Okra is among the many ‘green things’ we didn’t want to eat as children. There is something about green food that makes a kid’s face contort in protest and at times disgust. Okra is that vegetable that brings the slime to mind, and asking a child to swallow it seems like a heinous crime, but as adults, we can’t imagine our steam fish without it, nor some of our soups and strews.

Okra is much more versatile than we give it credit. Many people are unaware that okra can be served raw and marinated in salads. It teams well with tomatoes, onions, corn, peppers, and eggplant. The whole fresh pods are also used for pickles. Some adults still shy away from the okra because of the slipperiness but that is easily remedied, since sautéed, or deep-fried this vegetable is crunchy and flavorful.

More important than the taste, however, are the nutrients associated with the okra. According to the research of University of Illinois nutrition specialist Sylvia Zook, Ph.D, "Okra is a powerhouse of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease. The other half is insoluble fiber, which helps to keep the intestinal tract healthy, decreasing the risk of some forms of cancer, especially colon-rectal cancer. Nearly 10 percent of the recommended levels of vitamin B6 and folic acid are also present in a half-cup of cooked okra.”

Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acid.

According to Dr. Zook:

 1. The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.

 2. Okra's mucilage not only binds cholesterol but bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. But it doesn't stop there...

3. Many alternative health practitioners believe all disease begins in the colon. The okra fiber  helps prevent constipation. Fiber in general is helpful for this but okra is one of the best, along with ground flax seed and psyllium.

Unlike harsh wheat bran, which can irritate or injure the intestinal tract, okra's mucilage soothes, and okra facilitates elimination more comfortably by its slippery characteristic many people abhor. In other words, this incredibly valuable vegetable not only binds excess cholesterol and toxins (in bile acids), which cause numerous health problems, if not evacuated, but also assures their easy passage from the body. The veggie is completely non-toxic, non-habit forming (except for the many who greatly enjoy eating it), has no adverse side effects, is full of nutrients, and is economically within reach of jost.

4. Further contributing to the health of the intestinal tract, okra fiber (as well as flax and psyllium) has no equal among fibers for feeding the good bacteria (probiotics).

5.To retain jost of okra's nutrients and self-digesting enzymes, it should be cooked as little as possible, e.g. with low heat or lightly steamed. Some eat it raw.

Source: mindanaw.wordpress.com