A series of PresentationByMr. Allah Dad Khan former DG Agriculture Extension KP Province and Visiting Professor the University of Agriculture Peshawar allahdad52@gmail.com

2. Impressive Health Benefits of okra
A series of Presentation
By
Mr. Allah DadKhan
former DG Agriculture Extension KP Province and
Visiting Professor the University of Agriculture
Peshawar
allahdad52@gmail.com

5. Health Benefits Of Okra
Like a number of natural ingredients,
scientists are turning a keen eye to this time-
tested home remedy. We now have research
to back the folklore – which happened to be
right. The following are benefits of okra,
most of which would probably have never
occurred to us.

7. 1. Okra Packs A Truckload Of Nutrients
Okra pods are loaded
with significant amounts
of vital nutrients –
protein, fiber, calcium,
iron, and zinc.3 It, thus,
qualifies as an effective
economical tool capable
of treating malnutrition
around the world.

8. 2. Okra Helps Control Hunger
Okra is loaded with
soluble fibers.4 Soluble
fiber makes you feel full
faster and for longer. This
can help keep your
calorie intake in check,
helping you with your
weight loss goals. With a
longer-lasting feeling of
satiety, your need to
binge will be curbed
immensely.

9. 3. Okra Manages Diabetes Mellitus
• Turkish people have long been
consuming an infusion of roasted okra
seeds to manage diabetes mellitus.
• Okra’s peel and seed can lower blood
glucose levels, making them useful in
managing diabetes mellitus.7 They do so
by inhibiting carb-breaking enzymes,
increasing sensitivity to insulin, and
ensuring there are sufficient insulin-
producing cells in the pancreas.8 More
insulin and less breakdown of carbs to
glucose means lower blood sugar.
• One study proved that okra seeds
prevent the intestinal breakdown of
carbohydrates to glucose by inhibiting the
enzyme alpha-glucosidase.9

10. 4. Okra Stabilizes Cholesterol Levels
• Okra would make a great
functional food
ingredient!
• The more finely ground okra
powder is, the better it can
adsorb cholesterol.10
• Okra promotes cholesterol
degradation and inhibits the
production of fat in the
body.11 It, thus, decreases
total cholesterol and
triglyceride and enhances
excretion of bile acids
(made from cholesterol) in
the feces.

11. 5. Okra Fortifies Bones And Prevents
Excessive Bleeding
The most abundant
vitamin in okra is
vitamin K.12 This vitamin
helps strengthen bones
and promotes clotting of
blood. Okra, thus, helps
prevent osteoporosis,
fractures, and excessive
bleeding (due to injury
or bleeding disorders).

12. 6. Okra Boosts Immunity And Improves
Eyesight
Okra contains moderate
levels of vitamin A.Vitamin
A encourages the
production of white blood
cells, key players in your
immune system. While
infections and diseases
do their rounds in the
general population, okra
will equip your body well
enough to resist.

13. 7. Okra Prevents Gastritis
• In Asian medicine, the fruit of
the okra plant is used as a
mucilaginous food additive to
treat gastric irritations.
• H. pylori bacteria infect the
stomach lining and cause
inflammation called gastritis.
Okra juice contains anti-
adhesive compounds that bind
to the surface of free-floating
bacteria in the gut.14 15 This
unanticipated binding blocks
sites on the bacteria
responsible for docking to the
stomach lining. In effect, okra
juice prevents H.
Pylori infections and gastritis.

14. 8. Okra Prevents Liver Disease
Your liver is your body’s prime
detox organ. Okra can help
ensure it is protected from
disease. In one study,
chemically-induced liver
disease in rats was efficiently
counteracted by okra.16 Oral
pre-administration of okra
extracts reduced the effects of
damaging free radicals that
cause liver disease. Okra may
have done so by stabilizing
liver cell membranes, making
them more defensive against
intruding free radicals

15. 9. Okra Staves Off Neurodegenerative
Disorders
Okra may help reduce
the risks of Alzheimer’s
in individuals who are
genetically predisposed
to it.17 It may also help
prevent other
neurodegenerative
diseases related to
oxidative stress.

