People from the southern and eastern parts of the world are well introduced to Okra. It is a very famous and highly nutritious vegetable. Not to mention, this vegetable is my absolute favorite.
I can’t think of a favorite food list without including Okra. You can bake, fry or cook this veggie by itself or have this with any other non-veg or veg dishes. But does it not taste the best if you cook it half-boiled in minimal oil and eat it as a side dish?
As we all know, ketogenic is a low-carb diet. So, the question remains, is okra keto friendly? Because of Okra’s low carb and high fiber properties, this vegetable is ideal for the keto diet plan.
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Facts About Okra
Okra most likely originated in Ethiopia, and the ancient Egyptians had grown it around the 12th century B.C. The cultivation of this plant expanded throughout North Africa and the Middle East. People used to cook and eat seed pods dishes of this vegetable.
Then they utilized roasted and crushed seeds of Okra as a coffee replacement. This food mostly thrives in warmer weather. So, why do we need this vegetable in our keto-diet plan?
Well, Meats provide all of the macronutrients in ketogenic. However, in the case of minerals and vitamins, the excellent old-school salad style is the best. And Okra seems to be the best choice for that.
Okra is a versatile vegetable that you can use in various dishes. It has a lot of fiber and a lot of healthy vitamins. Let us look into those features and their keto-friendly substances.
The Goodness Of Okra
You can eat Okra as baked, fried, or steamed. It is rich in various substances. Such as,
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Manganese
- Potassium
- Vitamin B9 or Folate
- Vitamin B6 and
- Thiamin
As you can see, Okra is rich in minerals and vitamins. Moreover, Okra is rich in water content. So, it helps with the dehydration issues in the body.
The Goodness Of Okra Seeds
According to various proven research, okra seeds have been proven to contain a considerable amount of anti-diabetic qualities. In addition, many health supplements on the market include okra seeds because of their richness in nutrition.
Why Is Okra Keto Friendly?
Okra is great for keto because of its low net carb count. It’s also unprocessed and does not have dangerous substances. Furthermore, this vegetable is diet-friendly because of its richness in fiber.
There are a few features that make Okra specifically suitable for keto. For example, the Potassium substance is an essential nutrient for those suffering from the keto flu.
Low In Net Carbohydrates
Okra is keto-friendly as its net carbohydrate is very low. You can get 2.01 grams of net carbs per 85 grams (8 pods- boiled) of serving. This doesn’t even cover the proportions of a half-day carb allowance in keto.
Furthermore, the net carbohydrates you get in a raw, uncooked 100 grams portion of Okra are 3.8 grams. The actual number it contains is 7 grams of total carbohydrates, of which 3.2 grams are fiber. Fiber is always subtracted from total carbohydrates when calculating net carbs.
In ketogenic, you need to maintain a net carb intake of between 20 and 50 grams per day. Furthermore, A half-cup boiled Okra contains only 1.9 grams of net carbohydrates. So, even if you mix and consume it with similar carb-containing vegetables, it will not disturb your keto-diet plan.
The consistent water properties of Okra help to keep balance with the high-fat consisting keto-diet. On the other hand, keto requires a lot of fats and calories. So, the fibers of Okra keep a nutrition balance in your body.
Health Benefits Of Okra
We already know the probable reasons for Okra being keto-friendly. Now I would like to emphasize the beneficial health elements of this vegetable. Even if you do not follow a keto-diet plan, it will be a healthy factor in your chart.
As we are discussing the facts about keto, I will highlight the health factors and correlate them with ketogenic. This vegetable comes with a great deal of goodness. I will discuss the health benefits so that you can be at ease if you are thinking of going for a keto diet plan and you love Okra.
Ideal Blood Sugar Levels
As we have already discussed, the Proportion of Okra is low in carbohydrates and has high fiber properties. As a result, it’s an excellent treat for you to control your blood sugar levels.
Because it contains high fibers, Okra has a low glycemic index (G.I.). The glycemic index (G.I.) is a number that indicates the rise in blood sugar levels because of particular foods.
A high blood sugar level often hampers the diet plan, and medication progresses. That is more prominent in the case of diabetes or the keto diet plan.
Some research shows that Okra can indeed reduce our blood sugar levels. It is beneficial to people with diseases like diabetes and thyroids. It reduces the sugar observation rate in our digestive system.
Thus, that process results in better blood sugar regulation. Furthermore, it preserves energy for a more extended time.
This feature is beneficial to the ketogenic diet because ketogenic is a low sugar-tolerant diet plan. This vegetable helps balance the diet plan by maintaining the sugar balance in the blood.
Reduced Heart Diseases
We all know that raising cholesterol in your blood is harmful to your body. The vegetable Okra has a high number of flavonoids. Flavonoid is a substance that helps your heart to remain healthy.
High cholesterol (or LDL) can pollute your blood arteries. This pollution can result in hampered blood flow. It is an excellent trait of Okra that substantially helps decrease cholesterol in the blood.
The property in Okra that helps with cholesterol reduction is “mucilage.” It is the gel-like substance found in this veggie. This property is proven to reduce the bad cholesterol in our system.
You might be wondering, is okra keto friendly, and what is its relationship with cholesterol control? Various studies have found that people who follow a keto diet have a considerably higher risk of heart diseases such as LDL cholesterol development, kidney problems, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, etc.
