. 6% RDA.
- Vitamin K – 40 micrograms. 50% RDA. The vitamin K found in okra is known as vitamin K1, one of two beneficial forms. The other beneficial form is K2; K3 is synthetic and should be avoided.
- Niacin (Vitamin B3) – 0.9 mg. 4% RDA.
- Thiamin (Vitamin B1) – 0.1 mg. 9% RDA.
- Vitamin B6 – 0.2 mg. 9% RDA.
- Magnesium – 36 mg. 9% RDA.
- Manganese – 0.3 mg. 15% RDA.
- Beta carotene – 225 mcg.
- Lutein, Zeaxanthin – 516 mcg.
Okra Health Benefits:
1- An excellent promoter of a healthy pregnancy
Okra is rich in folate, which is considered as an important natural compound for the pregnant women to help grow and maintain new cells. And okra is rich in vitamin C, which is also essential for fetal development.
2- Helps prevent diabetes
The natural fiber is okra works effectively for the patient with high blood sugar, it normalizes and slows down sugar absorption to help to control diabetes.
3- Helps with kidney disease
A study found that regular consumption of okra can help prevent kidney disease. It has been proven that those who ate okra daily can reduce the medical signs of kidney damage.
4- Helps prevent asthma
A study has found that vitamin C in okra may help with respiratory issues like asthma, the study concluded that regular intake of okra may reduce wheezing symptoms in childhood, especially among already susceptible individuals.
5- Promotes glowing skin
Vitamin C is a crucial compound for healthy skin. It helps keep skin looking young and vibrant and rejuvenate damaged skin. When use it for this effect, it’s simple enough. Boil a handful of okra until soft, cooling off and mash it, then apply it to your face. After five minutes, you can feel your face smooth and rejuvenated.
6- Promotes digestion and weight loss
Okra contains plenty of fiber, take fiber rich foods regularly help to promote a healthy digestion. And okra is a good low-calorie, fat-free addition to any diet, especially weight loss diets. It has been proven that okra provides comparatively lower calories than standard calorie diet.
Okra is also great for:
- Protecting against free radical damage
- Promoting eye health
- Boosting mood
- Constipation
- Promoting colon health and preventing colon cancer
Read more posts by author Alex Jordon.
No comments:
Post a Comment