Okra not only enriches our dining table, but its unique nutritional combination also provides valuable support for our health. While enjoying the food, we can also get a variety of nutrients needed by the body.
Okra, with a green appearance and a shape similar to sheep's horns, is also called okra or okra vegetable. In the UK, people figuratively call it "beauty finger". Okra not only has a unique appearance, but also has a smooth and slightly crisp taste, and has rich nutritional connotations.
The history of okra can be traced back to the period when it originated in Ethiopia, and then it was introduced to North Africa, the Mediterranean, Arabia and India. It was not until the early 1990s that okra was first introduced to China, and since then it has been widely cultivated throughout the country. Due to its unique taste and nutritional value, okra has gradually become a regular on the Chinese family dining table. People use it to make a variety of delicious dishes, such as okra stuffed meat, okra scrambled eggs, blanched okra, cold okra, etc.
When talking about the nutritional value of okra, we have to mention its rich cellulose content. When you cut okra with a knife, it will present a "small five-pointed star" shape. The mucus contained in it is the most prominent feature of okra, containing 50% soluble cellulose. The main component of mucus is okra polysaccharide, which is a dietary fiber. It exists in the skin of the fruit pod and has the effects of assisting lipid reduction, anti-oxidation, enhancing satiety, and relieving constipation.
In addition to dietary fiber, okra is also very rich in nutrients. Every 100 grams of okra contains 4 mg of vitamin C, 1.03 mg of vitamin E and 310 micrograms of carotene. It is also rich in potassium and magnesium, which play an important role in controlling blood pressure. At the same time, it contains trace elements such as zinc and selenium, and is also an ideal source of calcium, which is very helpful for enhancing human resistance.
It is worth mentioning that okra seeds are also a treasure trove of nutrition. These small "peas" are rich in fat, half of which is linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid required by the human body, which can regulate blood lipids and participate in the composition of phospholipids. In addition, okra seeds also contain a variety of phenolic compounds, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Depending on the color, red okra has an advantage over green okra in carotenoids and anthocyanins; while green okra is rich in chlorophyll.
Okra is not only nutritious, but also a representative of low-calorie food. It has a high water content and low fat, with only 0.1 grams of fat per 100 grams of tender fruit, making it an ideal choice for people who want to lose weight.
Although the name of okra reminds people of autumn, it is now available in the market all year round. To choose a good okra, it is recommended to distinguish it based on the following 5 "appearances":
Comparison of length: The smaller the okra, the more tender it is. 5 to 10 cm is the best, and those over 10 cm are carefully selected.
Look at the surface: Fresh okra has a full appearance, uniform and bright color, and no wrinkles, spots or scars on the surface.
Look at the fluff: There is a layer of white fluff on the surface of fresh okra. If the fluff is well preserved, it means that the fruit is well stored. At the same time, the whiter and tenderer the fluff is, the younger and tenderer the fruit is.
Pinch the softness and hardness: Pinch it gently with your hands. It is better to feel that it is not hard and has a little toughness. The harder the okra is, the older it tastes, and it will lose its unique fragrance and tender texture when eaten.
Smell the fragrance: Fresh okra has a natural fragrance, and stale okra lacks fragrance.
Okra is an annual herbaceous plant of the Malvaceae family. Okra likes warmth and is known as the king of vegetables. It has extremely high economic use and edible value. Okra has the effects of nourishing the kidney and essence, protecting the stomach and intestines, improving anemia, supplementing calcium, and beautifying the skin.
Improve anemia: Okra contains a variety of nutrients such as iron, calcium and sugar. These ingredients can promote hemoglobin production, accelerate blood circulation, and improve anemia.
Beauty and skin care: Okra is rich in vitamin C and soluble fiber, which not only has a health-care effect on the skin, but also can make the skin white and tender. Okra is also rich in carotenoids and β-carotene, which can protect the skin and have the effect of beauty and skin care.
Nourishing the kidney and filling essence: The sticky substances in okra have the effect of nourishing the kidney and filling essence, and have a certain regulatory effect on men's diseases. It is suitable for patients with prostate diseases and kidney deficiency to eat, and can help improve their frequent urination, urinary pain and other symptoms.
Calcium supplementation: Okra is rich in calcium and has a low oxalic acid content, so the absorption and utilization rate of calcium is relatively high. Children eat okra in moderation, which is helpful for their bone development.
Protect the stomach and intestines: Okra contains pectin, galactomannan, etc. These ingredients have the effect of helping digestion and protecting the stomach and intestines, and the mucin secreted by it also has the effect of protecting the stomach wall, and can also promote gastric juice secretion to increase appetite and improve indigestion and other symptoms.
Taboo: Diarrhea patients with diarrhea are not suitable for eating more okra. Okra is cold in nature. People with diarrhea will easily stimulate their stomach and intestines after eating more okra, which will strengthen the peristalsis of the stomach and intestines, aggravate the symptoms of diarrhea, and be detrimental to the health of patients with diarrhea.
People with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should not eat more okra. Okra is cold in nature. People with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold have a lot of coldness in their bodies. After eating more okra, the coldness in the body of people with spleen and stomach deficiency and coldness will be aggravated, which is very detrimental to their health. Severe cases may also cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Therefore, people with spleen and stomach deficiency and coldness should not eat more okra.
Pregnant women should eat less.
Okra is good for pregnant women, but some things should be paid attention to when eating it. Because okra is cold in nature, pregnant women with spleen and stomach deficiency, easy diarrhea or soft stool should not eat more. Pregnant women with poor gastrointestinal function are very likely to have diarrhea if they eat too much.
Infants and young children should eat it with caution.
Although okra is rich in nutrients, the gastrointestinal function of babies under one year old is not fully developed in all aspects and is relatively fragile. However, okra is cold in nature, and very young babies or babies with weak spleen and stomach may suffer from diarrhea if they eat it.
