HEALTH BENEFITS OF OKRA SEEDS AND ITS WATER.

Okra is rich in magnesium, folate, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins C, K1 and A. It may help support healthy pregnancy, heart health, blood sugar. it may even have anticancer properties.

Okra is a nutritious food with many health benefits.
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 anticancer properties.

Cooking okra can be simple. Add it to your grocery list to try a new ingredient with powerful health effects.

Okra has long been favored as a food for the health-conscious. It contains:

potassium
vitamin B
vitamin C
folic acid
calcium
It’s low in calories and has a high dietary fiber content. Recently, a new benefit of including okra in your diet is being considered.

Okra has been suggested to help manage blood sugar in cases of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Incidences of diabetes diagnoses are only increasing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Trusted Source.

1. Dietary fiber
Okra is high in fiber. Eight medium-sized pods are estimated to contain 3 grams of fiber.

This bulk fiber quality has several benefits. It helps digestion, cuts hunger cravings, and keeps those who eat it fuller for longer.

Foods that are high in fiber content are an important part of dietary treatment options for diabetes.

2. Anti-stress effects
There is evidenceTrusted Source that the seed extracts of okra have an antioxidant, anti-stress effect in the bloodstream of mice.

Managing stress levels is an important part of managing diabetes. Long-term, high stress levels can cause blood sugar levels to spike.

3. May help lower cholesterol
Okra has been found to lower cholesterol levels in lab mice with diabetes.

Foods with high fiber content and antioxidant qualities are recommended for those with diabetes because they lower cholesterol. The American Heart AssociationTrusted Source points out that people with diabetes are more likely to have unhealthy cholesterol levels.

4. May lower heart disease risk
High cholesterol levels are associated with a greater risk of heart disease.

Okra contains a thick gel-like substance called mucilage, which can bind to cholesterol during digestion, causing it to be excreted with stools rather than absorbed into your body.

5. Contains beneficial antioxidants
Okra packs many antioxidants that benefit your health.

Antioxidants are compounds in food that fend off damage from harmful molecules called free radicals (6Trusted Source).

6. Rich in nutrients
Okra boasts an impressive nutrient profile.
One cup (100 grams) of raw okra contains (1Trusted Source):
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