If you live in Ghana, okra is one vegetable that you will find in abundance. Okro is an edible green flowering plant with seed pods. Originally, it was cultivated in Ethiopia and Egypt and later spread through Africa and to United state. Many people are drawn to okra by its sweet taste but little do they know of its highly riched nutritional values or benefits. The rich nutrition and health benefit of okra has made it the favorite vegetable in soup and stews and complimentary dish for some Ghanaians such as banku and okra soup or stew, apkle and okra soup and so on. Okro is a very good source of vitamin C, K, B6 , folate, potassium, dietary fiber and magnesium.
Benefit Of Eating Okro
1. May Lower Risk of Heart Disease
Eating or consuming okro may lower the risk of heart disease because the okro contain a gel like mucilage content that can bind to cholesterol during digestion, causing it to be excreted with stools rather than absorbed into the body.
2.May Help Prevent Cancer
There is a protein in okro called Lectin which fight against breast cancer. It is also said that okro suppresses the growth of cancer cells and helps in preventing cancer. The folate in the okro also helps in preventing the risks various cancers.
3.May Be Beneficial to Pregnant Women
It is beneficial to pregnant women because it is a good source of folate. one cup of okro (100 grams) can provide up to 15% of a woman's daily needs for this nutrient. The folate in the okro helps pregnant women to reduce the risk of a neutral tube defect, which affect the spine and brain of the developing fetus.
4.Rich Source Of Antioxidant
Okro contains a variety of antioxidant compounds, including phenolic compounds and flavonoid derivatives, such as catechins and quercetin. Antioxidants are chemical substances that may protect your cell by neutralizing the effects of free radicals ( which may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases) on the cells.
5.Lowers Blood Sugar
It has been found out that okro contain or possess certain anti diabetes properties. The insoluble fiber contained in the okro helps to stabilize blood glucose by slowing the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.
There is is a lot of nutritional benefit in the consumption of okro.
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