Okra is an ally in the preparation of tasty dishes and health care

Are you the type that “wrinkles your nose” every time you hear about okra?! Perhaps you will change your mind from now on, after reading about the numerous health benefits it offers.

“Okra is a fruit of African origin, green in color, with white seeds inside. It is widely used in cooking before its maturation. It composes typical and regional dishes in Brazil, such as caruru and chicken with okra from Minas”, comments functional nutritionist Helouse Odebrecht.

To give you an idea: according to Eliane Petean Arena, cellular nutritionist, specialist in Clinical Nutrition, Public Health, Hospital Administration and Functional Foods and Nutrigenomics, and director of the Centro Nutrição Celular Clinic, the therapeutic function of okra is useful to help different problems such as respiratory conditions, bronchitis with thick secretions, gastrointestinal problems and skin conditions. But does not stop there!

There are plenty of good reasons to include okra in your diet! But, of course, not everything you read/hear out there is true. It is necessary to be aware that food does not work miracles and, also, that to enjoy the benefits it can offer, it is necessary to consume it with a certain frequency.

Okra nutritional properties

Helouse highlights that okra is a source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. “It contains vitamin A, calcium, iron and an excellent source of fiber”, he says.

Eliane reinforces that the nutritional properties of okra are extensive. The cell nutritionist explains that he has:

Mucilages: secretions rich in polysaccharides, also present in certain algae. “This nutrient performs the therapeutic function of fighting airway inflammation, as it has expectorant and antitussive properties. It also helps in the treatment of irritation of the digestive tract and intestinal inflammation, in addition to reducing the absorption of cholesterol, contributing in a very important way in the fight against hypercholesterolemia (increased concentration of cholesterol in the blood) and in the prevention of diabetes”, he says.

Pectins: they are polysaccharides, a very important compound for digestion, “since it facilitates the synthesis of proteins and lipids, in addition to regulating the absorption of carbohydrates by the body”, explains Eliane.

Glycosides: “are nutrients made up of two types of substance, a glycide (sugar), which can be glucose, and a pentose, which can be an acid, an alcohol or another organic compound. Glycosides act as antiseptics, anti-inflammatories and hair protectors. The therapeutic functions are varied, including laxative or purgative, digestive, choleric and cholagogue, diuretic, heart tonic and capillary wall reinforcer”, explains the cellular nutritionist.

Mineral salts: are substances of inorganic origin that are part of the body’s hard tissues, such as bones and teeth. “Salts are also found in soft tissues such as muscles, blood cells and the nervous system. These nutrients are very important for the body and have a so-called regulatory function, an action that contributes to osmotic function, balancing the body’s acidity and neutrality levels, as well as helping nerve stimuli, heart rhythm and metabolic activity “, highlights. Eliane.

Vitamins: A, B2, B6, niacin and C. “Vitamins are essential nutrients for the functioning of the body in general, mainly because they help in the prevention and overcoming of many diseases”, says the nutritionist.

Amino acids: they are essential elements for the organic use of everything that is ingested through food. “Amino acids are nutrients that actively participate in the production of more than 50,000 proteins and more than 15,000 enzymes that are essential for the proper functioning of organs and organic systems,” says Eliane.

9 health benefits of okra

With the valuable nutritional properties that okra offers, professionals highlight the main benefits of okra:

1. Better digestion: “thanks to the presence of Mucilaginous fiber, okra helps move food through the digestive tract, increasing peristaltic bowel movements and preventing a number of gastrointestinal problems such as: abdominal distension, digestive cramps, constipation and the excess formation of gases”, says Eliane.

2. Protective effect for the eyes: because it contains a high content of vitamin A and some antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, xanthein and lutein, the eyes are protected, since these elements destroy or neutralize free radicals, which are the dangerous by-products of metabolism cell. “With high levels of okra in your diet, you will have more protection for your vision, including macular degeneration and cataracts”, highlights Eliane.

3. Contribution to skin health and youth: “Vitamin A antioxidants are also able to protect the skin, promoting faster healing, reducing the appearance of scars and acne and decreasing the formation of wrinkles. Antioxidants are powerful nutrients capable of neutralizing free radicals that damage skin cells, bringing the signs of aging”, explains the cellular nutritionist.

4. Increase in organic immunity: “the same antioxidant components that are part of its constitution, added to the high content of vitamin C, boost the immune system in general. Vitamin C can stimulate the immune system to create more white blood cells, elements that fight pathogens and control foreign matter present in the body”, highlights Eliane.

