Okra During Pregnancy: Benefits And Ways To Include

Image: Midjourney/ MomJunction Design Team

Okra, commonly known as lady’s finger, is a rich source of folate. This post highlights the benefits of okra during pregnancy. Folate is the natural form of folic acid, which is one of the essential nutrients for pregnancy. This prenatal vitamin helps prevent congenitalⁱCondition or situation existing right from the birth disabilities such as neuralⁱRelated to the nervous system tube defects in babies. Okra is also known to help manage blood sugar levels. Read on to know more about the benefits of having okra while pregnant, and interesting ways in which you can include the vegetable in your daily meal.

Is Okra Good For Pregnancy?

Yes, okra is a nutritious pod vegetable that is good to eat during pregnancy. It is rich in fiber, folic acid, protein, carbohydrate, Vitamin C, B3, and K, beta-carotene, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. Whether you eat it boiled, stewed, fried or pickled, you will be able to extract nutrition from it (1).

What Are The Benefits Of Okra During Pregnancy?

The nutrients present in okra are very beneficial for pregnancy and aid in the healthy development of the baby. Read on to learn more about the benefits that okra has to offer for maternal and fetal health.

1. Contain vitamin C: Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron, which promotes the baby’s development and growth. It also boosts immunity of the mother and promotes the development of skin, bones, and capillaries in the baby (2).

Dr. Veena Madhankumar, an obstetricianⁱA person specialized in the branch of medicine concerning childbirth and gynecologist from Perundurai, India, says, “Okra is a good source of major antioxidants such as carotenoids, vitamins C and E, and phenolic compounds. Antioxidants strengthen the mother’s and fetus’ immune systems and hence reduce the risk of infections and cardiovascular issues.”

2. High in folate: Okra is a potent source of folate, which lowers the risk of anemia in mothers and birth defects in the baby. It also boosts the metabolism of carbs, protein and fat, and helps synthesize DNA and red blood cells (3).
3. A source of antioxidants: The major antioxidants in okra include carotenoids, phenolic compounds, vitamins C and E. They promote the mother’s and baby’s immune system, and therefore lower the chances of any infections and cardiovascular issues (1).
4. Contain fiber: In addition to being a low glycemic index vegetable, okra is rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber, making it beneficial for relieving constipation during pregnancy. Soluble fiber works to lower blood cholesterol and treats diabetes, and insoluble fiber promotes digestion (4).

Some other benefits of eating okra include reduced risk of preeclampsia and management of high blood pressure due to its fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium content (4).

According to Blanca Garcia, a registered dietitian nutritionist from Los Angeles, California, “The slimy part of the okra is soluble fiber, also called mucilage. It is actually favored in Asian medicine as a protection against the irritation and inflammation of intestinal diseases. This type of fiber may also help stabilize blood sugar levels and manage gestational diabetes (diabetes in pregnancy).”

Even though many pregnant women include okra in their diet, in parts of Western Africa, such as Nigeria, pregnant women are often advised not to eat it (5). This belief stems from the idea that consuming okra during pregnancy might cause excessive salivation in newborns.

Okra is not known to cause any major side effects during pregnancy, which makes it a vegetable that you must include in your diet during pregnancy.

Did you know?

A study demonstrated that okra extract could avoid excessive antioxidant enzyme consumption and suppress oxidative stress and insulinⁱHormone that is involved in the regulation of blood glucose resistance. It can improve blood glucose levels in gestational diabetes (8).

Keep reading for a breakdown of the nutrients in this vegetable.

Nutritional Value Of Okra

Nutrients present in 100 grams of okra are as follows (4):

g=grams; mg=milligrams; mcg=micrograms

In the following section, we tell you how to include okra in your pregnancy diet, along with a few easy recipes that you can try.

Ways To Include Okra In Pregnancy Diet

Here are some tips and precautions for including okra in your diet.

• Rinse okra thoroughly before cooking it. It minimizes any risk of infection.

• Cook on low flame to prevent loss of nutrients.
• Make delicious finger food by slitting the vegetable in half, coating with gram flour and frying in oil.
• Frying sliced okra, coated with breadcrumbs, is another way to consume okra.

Quick tip

Buying loose okra is better than in packets to ensure freshness. Pick tender, slim, blemish-free, and soft to touch pieces.

Some Simple Pregnancy-Friendly Recipes You May Try

1. Okra stew

Simmered in tomato sauce with cilantro and garlic, this is a flavorful okra stew you will love.

