Okra is used to adorn the soups of many homes across the country. It is made into soup either alone or in combination with some other leafy vegetables, like bitter leaf and ugwu. Sometimes, it is mixed with ogbono.
Without a doubt, it is a healthy addition to a diet and a powerful ally to prevent some diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
In a new study, scientists found that intake of okra can help prevent atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fat deposits in and on the walls of blood vessels and the cause of such conditions as heart disease and a heart attack.
As plaque (fatty deposits) builds up, the wall of the blood vessel thickens. This narrows the channel within the artery, reducing blood flow and, therefore, the amount of oxygen and other nutrients that reach the cells of the body.
Plaque may partially or totally block blood flow through large- or medium-sized arteries in the heart, brain, pelvis, legs, arms, or kidneys. This often has no symptoms until a plaque ruptures or the buildup is severe enough to block blood flow.
This can lead to conditions such as heart disease, heart failure, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Where the blood flow to the extremities (often the legs) is blocked, gangrene, or tissue death can result.
The researchers, in the Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, studied the effect of okra seed supplementation on the rats that were made to have an excess of cholesterol in their bloodstream (hypercholesterolemia) at Banaras Hindu University Department of Zoology, Uttar Pradesh.
Okra seed (dry) was grinded and administered at doses of 250 grammes and 500 grammes at low and high doses for a period of 42 days during the year 2017.
The administration of okra seed powder at 250 grammes (low dose) and 500 grammes (high dose) produced a significant reduction in body weight and the level of “bad” cholesterol, which is medically termed low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol makes up most of the body’s cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol raise the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium are the principal elements in okra pods, which contain about 17 percent of the seeds; the presence of other vital minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium and nickel has also been reported.
Fresh pods are low in calories (20 per 100 g), practically no fat, high in fibre, and have several valuable nutrients, including about 30 percent of the recommended levels of vitamin C, 10 to 20 percent of folate, and about five percent of Vitamin A.
Dried okra sauce (pods mixed with other ingredients and regularly consumed in West Africa) does not provide any beta-carotene (vitamin A) or retinol. However, fresh okra pods are the most important vegetable source of viscous fibre, an important dietary component to lower cholesterol.
Although further research work is to be carried out to come to a final conclusion, the researchers declared that “consumption of okra seed probably decreases the probability of cardiovascular disease as it decreases the LDL level. The results show that the lipid (fat) profile of okra seed-fed rats is comparable to that of normal diet-fed rats. Results also indicate that okra seed is effective for LDL reduction.”
Previously, other studies said that the gel in okra called mucilage, a soluble fibre, and helps to lower cholesterol by binding to it during digestion. This helps cholesterol leave the body through stools.
This dietary fibre, which is essential for colon health and digestive health as a whole, can also help to clean out the gastrointestinal system, allowing the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency.
Additionally, its high fibre content can benefit the digestive system and help regulate blood sugar levels. Its mucilage, a type of fibre, helps the digestive system break down food and can soothe blood sugar by regulating the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.
In a 2011 study published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Bio-Allied Science, researchers corroborated that okra is a potential alternative source to treat diabetes because it was found to lower the blood sugar level significantly in tested animals under laboratory conditions.
However, eating the entire edible part of okra is important for maximising its health benefits, including cancer prevention. In a recent cohort study carried out in the US and published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers found that men eating a southern dietary pattern (characterised by eating okra, grits, cornbread, beans, rice, and sweet potatoes) experienced 40 percent less prostate cancer than those not eating such a diet.
It also holds promise for treating stomach ulcers. In a 2004 study titled: ‘Glycosylated compounds from Okra Inhibit Adhesion of Helicobacter pylori to Human Gastric Mucosa’, the extracts from okra were found to prevent H. pylori, the germ that causes stomach ulcers, adhering to the walls of the stomach, thereby preventing peptic ulcer.
The researchers assumed in this study, which was documented in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, that the anti-adhesive qualities of okra were due to a combination of glycoproteins and highly acidic sugar compounds, a complex three-dimensional structure that is fully developed only in the fresh juice of the okra fruits.
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