A staple of the Southern American diet and originating from Africa and Asia, Okra is seen in a lot of dishes from gumbo to sautes. This green, fleshy seed pod provides plenty of fiber for any meal and is easy to season.
Did You Also Know That Okra Has Benefits for Diabetics?
It contains about 3 grams of non-soluble fiber per 100 grams. That’s about 8 pods. If you’ve ever eaten okra, you’d know it’s a veggie that tends to fill you up fast. All this fiber is great for slowing digestion of your food to prevent blood sugar spikes.
Okra also helps keep your cholesterol levels down, which is important as diabetics are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
What Are Some Other Reasons To Add Okra To Your Diet?
Beyond the fiber, this fleshy pod is very low in calories. It won’t add a lot to your meal plan, other than a slightly sweet, almost nutty taste. You won’t have to worry about okra breaking your diet!
Some research indicates that okra may help keep your blood glucose levels down over time too. The Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine released a study where the authors gave powdered okra extract to rats with gestational diabetes. They found that the rats’ glucose levels were better, and their offspring had a higher birth weight than those in the control group.
Of course, scientific research on this plant’s effects is still in the early stages. Plenty of other anecdotal evidence also supports the idea that this seed pod has something special going for it. Some people even soak okra slices in water overnight and drink the water the next day, claiming that it helps control their blood glucose levels.
Plus, okra has been found to:
- contain many plant antioxidants
- cut down on fatigue
- improve constipation
- reduce the risks of some types of cancer
- improve symptoms of depression
- ease sore throat, ulcers, lung inflammation, and irritable bowel
While research into some of the powers of this super food is ongoing, okra does have proven amounts of fiber and few calories. You can easily incorporate it into your diabetic diet plan.
[expand title=”References“]
Okra. URL Link. Accessed June 9, 2017.
Benefits of Okra for Diabetes. URL Link. Accessed June 9, 2017.
Therapeutic Effect Of Okra Extract On Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Rats Induced By Streptozotocin. URL Link. Accessed June 9, 2017.
Okra: Health Benefits and Nutritional Information. URL Link. Accessed June 9, 2017.
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