It’s Friday and time for your fit and healthy lifestyle tip!
Today’s Tip: Okra health benefits
Ever heard of or tried Okra?
*photo credit
You might have once tasted or seen okra in gumbo or other Cajun and Creole dishes or the popular fried okra but I first saw the okra eaten raw by one food blogger and just knew I wanted to get brave and try it. We bought a bag of okra at our local Farmer’s Market a few weeks ago and served myself some raw okra (rinsed off of course) dipped in ketchup (after I got over the initial shock of the okra being fuzzy on the outside). It was absolute yum! Thanks to Meghann for getting me hooked on that!
I knew nothing about okra but have since learned that it does have many health benefits. Okra is low in calories at about 25 for 1/2 cup sliced cooked okra and it’s packed full of valuable nutrients such as B6, folic acids, fiber and calcium.
To retain most of the nutrients you should cook the okra as little as possible but I like it raw so I would probably never cook it. Oh and you should not rinse okra until you’re ready to use it because it will mold and get slimy. Interesting!
If you want to learn how to cook okra here is a website you might find helpful.
Cook’s website for how to cook okra
I thought for sure Trader Joe’s would have some okra but no such luck AND I was bummed to find that the farmer’s market vendor we purchased it from 2 weeks ago did not have any last night when we returned. They said they are hard to grow especially now with the cooler weather in IL and there were no good ones available. I have their card and will call them next week to see if their friends were able to salvage any more. I’m craving them so I sure hope so!
As I was in the process of writing this blog post, I found more okra cooking tips. Not sure I would eat okra cooked after falling in love with raw but hubby won’t touch the raw with a 10 ft. pole ha ha
Do you like okra and what is your favorite way to prepare it?
P.S. Have a great holiday weekend!
Glad you enjoyed the Okra raw. it really is best when dipped in ketchup. Yum!
Meghann’s last blog post..I’ve Got a Feeling
Right now, you can get dried okra at Trader Joe’s. You might call ahead but it’s delicious right out of the bag! Thanks for the okra information.
Oh my goodness that sounds great! I will definitely keep an eye open for it next time I head to Trader Joe’s. Thank you for stopping by!
I grew up in WV and okra was a favorite to grow and eat fresh out of the garden. It is good pickled also. Great article brought back good memories.
Ramona Goeke’s last blog post..An Action Plan To Achieve Your Goals
im sorry to hear about your pup 🙁
I don’t like things dipped in ketchup, but I’ve never tried fresh okra, and now I think I might.
Diana’s last blog post..Food Contests around the Web – September 3rd, 2009
Meghann, I absolutely love okra now and of course the lady at the farmer’s market can no longer get it. Bummed!
Ramona, thanks for sharing. I wouldn’t mind trying pickled okra sometime.
Caitlin, thanks, we miss our dog so much but we know that he’s in a better place.
Diana, I have cut down on ketchup and I can eat the okra without, it just tasted better to me. Wish I could get some more okra.
My son told me about eating raw okra and I shivered. All I could see was my granny boiling it and the slim dripping off as she ate it. Well, I decided after my son told me the health benefits and I am a diabetic to give it a try. I rinsed it off and toweled dry with paper towels, ate it raw and loved it. I was so shocked no slime but had braced myself just in case. I will continue to tell everyone what they are missing. Awesome