There are lots of plant parts that are not popularly consumed
even though they are edible and filled with nutrition and health promoting
properties. This is because a part of the plant is more known as food or the popular
part is more delicious.
Okra leaves are not as popularly used as the seed pods
though they are beneficial to health. When they are cooked in water, they are
as mucilaginous as the seed pods, indicating the presence of soluble fibers.
Okra is commonly grown in Nigeria but most of us don’t use the leaves for
culinary purposes.
Like most leaves, okra leaves are rich in fiber and
micro nutrients with antioxidant properties. They are prepared the same way
ewedu(jute leaves) are prepared and eaten with stew and starchy pastes. They
can be added to ogbono(African
mango seeds) soup. They can also be eaten raw and included in salads.
Health conscious individuals know the importance of fiber in
the diet. Foods with mucilage contain
soluble fiber which has a lot of health
benefits including regulation of blood sugar levels and lowering cholesterol
levels. Okra is excellent for general health. Read more here about mucilaginous
foods.
Tender okra leaves are best for eating because older leaver
are harder and taste more bitter. Tender leaves are also more mucilaginous.
A lot of other African leaves have mucilage but most of our
indigenous foods have become unappreciated recently with some having been mostly
forgotten.
Please share your okra leaves recipes below. Follow on
Twitter @heal2bwell.
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