You will need

• 1 lb okra
• 4 medium-sized tomatoes
• 3 medium-sized onions
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 1½ cup water
• ½ tsp salt
• Red pepper powder to taste

How to make

1. Boil water over high flame. Cook tomatoes for one minute, and transfer them into another bowl of cold water. Peel and chop.
2. Add oil to the wide pan, and add onions. Cook until they turn soft. Add tomatoes, water, cilantro, salt and red pepper.
3. Stir occasionally until the mixture becomes saucy.
4. Add okra, occasionally stir until they turn tender.
5. Top with cilantro leaves and you can serve either warm or cold.

Preparation time:

1 hour
Servings: 6

Quick tip

Upon cooking, okra turns gooey due to a slimy substance called mucilage. You may add the vegetable to stews or soups to thicken the consistency.

2. Grilled okra

A scrumptious yet straightforward okra recipe for healthy-eating pregnant women.

You will need

• 1lb okra
• 2tsp olive oil
• Ground black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

How to make

1. Put the okra in a grill basket.
2. Apply olive oil, and place on a grill that is preheated to 450°F.
3. Cook until the peel starts to caramelize, and then turn onto the other side.
4. Once done, remove and sprinkle salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
5. Eat when it is warm.

Preparation time:

15min
Servings: 6

Steps To Make Okra Water For Pregnant Women

Okra water has recently become popular as a vegetable or fruit-infused drink. The simple and easy-to-make healthy beverage is the right choice if you want to enjoy a drink without spending much time preparing it. While the nutritional content of okra water has not yet been evaluated, it may be equivalent to that of raw okra pods (6). Preparing okra water requires crushing two okra and soaking in a glass of water overnight. You can also make okra water by washing the pods first, then slicing the top and bottom off, cutting them into little pieces, and soaking them in water for several hours or overnight. Because of the natural mucilage in the okra, the resulting liquid is thick and slightly slimy. You can directly consume the water the following morning for detoxification, improved skin and vaginal health (7), and cholesterol regulation.

Garcia adds, “Okra water when made fresh, like by soaking overnight or blending okra into a smoothie, can provide a pregnant woman with some of the okra nutrients. Although there isn’t scientific research about okra water, there is research on raw okra containing B vitamins, vitamin C, plenty of soluble fiber, small amounts of protein and carbs, and about 90% water.”

Next, we answer a few commonly asked queries about eating okra during pregnancy.

Infographic: What Are The Benefits Of Okra During Pregnancy?

Vegetables are essential during pregnancy, and okra can protect you and your baby. Okra can help you have a healthy pregnancy and reduce the chances of typical pregnancy problems such as constipation. We bring more benefits of this veggie to help you have a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Benefits Of Okra (Lady Finger) During Pregnancy

Image: Dall·E/MomJunction Design Team

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Dr. Shikha SharmaMBBS

Celebrity nutrition advisor Dr. Shikha Sharma has founded Dr. Shikha’s Nutrihealth in 1998. Dr. Shikha has done her MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College and holds 21 years of experience in the field of health and nutrition.

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  Parmeet KaurBPT Parmeet Kaur is a physiotherapist specializing in pelvic floor and vestibular rehabilitation. She earned her bachelor's degree in physiotherapy from Kurukshetra University and is currently practicing in Ontario, Canada.
  
  Parmeet Kaur is a physiotherapist specializing in pelvic floor and vestibular rehabilitation. She earned her bachelor's degree in physiotherapy from Kurukshetra University and is currently practicing in Ontario, Canada.
• 
  Blanca GarciaRDN Blanca Garcia has been a registered dietitian nutritionist since 2013 with a private practice in Pasadena, California. She currently consults through the preschool Head Start Programs in Los Angeles. Blanca graduated in 2011 from California State University of Los Angeles and interned at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Science campus in 2012.
  
  Blanca Garcia has been a registered dietitian nutritionist since 2013 with a private practice in Pasadena, California. She currently consults through the preschool Head Start Programs in Los Angeles. Blanca graduated in 2011 from California State University of Los Angeles and interned at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Science campus in 2012.

Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

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Aneesha AmonzMSc

Aneesha holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from USTM, Meghalaya and Master’s degree in Applied Microbiology from VIT, Vellore. With two years of experience, she has worked on different research projects in the field of Food Sciences.

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