16. 10. Okra Kills Breast Cancer Cells
• In one study, a lectin
isolated from okra was
capable of instigating cell
suicide in breast cancer
cells.18 The growth of
breast tumor cells was
inhibited by a significant
63%.
• Breast cancer affects 1 in
8 women during their
lifetime.19 Incorporating
okra in your diet may help
reduce this statistic
drastically.

17. 11. Okra Keeps Asthma Symptoms In
Check
Okra seems to be
beneficial for asthma
patients.20 21 How exactly
it does so is not yet
known. Some postulate
that okra’s high vitamin C
content is responsible for
its respiratory benefits,
however, no clear
correlation between
vitamin C and asthma
exists.

18. 12. Okra High Fiber Content
The dietary fiber content
of okra/lady’s finger is
known to be high, and
hence, many health
specialists recommend
it for digestive benefits.
The fibers aid the
process of digestion in
the body by facilitating
proper bowel
movement.

19. 13. Okra Prevents Diabetes
Okra is known to aid in
the prevention of
diabetes. It is rich in
fiber that helps in the
prevention of this
disease.

20. 14. Okra Good Folate Content
The folates present in
okra reduce the neural
tube defects in a
newborn baby. So, it is
highly recommended for
women during the
preconception period or
pregnancy.

21. 15. Okra and Vitamin K Benefits
Vitamin K is a co-factor
in the blood-clotting
process. It also plays a
major role in
strengthening the bones
in our body.

22. 16. Okra Prevents Constipation
By facilitating the
proper absorption of
water, okra/ lady’s finger
vegetable ensures free
motion disposal by the
body and, hence,
prevents constipati

23. 17. Okra Prevents Sunstroke
Okra helps prevent
sunstrokes.

24. 18. Okra Controls Obesity
With the regular usage
of okra, in either the raw
or the cooked form, you
can avoid obesity to a
great extent. Obesity is
not necessarily due to
the consumption of fatty
and calorific foods but
also due to the lack of
nutrients

25. 19. Okra Low GI (Glycemic Index) Food
If you are diabetic, your
health practitioner will
advise you to eat food
with low GI value. Okra
is one of the foods that
come with a GI index of
20 and as per medical
standards, the GI value
of okra is considered to
be very low.

26. 20. Okra Prevents Kidney Diseases
Kidney problems are a
threat if you are
diagnosed with type-2
diabetes. Almost half of
the diseases related to
kidneys are caused by
diabetes. If you take
okra regularly in your
diet and okra water as
well, it will help prevent
kidney disease

27. 21. Okra Helps In Digestion
Due to its soluble fiber
content, okra helps
accelerate the digestive
system, improves blood
sugar levels and
reduces the risk of heart
diseases. It is extremely
good for the digestive
system.

28. 22. Okra Prevents Skin Pigmentation
The nutrients found in
okra actually help
prevent skin
pigmentation. It is useful
for rejuvenating your
skin and repairing
damages.

29. 23. Okra and Bouncy Hair
If you are tired of your
distressed hair, try using
okra to get that bounce
back. Boil okra with
some water and the
transparent mucilage
that you get can be
used to get your bouncy
hair back.

30. 24. Okra Hair Conditioner
The same mucilage can
be used as a hair
conditioner. Wash your
hair and squeeze out
the excess water.
Massage the watery
mucilage through your
hair and rinse
thoroughly with water.

31. 25. Okra and Scalp Moisturiser
Okra is an excellent
moisturizer for your dry
and itchy scalp. It
leaves your hair feeling
soft and isn’t harmful
like the other cosmetics
available in the market.
It is great for people
with unruly, curly and
lifeless hair.

32. 26. Okra Fights Dandruff
Okra improves the
overall scalp condition
and fights dandruff. It
moisturizes your scalp
and keeps dandruff
away.

33. 27. Okra Shiny Hair
Okra, when used as a
hair rinse, gives great
shine to your hair. You
can give your regular
conditioner a miss once
in a while and take care
of your hair the natural
way.