Okra Health Benefits Including Male Sexual Health
Okra(Abelmoschus Esculentus) originally comes from Africa. It is known as the lady’s finger. Okra is slimy but delicious. It can be prepared in many different ways and Okra health benefits are amazingly diverse.
Okra has been also called a medicinal vegetable due to its high dietary fiber content. Fibers are amazingly helpful in cleaning up the colon making it gut health friendly.
Okra Nutrition Facts
Although Okra’s appearance is not so appealing, it is packed with lots of nutrients.
One of the essential nutrients Okra has include magnesium.
This is one of the most important minerals in the responsible for hundreds of processes.
Among the benefits of magnesium include prevention of muscle cramps and asthma.
It is also rich in vitamins B and C, and potassium.
Zinc is another mineral that can be found in Okra, which is beneficial for sperm and semen production. In other words, zinc is helpful in boosting and maintaining male fertility.
Although you can get zinc from supplements, this is an opportunity to obtain it naturally from Okra.
What Is Okra?
Okra with Flower
Okra is not always mentioned in the list of medicinal vegetables.
However, its nutritional contents are packed with medicinal properties.
Even me, personally, I don’t consider Okra as a medicinal herb or vegetable, but simply nourishing and delicious.
If you have a list of vegetables you’re consuming regularly, include Okra in that list.
Some people like to eat it raw. I like it cooked or half-cooked. Steam okra is most common, but it can also be included in soups. It has a slimy property makes soups thicker.
A flowering Okra is beautiful. You would have thought it’s a flowering plant. It has a beautiful yellow flower, but it only last for a short time and it closes back, then fell off. Once it’s fall off, the lady’s finger starts growing.
Now, let us explore the many health benefits of consuming Okra.
Okra Health Benefits
After exploring quickly on Okra’s nutritional contents, let’s us explore its health benefits. Okra when consumed regularly along with healthy eating and lifestyle, is helpful in many conditions.
Among the men and women who used Okra are those having diabetes. So, let’s start our Okra health benefits exploration on how beneficial it is for diabetics.
- Okra for Diabetes
Okra is beneficial and effective in stabilizing blood sugar due to its insulin-like property. Okra contains a type of dietary fiber, Eugenol. This helps in stabilizing blood sugar and slowing down the absorption of sugar in the intestinal tract.
Studies exist confirming okra health benefits on diabetes1. In an animal study2, Okra extract has been found beneficial on suppressing oxidative stress and insulin resistance. This results into a improvement of blood glucose.
- Lowers Bad Cholesterol
There is another type of fiber in which Okra has, it’s pectin. This is beneficial in lowering the bad cholesterol.
The way it lowers the bad cholesterol is by altering the bile production in the intestines. This helps in eliminating the clots and deposited cholesterol.
- Gut Bacteria Friendly
The probiotics in Okra is the gut bacteria’s friend. The microbiome or the good community of bacteria in the intestinal tract loves Okra.
It aids in the biosynthesis of vitamin B complex. This serves a similar function as yogurt does to the small intestines.
- Rich in Fiber
The abundance of dietary fibers presents in Okra not only beneficial to controlling blood glucose and clearing up cholesterol deposits. It also helps in clearing up wastes in the small intestines.
This results in a better digestion and prevention of constipation.
5 . Lowers Risk of Colon Cancer
Due to its rich insoluble fiber contents, Okra serves as an intestinal tract cleaner particularly in the colon, large intestines.
This reduces the risk of colon cancer. Plus due to the antioxidants present in Okra, it boosts the immune system and prevents cell mutations.
- Boosts The Immune System
Vitamin C is of Okra’s potent nutrients. This alone is a potent antioxidant plus other antioxidants present in Okra makes up a good immune system booster.
Other minerals present in Okra that are beneficial in fighting and eliminating free radicals include calcium, iron, manganese, and magnesium.
- Pregnancy Benefits
Okra is beneficial for pregnant women due to its folate contents. Folates are rich in Okra and beneficial in brain development of the fetus.
Folates also prevent miscarriages. It is also beneficial in the formation of the neural tube of the fetus and provides protection to these tubes preventing defects.
- Rich in Protein
The proteins are present in Okra seeds. If you want a plant-based protein because you’re a vegan, Okra is your friend.
It is one of the best sources of vegetable protein. The protein contain is rich in amino acids similar to those found in sulfur, cysteine, and tryptophan.
- Obesity Prevention
Obesity is a metabolic disorder similar to diabetes. Mostly, 