Okra commonly called as ladies finger is a famous vegetable that has many health benefits. The common health benefits of ladies finger include:
- Pregnancy and fetal development
- It also helps in conceiving and fetal brain development
- Prevents miscarriages
- Formation of fetal neural tube and prevents any defects in the fetal neural tube
- Lowers cholesterol
- Okra contains soluble fiber pectin that helps in lowering the bad cholesterol and prevents atherosclerosis.
- Okra is a rich fiber that helps in digestion and regularization of bowels.
- The soluble fiber pectin swells up in the intestine and helps in easier elimination of waste from the intestine
- Eating okra can reduce colon cancer risk. The insoluble fiber found in okra cleanse out the intestinal tract thus, decreasing the risk of colon rectal cancer.
- The high antioxidants in okara help in protecting your immune system against harmful free radicals and prevent mutation of cells.
- Okra is good for strong bones. The vitamin K is a cofactor in vital blood clotting process.
- It restores bone density and prevents osteoporosis and makes your bones stronger.
- The antioxidant present in okra has high anti-inflammatory property and the vitamin C content prevents the development of asthma symptoms. Eating okra can also reduce asthma attacks.
- It also acts as a respiratory soother. A decoction of leaves and flowers of okra are used in treating bronchitis and pneumonia.
- It is also an excellent home remedy for common cold and flu.
- It relieves constipation
- Okra is beneficial for treating sun strokes
- It can also be used to relieve depression and stress
- The mucilaginous content of okra can act as a hair conditioner and improve your hair texture.
- It can also be used as a scalp moisturizer for the dry and itchy scalp.
- It can also be used as a cure for peptic ulcers.
Okra can be included in your daily diet and can also be used as a natural home remedy to cure various disease conditions.