
Plus, it’s a stellar side dish when served alone. This veggie can be added to most soups or stews. One of the best things about okra is how easy it is to add to your meals. Okra = an easy, peasy, stress-free side dish Older research on animals indicated that okra interferes with the way this med is absorbed. PSA: Don’t slam a plate of okra if you’re taking metformin for diabetes management. If that’s the case, this veggie could be a bonus snack for folks with diabetes. Specifically, research shows okra’s fiber content could help stabilize blood sugar. Scientists think the nutrients in okra could help prevent your body from absorbing too much sugar during digestion. Munching on okra has been linked to stable blood sugar, but the research is slim, older, and done on animals. 2 because of okra alone, but it’s still a good source of fiber. If you’re trying to increase your intake, 1 cup of okra contains 3 grams of fiber.įYI, men need about 38 grams of fiber a day and women need 25 grams. It keeps your gut clean, helps you poop, and even reduces inflammation. Okra helps fill up your fiber tankĪh, fiber, you unsung hero. Just a cup of okra contains over 30 micrograms, so it’s enough to help you get dem bones on the road to long life and prosperity. This essential nutrient helps your blood clot properly, protects your heart, and improves your bone health.Įxperts recommend 120 micrograms of vitamin K for males and 90 micrograms for females each and every day. You might not need much folate, but everybody needs vitamin K. Okra contains bone-strengthening vitamin K

That would require more than 6 1/2 cups of raw okra, so it’s best to diversify your folate-rich food sources. Of course, the CDC says anyone with a period should ingest 400 micrograms per day. That makes this veggie an excellent snack for pregnant folks. Okra is great for pregnant peepsįolate (aka folic acid) is a critical nutrient for healthy fetus development, and okra packs it in. But a few paragraphs later, the scientists wrote that there just haven’t been enough studies on okra to say how much okra could slow cancer *or* how much you’d need to eat to reap that benefit. Keep in mind that this was a test-tube study - but the results are promising.Ī recent research review further emphasized how okra’s antioxidants and lectin are a one-two punch against cancer. Okra contains a protein called lectin, which was shown to slow tumor growth in a 2014 study of breast cancer cells.

Okra may reduce your risk of some cancers Still, we need more studies to confirm this effect in humans.


In a 2020 study of 60 patients with type 2 diabetes who ate okra powder for 8 weeks, they also had lower cholesterol. In a 2014 study of mice, the ones that were fed okra powder eliminated more cholesterol in their poop than the other animals. The mucilage (gel-like substance) in okra may also help the body expel excess cholesterol. Research suggests that noshing on vegetables is a solid way to reduce your risk of heart disease. Point is, that crispy grilled okra on your plate could fill your belly *and* keep your immune system in fighting form. That’s a good thing since antioxidants beat back oxidative stress, which raises your risk of diabetes and other chronic disease. Like many other plants, okra is bursting with antioxidants. It also contains a fair bit of protein and fiber, which isn’t the case with all veggies. Bottom line: Okra offers essential nutrients like vitamins C, K, and A in a low calorie, low fat package.
