What are Benefits of Okra for health?

Previously I did not know the type of this plant. There are friends who have worked in Japan. He returned with a type of old vegetable, he said. Although he does not yet know the name and type of this plant, he plants in front of the house. One day, I was given old seeds.

Then, I also planted in the fields. Intrigued, I'm looking for information about this vegetable fruit. And apparently, her name is Lady's finger. It can be called OKRA, or bendi beans. He said in Japan also called OKURA.

Vegetable Okra is also enriched by a number of important micronutrients, such as:

• 36 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A
• 0.215 milligrams (mg) of vitamin B6
• 23 mg of vitamin C
• 31.3 mg of vitamin K
• 200 mg of potassium
• 7 mg of sodium
• 57 mg of magnesium
• 82 mg of calcium
• 60 mcg of folate
• Small amounts of iron, phosphorus, and copper.

What are the benefits of okra for health?

Just like eating vegetables and fruit, eating okra also offers a variety of health benefits. Here are various benefits of okra to support body health:

1. Relieve asthma

Okra is believed to help control asthma because its antioxidants and vitamin C are quite high. Summarizing various studies, vitamin C deficiency causes body cells and tissues, including the lungs, to be susceptible to chronic inflammation.

In addition, foods high in antioxidants can also help prevent tissue damage due to asthma. This is also proven by research published in the journal Thorax. Routinely eating foods high in vitamin C can reduce the symptoms of wheezing breath that is often experienced by people with asthma.

Uniquely, you can still feel this benefit if you only eat food sources of vitamin C for 1-2 times a week.

2. Smooth digestion

Insoluble fiber helps increase the weight of faeces while also lightening the "journey" through the intestine until finally discarded. Eating high-insoluble fiber regularly helps clean the intestines so that it is possible to work more effectively. If the intestine is more efficient at distributing leftovers, you are likely to avoid constipation and diarrhea.

However, not only that. In fact the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial content in these pods can also prevent you from gastrointestinal problems, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and other digestive problems. The intestinal cleansing effect of long-term fiber intake also decreases the risk of colon cancer.

In addition, vitamin A plays a role in maintaining healthy mucous membranes lining the walls in the digestive organs. This can help the entire digestive system to function properly. Moreover, the polysaccharides in okra mucus are effective in destroying the H. pylori bacteria that cause ulcers that stick firmly in the intestine.

3. Lower cholesterol

If you have high cholesterol, you certainly have to be very careful about what you eat everyday. False, cholesterol can increase and increase the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure.

Well, okra is one of the food sources that has good potential to reduce cholesterol. According to a study published in the Global Journal of Medical Research, polysaccharides in okra mucus can reduce cholesterol levels because of its ability to bind bile acids that carry toxins from the liver.

The study also mentioned that oil from okra seeds had the same potential to reduce cholesterol in the blood. Okra seeds are rich in sources of linoleic fatty acids (omega-3). Adequate intake of omega-3s helps increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL) while preventing the accumulation of fatty plaque in blood vessels, under the skin, and stored in the liver.

In addition, high-soluble fiber okro. As quoted from the Harvard Health Publishing website, fiber is an important food component for lowering cholesterol. The okra fiber works to regulate the rate of absorption of sugar from the intestine, which then normalizes blood cholesterol levels.

4. Make the heart healthy

Besides being high in insoluble fiber, vegetable seeds are also quite high in soluble fiber. Especially in the form of gum and pectin. Both types of fiber help reduce serum cholesterol in the blood, which reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Pectin can help reduce cholesterol only by changing the way bile is made in the intestine. Bile will work more efficiently to absorb more fat from the rest of the food in the intestine. Cholesterol and excess fat will eventually be removed along with the rest of the food in the form of feces.

Interestingly, fiber canalso slow the progression of heart disease in people who already have it.

5. Lowering blood sugar

Okra contains high fiber which helps stabilize blood sugar by slowing down the rate of absorption of glucose from the intestine. The theory is also supported by findings from a study published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences. The study shows, the more okra fiber is consumed, the blood sugar levels tend to be more stable.

Even so, the achievement is still influenced by various other healthy lifestyle factors.

6. Increase endurance

Another benefit of okra is that it can help boost the immune system. This is related to the high amount of vitamin C and antioxidants in the okra.

Vitamin C can stimulate the production of white blood cells which are important components in the immune system. While the antioxidant content plays an important role in destroying all free radicals that can weaken the immune system.

7. Prevents kidney disorders

Eating okra regularly can be proven to prevent kidney disorders, especially in people with diabetes.

Moreover, regular intake of okra can help avoid kidney disease as a complication of diabetes. Launching a study published in the Global Journal of Medical Research, people with diabetes who eat okra every day show less severe kidney damage than those who don't.

This is potentially beneficial because nearly 50% of kidney disease cases are caused by diabetes.

8. Good for pregnant women

If you are pregnant, it never hurts to try eating these vegetables to take care of your health and the fetus. Okra is high in vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, zinc, and calcium especially needed for the growth and development process of the fetus in the womb

More than that, okra is also rich in folic acid which is good for supporting fetal brain development, preventing disability during pregnancy, and improving bowel movements. Conversely, low folate levels can result in the emergence of one or more pregnancy problems later in life.

That is one of the main reasons why fulfilling folate needs is very important for women before and during pregnancy. Even after pregnancy until breastfeeding.

9. Reducing the risk of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is prone to be experienced by people who have entered old age.

That is why, you are advised to eat foods that are rich in vitamin K because it is good for maintaining bone function. Okra vegetables, for example. The content of vitamin K in vegetables will help speed up the absorption of calcium by the bones.

Therefore, people who regularly supplement their daily sources of vitamin K usually tend to have a stronger bone composition. Finally, the person will indirectly avoid the risk of bone loss.

10. Prevent cancer

Okra contains a number of proteins in it, one of which is in the form of lectins. Lectins are a type of protein that tends to be difficult for the body to digest. This type of protein has the potential to kill cancer cells and stop their development.

Eating okra helps slow the growth of cancer cells by 63 percent, while killing about 72% of cancer cells that have grown.

However, further research is still needed to ascertain whether okra really does have a positive effect to restore cancer.

Important tips before processing okra

When it is split and cooked, it will release a little mucus. You may clean a little mucus, but you should not rinse thoroughly. Given the explanation of the benefits of the okra above, most of the potential good comes from mucus. Honey, right, if you don't even get the benefit?

In addition, consider also how to choose and store the vegetables that are still delicious when processed. Here are some things you should know:

If you want a crunchy, soft, processed bendi, try choosing okra of medium size or not too big or small. Large sized vegetable vegetables are usually too ripe so they are a bit hard.
Choose okra with a hard and strong texture to the touch. Avoid choosing tend to be soft or soft, because it indicates that the vegetable is no longer fresh.
If you don't want it to be cooked immediately after purchase, don't wash the vegetable seeds and keep them in a dry condition wrapped in a plastic bag. Washing the vegetables and storing them can actually make it damp, which ultimately accelerates the formation of mucus.
Another way to save is by freezing okra, thus preventing spoilage or discoloration.
Avoid cutting okra if you don't want it to be cooked immediately. This will actually make the edges darken when left too long in the open air.
The slime produced by this vegetable can be used as a thick sauce to add to the taste of the cuisine.

For those of you who are not too fond of the texture of mucus or sap from vegetable hams, you can cook all parts of this vegetable without cutting it first. The aim is to avoid mucus production when cooked.

source : https://hellosehat.com/hidup-sehat/fakta-unik/manfaat-okra-untuk-kesehatan/