Lady Finger Benefits – Top 8 Health Benefits of Lady Finger Vegetable
We all know about the immense nutritional benefits of eating vegetables. Okra or lady’s finger is one such vegetable loaded with nutrients. Eating okra helps in boosting heart health as well as maintains blood sugar. If you have been ignorant of the numerous benefits of okra so far, read this blog to get enlightened.
Nutritional Value Chart of Okra/Lady’s Finger
The impressive nutrient profile of Okra is worth a look. This list will surely make one consume okra on a regular basis. Below you can see the nutrient value of 100 gm of raw okra (lady finger calories count):
| Lady Finger Nutrition’s | Nutritional Value |
| Calories | 33 |
| Carbs | 7g |
| Protein | 2g |
| Fat | 0 |
| Fiber | 3g |
| Magnesium | 14% DV of (Daily Value) |
| Folate | 15% DV |
| Vitamin A | 14% DV |
| Vitamin C | 26% DV |
| Vitamin K | 26% DV |
| Vitamin B6 | 14% DV |
As you can see in the table above, the nutritional content of Okra is excellent. It is low in calories as well as carbs but has proteins and fibres. Hence, okra is associated with the benefits of blood sugar and weight management. It also benefits muscle mass and bone structure.
Top Nutritional and Health Benefits of Okra
Below are the lady finger benefits and uses of lady’s finger vegetable:
1. Lady Finger (Okra) Helps Regulate Cholesterol Levels
Okra helps in regulating or lowering cholesterol because it contains soluble fiber called mucilage, which binds to your digestive tract’ bile acids and throws them out of the body. This way the liver is forced to utilize cholesterol to create more bile acids, which aids in reducing the cholesterol levels in the body.
2. Lady Finger (Okra) Help Manage Blood Sugar
Okra contains a good amount of fibre, including soluble and insoluble ones as well as it has a low glycaemic index of just 20. Hence, okra is supposed to be an ideal choice of vegetable for managing blood sugar. The fibre content in Okra supports the stabilization of blood sugar, which has been proved by many studies.
3. Lady Finger (Okra) is Beneficial for Pregnant Ladies
Another lady finger benefit is that a cup of Okra contains 15% DV of folate, which is a beneficial nutrient for ladies who are pregnant. Folate or folic acid is the natural form of vitamin B9. It is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally found in some food items.
4. Lady Finger (Okra) has Antioxidants
Okra is known to be a good source of antioxidants and these antioxidants are compounds of nature that support the human body to fight free radicals which damage cells. The free radicals, which are molecules, cause oxidation damage to the human body leading to diseases like cancer. The antioxidants contained in Okra called polyphenols support fighting this disease. Also, Okra is a good source of lectin protein which also aids in limiting growth of cancer cells in the human body.
5. Lady Finger (Okra) Improves Bone Health
Since Okra contains a good amount of calcium and vitamin K, they ensure bone health by safeguarding against osteoporosis.
6. Lady Finger (Okra) is Good for Weight Loss
Okra is high in fiber and hence takes longer time to digest as compared to food that is low in fiber. Thus, okra stays in the stomach for more time, which makes one feel full for longer. Thus, people consuming Okra are less likely to have cravings for snacks after food.
7. Lady Finger (Okra) Improves Digestion
Being high is insoluble fiber, Okra helps to maintain healthy digestion. Fiber supports in promoting waste movement from your stomach through your intestines. This helps in lowering constipation and other digestive issues.
8. Lady Finger (Okra) Boost the Immune System
Another benefit of Okra is that it boosts the immune system of people. Since okra contains ample amounts of fiber it helps in the growth of good bacteria, which is necessary to boost a healthy immune system.
FAQs on Health Benefits of Lady’s Finger
Eating too much of nothing is good. So, eating too much of Okra is also not advisable as it may adversely affect your health. Since Okra contains fructans, which is a type of carbohydrate, too much consumption of the same might cause lady finger side effects like diarrhea, cramping, bloating etc.
Okra is regarded as a superfood because it is high in fiber as well as lady finger vitamin and minerals. It has many benefits including controlling cholesterol levels.
Okra better retains the nutrients when less cooked. So, the less you cook the vegetable, the better it is. Okra can also be eaten raw.
Okra is an excellent source of folate or folic acid. One cup of okra offers 15% of a woman's daily needs for this nutrient.
Yes, Okra is good for both your hair and skin.
Okra can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Okra has compounds to lower blood glucose levels. It is also a powerhouse of nutrients and antioxidants. Okra is also rich in anti-inflammatory properties which make it a healthy food item for diabetics.
Author Bio
Paybima Team
Paybima is an Indian insurance aggregator on a mission to make insurance simple for people. Paybima is the Digital arm of the already established and trusted Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd., a reputed name in the insurance broking industry with 17 years of experience. Paybima promises you the easy-to-access online platform to buy insurance policies, and also extend their unrelented assistance with all your policy related queries and services.
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