Health Benefits of Eating Okra (Lady’s Finger)

Vegetables should be an important part of your diet because they can provide you with essential vitamins and minerals that you will need to combat various health problems while boosting your strength and metabolism. If you are looking for a powerful vegetable to add to your daily diet, why not try okra or lady’s finger? This particular vegetable is high in fiber, potassium, vitamins C, K, as well as folate just to name a few and can be used in different dishes. What’s more, it can provide you with several health benefits such as:

1. Reduces bad cholesterol. Okra is known to inhibit the esterase activity of pancreatic cholesterol while it binds to bile acids so that cholesterol absorption will be limited. What’s more, okra doesn’t have saturated fats which can add to your bad cholesterol levels which is a plus when you eat this vegetable.
2. Prevents obesity. Another benefit to be gained when eating okra is that it can prevent obesity. Obesity isn’t just about consuming foods that are high in fat and calorie content but also about not getting the required nutrients that your body needs.
3. Healthy pregnancy. Women who are with child should include okra to their diet as it can help increase your chances of delivering a healthy baby thanks to the B vitamins present in this vegetable. Okra also contains high amounts of folic acid which is important for new cells to grow. As for the vitamin C, it plays an important role in the development of the fetus in your womb.
4. Improves digestion. As it was mentioned before, okra contains fiber both soluble and insoluble which can aid in your digestion. When you eat this vegetable regularly, you will ensure that your digestive system will be performing at its best which in turn can lower your risk of suffering from high blood pressure, heart diseases, as well as keep your blood sugar levels balanced.
5. Better eyes. If your vision is not as good as it used to be, you might want to start eating okra as it is good for your eyes’ health. Okra not only contains vitamin A which is important for the eyes but it also comes with antioxidants like beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein. Vitamin A can protect the corneas of your eyes while zeaxanthin is all about visual development. Lutein, on the other hand, provides protection against the UV rays coming from sunlight which ensures that your eyes remain in perfect health.
6. Boosts immunity. Another health benefit that you can get from eating okra is that it can help strengthen your immune system. This is due to the high amounts of vitamin C that you can get from the lady’s finger. If your immune system is compromised, you will be at risk from suffering various health problems from the common colds to the more severe ones like cancer.

With these benefits linked to eating okra, it is not really a surprise to find that this vegetable is considered as a superfood. Add it to your daily diet and reap the health benefits that it can give you.