OKRA

Geek talk: Abelmoschus esculentus But we talk: lady's fingers , bhindi (Hindi), quimbombó Description: ‘Okra’ is a flowering plant and a member of mellow family. The mellow family resemblance is best identified in ‘Okra’ in its flower form, when it is funnel shaped with five overlapping and heart shaped petals flaring out. There has been a lot of debate on the place of origin of ‘Okra’ as some says it originated in Ethiopia while some argues about its origin in India [1]. The story about the name ‘Okra’ is assumed that it derives its name from one of the Niger-Congo group of languages. Okra is a tropical plant and best cultivates in warm climate [2]. India followed by Nigeria, are the top producers of ‘Okra’ in the world in 2011[3] . Kitchen Pharmacy: The study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition describes the importance of whole wheat rather than refined to maintain a healthy body weight. Wheat bran contains phytochemicals such as phytic acid and lignins that have shown to inhibit in vitro and in vivo growth of mammary cancer. The protective effect of wheat bran in breast carcinogenesis is greatest at the promotional phase when supplemented to a high fat diet.[5]Few Other Kitchen Pharmacy are: Eating okra helps to rid the body of toxins and excess cholesterol. Okra helps to control blood sugar & improving immunity. Okra helps in protection against developing stomach ulcers. Okra reduces birth defects. Nutrition: 8 Pods of OKRA Contains

Origin: South Asian, Ethiopian and West African

  References:

1. http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Okra.cfm
2. http://www.foodreference.com/html/artokra.html
3. FAO Statistic
4. http://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/health-benefits-of-okra-and-a-curry-recipe-to-heal-inflammation/