5. Low-calorie: Helouse points out that okra is a low-calorie vegetable. It is, therefore, another ally of those who seek a healthy diet to maintain their weight (or to lose weight, as the case may be).

6. Reduction of fat and sugar: Helouse explains that okra helps to reduce the absorption of fat and sugar, due to the quality of its fibers.

7. Improves bone health, hair, skin and nails: nutritionist Helouse highlights that okra is excellent for bone health, and nutritious for accessory organs, such as hair, skin and nails.

8. Helps to reduce the absorption of cholesterol: thus contributes to the fight against the increase in the concentration of cholesterol in the blood and helps in the prevention of diabetes.

9. Helps in the proper functioning of the organism: okra contributes to the proper functioning of the organism in general, mainly because it helps in the prevention and even overcoming different diseases.

Okra water: weight loss and cure diabetes?

For some time now, the supposed information has been circulating that drinking “okra water” helps to lose weight and even cure diabetes. The “recipe” would be as follows:

• Wash and remove the ends of two okra;
• Divide the okra in half and place them in a glass of water;
• Let it “rest” for 8 to 10 hours, at night;
• Remove the okra the next day and drink the water.

According to a study shown on a television program, this “homemade recipe” caused a volunteer’s blood glucose to drop from 300 to 150.

Supposedly, okra water could even help you lose weight due to the amount of fiber in the fruit. But is it true that okra water offers such results?

For Eliane, this is a myth. “It is necessary to chew and digest the food itself so that the active principles can come into action in the body”, explains the cellular nutritionist.

Helouse warns that weight loss does not depend solely and exclusively on a miraculous technique or practice. “And yes, a set of strategies such as changes in eating habits, assessment and correction of metabolic changes, physical exercise, sleep quality, among other factors. Drinking okra water does not make you lose weight. There is no research or scientific record to support this claim. It could even be a strategy in a weight loss process, due to the properties of the soluble fibers of the okra that stay in the water and can reduce the absorption of glucose and fat”, he explains.

It is not recommended, however, that the person starts drinking okra water willingly. This possible strategy should be discussed with a nutritionist or physician.

What about helping to cure diabetes? Helouse also recalls that a balanced, varied diet, rich in vegetables in the correct proportions, is always beneficial to diabetics. “For this group of individuals, controlling only blood sugar is not the only measure that should be done, it is necessary to control pressure, obesity, cardiac and circulatory risks”, he says.

“Including okra in the diet, combined with other strategies and nutritional guidance, can indeed be welcome in the diet of diabetics. Studies still need to be more conclusive and in-depth so that this phrase stops becoming a myth and becomes true. Or not”, highlights the functional nutritionist.

“The Brazilian Diabetes Society recommends that people with diabetes maintain a healthy diet, regular physical activity, use medication prescribed by the doctor, including insulin if necessary, and visit a health service for periodic exams and consultations with other specialists. when necessary: ​​cardiologist, ophthalmologist, nephrologist, etc.”, adds functional nutritionist Helouse.

In this way, it is worth stressing: okra water does not work miracles and should not be used as a “treatment” to lose weight or to cure diabetes. Unless the guidance to take it is passed as a strategy by a professional (doctor or nutritionist) you trust.

11 delicious recipes with okra

If you are interested in enjoying the benefits that okra can offer, check out some recipes to better include it in your diet.

It is worth mentioning that an important tip to reduce the drool in the okra when cooking it is: put a few drops of lemon or vinegar when you are sautéing or cooking.

1. Fried okra: wash 200g of okra well and dry. Remove the ends of the okra and chop the fruit into large pieces. Put oil in a skillet, in the amount that you can cover the skillet. On low heat, add 1 teaspoon of garlic seasoning and salt and the okra, stirring constantly and letting it fry.

2. Sauteed okra: fry a clove of garlic and an onion in a little oil. Add 10 to 15 units of okra, pepper to taste and 1 chicken or beef stock. Add a little water and let it cook until it reduces well, but don’t let it dry out. Serve with white rice and chicken.

3. Crispy roasted okra: wash about 15 units of okra. Dry one by one with a dish towel. Remove the ends and cut the okra in half lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet side by side, avoiding making more than one layer. Bake in a preheated oven at 200° until well cooked, about 40 minutes. When taking it out of the oven, add salt and pepper.

4. Okra with meat: the recipe is made with rump, onion, tomato, among other easily found ingredients. Serves six to four…