The reason is the essential food requirements of keto. High fat-containing foods may cause this kind of disease. So, it is mandatory to balance out the diet chart with high fiber-containing food like Okra.
This will not disturb the keto plan. On the other hand, it will help to maintain the health in check.
Benefits During Pregnancy
Folate, or vitamin B9, is a critical nutrient for pregnant women. It reduces the chances of a specific condition occurring in a developing infant within the womb. Furthermore, the doctors recommend a 400 mcg Folate dose for all pregnant women per day to reduce the difficulties.
Despite the doctor’s advice, women’s diets still lack enough Vitamin B9. That is where Okra comes in as a savior. A 100g serving of Okra has enough Folate to meet up to 15% of a woman’s daily needs.
Regardless of ketogenic properties, Okra is a beneficial vegetable for various health issues. So, other than keto followers, this vegetable is helpful to others.
Cancer Preventive Properties
Some researchers have shown that Okra has the potential of reducing the development of human cancer cells. This is a major beneficial characteristic of this keto-friendly ingredient.
The reason is that Okra contains a protein called Lectin. This is a good substance that can help prevent cancer progression in humans. One research discovered that Okra could prevent the development of breast cancer cells by 63 percent.
However, these experiments are conducted in a highly controlled setting using just extracted components. So, the authenticity depends based on the environment. But it is proven that high-fiber foods like Okra can prevent stomach cancers and other harmful diseases in the body.
Okra Keto Friendly Dishes
Personally, Okra is one of my favorite dishes of all time. I love it fried, cooked, boiled, or mixed with fish curry and plain rice. However, you can enjoy this food in various ways.
For example,
- The baked okra recipe with almond flour, salt, pepper, and olive oil is nutritious and delicious. And you have a fantastic gluten-free and keto-friendly snack or side dish.
- Half-boiled and cooked Okra with plain rice is a great choice. You have to half-boil the Okra and then cook it on low heat and with a small amount of oil. Make sure to mix in the spices. And, enjoy it with plain rice.
These recipes sound fancy but straightforward. So, you might be wondering, is okra keto friendly while being mixed with these ingredients? Well, yes, they are. However, it is better to leave the plain rice option out as rice is not keto-friendly.
The Keto Unfriendly Okra Recipe
Even though Okra is a keto-friendly food, it is not the case with a few processed recipes. For example, the Okra chips. Especially the ones you find in stores.
Okra chips from the store contain 7 grams of net carbohydrates in one piece, and the whole bag contains 25 grams. It is excessive for a keto diet because it surpasses half of carb intake limitations in a day. Hence, Okra chips are not keto-friendly.
Keto chips can only be considered keto-friendly if they have less than 4 grams of net carbohydrates in each bag. But it is tough to find one in the stores. Processed foods are hardly found low in carbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much net carbohydrates do Okra have?
Okra is a nutrient-dense vegetable that is ideal for a keto diet. A cup or 100 grams of raw Okra has just 31 calories, 7 grams of total carbs, and 3.2 grams of fiber.
For only 3.8 grams of net carbohydrates per 100 grams, you receive a good Vitamin C and K supply. Also, it contains lots of antioxidants and 2 grams of protein.
2. Is Okra beneficial for losing weight?
Okra contains several health properties that will help you to reduce weight. Furthermore, the carbohydrates and fibers in this vegetable can lower body weight, blood sugar levels, and total cholesterol.
According to some studies, Okra has been proven to be effective in lowering fat substances in diabetic patients. So, many people love to include this vegetable in their diet charts.
3. What diseases can Okra prevent?
Okra contains vitamins C and A, B complex vitamins, iron, and calcium. It is beneficial to people who suffer from the renal colic disease, leukorrhea disease, and fatigue. So, people commonly use it as a dietary supplement.
Because of its high iodine concentration, the vegetable is thought to be beneficial in treating goiter. A goiter is a thyroid gland growth that forms a bump in the front of the neck.
4. How much carbohydrates does fried Okra contains?
Each 90 grams dish of fried Okra contains 195 calories. This serving has 11 grams of fat, 3.4 grams of protein, and 20 grams of carbohydrates.
5. Is Okra a type of starch?
Okra is a non-starchy vegetable. The okra pods contain very little starch per serving. Although Okra contains carbs, most of those carbohydrates are in the form of dietary fiber rather than starch.
6. What is the calorie count of a dish of fried Okra with batter?
1 cup of fried batter-dipped Okra contains 173 calories.
7. What are the health advantages of Okra?
Okra is high in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants. It can help prevent major illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Magnesium is also abundant in Okra.
8. Is Okra good for lowering blood sugar?
According to various research, Okra lowers blood sugar by reducing sugar absorption from the organs. The fiber in this vegetable’s green and seedy section is responsible for this sugar-lowering proportion.
However, you should obtain those healthy fibers through meals. It is better to avoid supplements.
Final Thoughts
People worldwide love this food not just because of its health benefits but also its richness in taste. Okra is rich in fibers and many other health properties. That is why this vegetable is highly popular with health-conscious people like me.
Now, the question remains, is okra keto friendly or not? The answer is yes, it is. As discussed in the article, Okra is low in carbohydrates and rich in fibers. Even though it is lower in fat, this veggie works great to balance out the high-fat diet chart of keto.
Therefore, I hope you have found your desired answers about Okra. Now you can utilize your Okra-based keto diet plan properly.
