Healthy Vegetables – Cooked Okra

Okra, also known as “lady’s finger”, or “bamia” is one of the popular nutritious vegetables of North-East African origin. The pods usually gathered while they are green, tender, and at immature stage. The plant is cultivated throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions around the world for their fibrous fruits or “pods.” Bamia grows best in well-drained and manure rich soil. Botanically, okra is a perennial flowering plant which belongs to the Malvaceae (mallows) family, and named scientifically as Abelmoschus esculentus.

Okra is high in vitamins A and C and is a good source of iron and calcium. It also contains starch, fat, thiamine and riboflavin.

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Okra Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. Peeled small size shrimps
• 15 fresh sliced okra or a pkg. of (1Ib.) frozen cut okra
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil or palm oil (optional)
• Miss dash
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

• Seasoned shrimps with salt, parsley, 1 cube chicken bouillon (optional) and paprika
• Use a saucepan to sauté shrimp in oil for 3 to 4 mins. Place in a bowl and set aside.
• Defrost frozen okra and blend with water.
• Add 2 or 3 c. of water in saucepan and let it boil before adding the blended okra, miss dash and salt to taste.
• Cook for 15 minutes before adding the sauté shrimps.
• Simmer for 3 minutes.
• Serve in a bowl and its ready to consume.

You may consider adding in cooked shrimps or any cooked protein of your choice instead of sauté shrimps. It helps to smooth and rejuvenate the skin. It also aids with bowel movement.

Enjoy your meal!!!

This is a good weight loss meal. Very essential for your metabolism and keeps you fit and helps to breakdown calories.

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Calories: 120 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 0g

Okra soup

Okra soup bowl

***The most Important Aspect to consider is that Okra has to be prepared before Consumption.

Here are known Okra health benefits 

Okra Promotes a Healthy Pregnancy– An extremely important B vitamin for producing and maintaining new cells, folate is an essential compound for optimal pregnancy. The vitamin helps prevent birth defects like spina bifida and helps the baby to grow sufficiently. Vitamin C is also essential for fetal development. Okra is rich in both folate and vitamin C.

Helps Prevent Diabetes– Thanks to fiber and other nutrients, okra proves beneficial in normalizing blood sugar in the body, helping with diabetes.

Helps with Kidney Disease– One study published in the October 2005 Jilin Medical Journal found that regular consumption of okra can help prevent kidney disease. In the study, “those who ate okra reduced clinical signs of kidney damage more than those that simply ate a diabetic diet.” This also ties closely to diabetes, since nearly 50% of kidney disease cases are caused by diabetes.

Supports Colon Health– Okra is full of dietary fiber, which is essential for colon health and digestive health as a whole. The fiber Okra provides help in cleansing the gastrointestinal system, allowing the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency. Additionally, vitamin A contributes to healthy mucous membranes, helping the digestive tract to operate appropriately.

Could Help with Respiratory Issues like Asthma– Okra contains vitamin C, which has been shown to help with respiratory issues like asthma. One study concluded that “the consumption of fruit or vegetable rich in vitamin C, even at a low level of intake, may reduce wheezing symptoms in childhood, especially among already susceptible individuals.”

Promotes Healthy Skin– Vitamin C helps keep the skin looking young and vibrant. The vitamin aids in the growth and repair of bodily tissues, which affects collagen formation and skin pigmentation, and helps to rejuvenate damaged skin. Okra is full of vitamin C.