Eating Lady Finger (Okra) during Pregnancy – Is It Good?

A good diet of fresh vegetables can make a great difference to your body, especially during pregnancy. With the number of changes your body is going through, it is important that you provide it with enough nutrition to sustain and accommodate these changes. Vegetables like okra can be ideal for your pregnancy diet. Let’s find out about all about lady finger benefits during pregnancy.

Nutritional Value of Lady Finger

Okra stores a lot of nutritional components in its tiny frame. Here is a chart with the nutritional value of the vegetable.

Health Benefits of Okra during Pregnancy

Okra extends several benefits to pregnant women. It is a low-calorie vegetable and is 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,

1. Packed with Vitamin C

Vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron in the body which promotes your baby’s growth. As an antioxidant, Vitamin C also prevents cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. It further promotes immunity and the development of skin, capillaries and bones in your baby.

2. Rich in Folate

Okra is a good source of folate and folic acid can help prevent the risk of birth defects in babies. Consuming okra is especially recommended between the 4^th and the 12^th weeks of pregnancy as this is when the neural tubes in your baby develop. Folic acid in okra will aid in this development.

3. Good Source of Antioxidants

Okra has an abundance of antioxidants which can build your baby’s immune system, promote foetal growth and lower the risk of ailments and cardiovascular diseases or diabetes in the baby.

4. Packed with Fibre

A rich content of soluble and insoluble dietary fibre makes okra an excellent choice to prevent constipation during pregnancy. The soluble fibre reduces the risk of diabetes and even cuts down cholesterol in the blood.

5. Promotes Good Sleep

Essential amino acids like tryptophan are present in okra along with oils and proteins which are known to improve the mental well being and aid in getting quality sleep.

Apart from these, okra can also remove toxins from your body as the mucus and the fibre in okra stabilise the glucose in the blood. Pregnant women can also consume okra to maintain their skin and hair, especially if they are affected by rashes and hair fall.

How to Include Okra in Your Pregnancy Diet?

With the multitude of benefits adding bhindi in your pregnancy diet is something that you shouldn’t miss out on. Here are some tips on how to add okra to your diet and some precautions you need to follow while doing so.

• Ensure that you wash the okra thoroughly with water before cutting or cooking it. This helps prevent any risk of infection.
• Try to cook okra on low heat to prevent losing out on essential nutrients.
• You can try a simple recipe where you clean the okra, slit into vertical halves, coat them in gram flour and fry it. This can serve as a delicious finger food.
• You can also coat the sliced okra with egg and breadcrumbs and fry it.
• To remove toxins from the body, you can crush two okras and soak them in a glass of water overnight. Drink this the next morning. The drink helps detoxify your body, including your kidneys and even regulate your cholesterol.
• You can also make okra soup or curry as per your liking.

Okra is a wonder food that has no harmful side-effects to your body during pregnancy. You can consume it every day to improve the health of both you and your baby. However, if you notice any allergic reactions to the vegetable or feel any physical discomfort after eating it, it is advised that you consult a doctor to rule out any serious issues.