Okra benefits for women’s bodies have a lot. Okra is a nutritious food. It’s rich in magnesium, folate, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C, K1, and A. Okra may benefit pregnant women, heart health, and blood sugar control. It may even have anti-cancer properties. Here we are going to discuss the benefits of okra for women’s health.
Okra Benefits for Women
Beneficial for pregnant women
Folate (vitamin B9) is an important nutrient for pregnant women. It helps lower the risk of a neural tube defect, which affects the brain and spine of a developing fetus.
It’s recommended that all women of childbearing age consume 400 mcg of folate every day. A review that included 12,000 healthy adult women found that most consumed just 245 mcg of folate per day, on average.
Another study that followed 6,000 non-pregnant women over 5 years discovered that 23% of participants had inadequate folate concentrations in their blood.
Okra is a good source of folate, with 1 cup (100 grams) providing 15% of a woman’s daily needs for this nutrient.
Fight cancer
Antioxidants are natural compounds that help your body fight off molecules called free radicals that can damage cells. Free radicals are most well known for causing oxidation damage, which can eventually lead to cancer.
Okra contains antioxidants called polyphenols, including vitamins A and C. It also contains a protein called lectin which may inhibit cancer cell growth in humans. Studies using concentrated compounds from okra showed they inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells by up to 63%. Further research is needed for definitive proof of okra’s cancer-blocking properties.
Support heart and brain health
Polyphenols decrease your risk of heart problems and stroke by preventing blood clots and reducing free radical damage. The antioxidants in okra may also benefit your brain by reducing brain inflammation.
Mucilage—a thick, gel-like substance found in okra—can bind with cholesterol during digestion so it is passed from the body. An eight-week study conducted on mice showed lower blood cholesterol levels after they were fed a high-fat diet containing okra powder.
Control blood sugar
Various studies have shown okra may help control blood sugar levels. Researchers believe okra may help prevent sugar from being absorbed during digestion.
In one study, rats who were given purified okra and liquid sugar had fewer blood sugar spikes than rats in the control group. More evidence is needed to confirm that okra helps control blood sugar levels in humans.
Prenatal support
One cup of okra has 15% of the daily value of folate, a helpful nutrient for pregnant women. Folate helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects, which can affect the brain and spine of developing fetuses.
100 Grams of Raw Okra Nutrition
- Calories: 33
- Carbs: 7 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Magnesium: 14% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Folate: 15% of the DV
- Vitamin A: 14% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 26% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 26% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 14% of the DV
Okra Side Effects for Women
Eating too much okra can adversely affect some people. Gastrointestinal problems: Okra contains fructans, which is a type of carbohydrate. Fructans can cause diarrhea, gas, cramping, and bloating in people with existing bowel problems.
Moreover, okra is rich in oxalates which may bind with existing gall and kidney stones and cause them to deteriorate. Therefore okra should be consumed in optimum quantities.
