Okra, a rather forgotten garden vegetable, provides a number of valuable nutrients, including fiber. Several of the most prominent of them must be obtained through food, and if you don’t get enough of them, a deficiency can seriously compromise your health, as previously noted. Here Ralph Flores, NaturalNews.com, reflects on okra as a gut-friendly vegetable you need to eat more often:

“Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a vegetable that can easily polarize a dinner table. The hot topic, of course, is whether they love or loathe its mucilaginous texture once it’s cooked.

The operating word “mucilaginous” here can be interpreted in two ways: Those who love it call it “slick,” and for those who loathe it, it’s “slimy.” Still, whether you like its unique texture or not, you can’t deny its wide range of health benefits – especially when it comes to improving our digestive health.

Our relationship with the okra plant goes a long way back. From the time it was first cultivated by the Egyptians nearly 2,000 years ago, it has since traveled the world, reaching central Africa, the Mediterranean, India, and finally, the New World – where it has become a key ingredient in most dishes in the Gulf Coast, as well as South Carolina. These days, it’s known as one of the most reliable vegetables in the tropics, making it a widely grown plant in these regions. The plant, which also goes by the names “ladies’ fingers” or “bhindi,” is related to both hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and marshmallow (Althaea officinalis).

A closer inspection of the okra plant will reveal that it’s mostly made up of water, carbohydrates, and protein – with a little bit of fat and some dietary fiber. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C – plus, it’s also rich in essential nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, iron, beta-carotene, and B vitamins. Studies have also shown that the water-soluble mucilage, which is the source of okra’s viscous, slippery texture, is linked to its ability to effectively treat gastritis and conditions that involve an inflammation of the mucous membranes. Quercetin, noted to be the main antioxidant present in okra, plays an important role in down-regulating inflammation in the body.”

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