Okra during pregnancy

Your body undergoes a lot of changes during pregnancy and to keep pace with those changes, it is important that you provide your body with adequate nutrition. In such a situation, a good diet especially of fresh vegetables can make a lot of difference in your body. Including vegetables like okra in your diet during pregnancy is beneficial for your good health. Let us find out what are the benefits of consuming okra during pregnancy. 

nutritional value of okra

Many nutrients are found in a small okra. The below chart explains the nutritional value of bhindi, let us know;

Health Benefits of Okra During Pregnancy

There are many benefits of consuming okra during pregnancy. This vegetable is low in calories and also rich in folate and riboflavin, which are essential for the healthy development of the baby. Some of the benefits of eating okra during pregnancy are as follows;

1. Rich in Vitamin ‘C’ 

Vitamin ‘C’ helps in the absorption of iron in the body which is essential for the growth and development of your baby. As an antioxidant, Vitamin C also protects against heart disease and high blood pressure. It helps in the development of the immune system and skin, capillaries and bones in your baby.

2. Rich in Folate 

Okra is rich in folate and folic acid and can help prevent the risk of birth defects in babies. It is especially recommended to consume okra between the 4th to 12th week of pregnancy as the neural tubes of your baby develop during this time. The folic acid present in okra helps in this development.

3. Is a Good Source of Antioxidants 

Okra is rich in antioxidants which help in building the immunity system of the baby. In addition, they contribute to the development of the fetus and also help reduce the risk of heart disease or diabetes.

4. Rich in Fiber 

Okra is an excellent option to prevent constipation during pregnancy as it contains a lot of soluble and insoluble dietary fibre. These soluble fibers help reduce the risk of diabetes as well as reduce cholesterol in the blood.

5. Aids in good sleep

Okra contains oil and protein along with essential amino acids, such as tryptophan , which are known to improve mental health and aid in sound sleep.

Apart from these, okra is capable of removing toxins from your body as the properties of mucilage and fiber in it stabilize blood glucose. If you are affected by the problem of hair fall and body rashes during pregnancy, then consume okra to keep your hair and skin looking good during this period.

How to include okra in diet during pregnancy 

Okra has many health benefits, so do not forget to include this wonderful vegetable in your diet during pregnancy. Here are some tips on how you can include okra in your diet, let us know;

• Make sure you wash bhindi thoroughly with water before chopping and cooking it. This habit helps in avoiding any risk of infection.
• Cook bhindi on a low flame, by doing this the essential nutrients present in this vegetable will be retained. 
• You can also cook bhindi in a different way. For this, you first wash the bhindi thoroughly and then cut it lengthwise, wrap it in soaked gram flour and fry it. This can be a very tasty dish.
• You can fry bhindi by cutting it lengthwise and coating it with a mixture of egg and breadcrumbs. 
• To remove toxins from the body, crush two okra and soak them in a glass of water overnight. Then drink this water the next morning. This drink helps in reducing the doshas of your body and kidney and controls your cholesterol.
• You can also make bhindi soup or curry as per your choice.

Okra is such a vegetable, the consumption of which does not have any harmful effects on your body during pregnancy. You can consume it every day to improve the health of both you and your baby. However, if you are allergic to this vegetable in any way or feel any physical discomfort after consuming it, it is advisable to consult a doctor to rule out any serious problems.