Popularly referred to as “woman’s fingers” for its slender appearance, okra or okro thrives in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions.
The plant is found in Ethiopia and some western African countries and is available all year round. The whole vegetable is fully edible with a green outside and a slimy inside. One of the reasons it is widely loved and eaten is for its nutritional values. Below are okra nutritional facts, calorie count, and how to freeze or store in the refrigerator.
calories
Okra is one of the vegetables recommended for weight loss and cholesterol control programs due to the fact that it contains minimal calories; Contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. The vegetable is safe, nutritious and said to protect against certain diseases. In addition, okra helps manage blood sugar levels in people with type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Most importantly, okro is rich in vitamins and is a great way to add folic acid, vitamin C, potassium, calcium and fiber to your diet. Overall, this vegetable is tasty and filling.
How to Freeze Okra
Freezing okra preserves the nourishing elements throughout the winter season. Amazingly, there are so many ways to preserve this amazing vegetable, and they’re all easy.
Even recently plucked okra is firm, easy to cut fresh, which means you should select pods straight from the garden. Even so, no matter how you intend to store the okra, you still need to wash it properly.
The next step is cutting off the stems of the okra. You should avoid cutting into the sperm cells. So if there are seeds in the stalks you are cutting off, then you are doing it the wrong way.
This is followed by blanching the okra and adding the veggies to a pot of boiling water. Tiny pods should not be blanched for more than 3 minutes, while larger pods can remain for up to 4 minutes. This process prevents the enzymatic process (which can cause rot even in frozen okro), so the vegetable retains its freshness, flavor, and texture for a long time.
When you’re done blanching, transfer the vegetables to an ice water bath and let cool. You can then slice the veggies if you’d like, or just keep the whole pods in a container, bag, or tray.
After blanching, you can fry before freezing. If you want to deep fry your okra even after blanching, use a skillet to do so. To do this, slice the pods diagonally before sprinkling flour or cornmeal on top and quick freezing in a parchment-lined tray.
Blanching isn’t the only way to preserve the freshness of this great vegetable. You can also fry or bake it.
Before freezing, cook your sliced okra in a pan for a maximum of 8 minutes and a minimum of 6 minutes.
For the baking method, slice and bake in 300 degree oven for 20 minutes before freezing. Note that with either method, as you’d expect, you’ll need to briefly freeze the okra in a parchment-lined tray before inserting the freezer bags or container.
It is also recommended to use the frozen okra within a year if the pods are not sliced and nine months if the pods are chopped.
Quick nutrition facts
1. Facilitates digestion
In a very rich amount, okra contains dietary fiber that aids in digestion and relieves constipation.
2. Improves vision
With nutrients like vitamin A and high levels of antioxidants — beta-carotene, xanthine, and lutein — okra helps alleviate vision problems.
3. Detoxifies
It contains flavonoids involved in the prevention of lung and oral cavity cancer; regulates intestinal metabolism, cleans the tract and protects it from ulcers and colon cancer. It also contains vitamin A, which is good for healthy skin and acts as a natural laxative.
4. Fetal Formation
It contains folates that help in the healthy formation of fetal stage babies.
5. Boosts immunity
Okra is a good source of vitamin C; Helps the human body to develop immunity against infectious agents, cold / cough and protects the body from harmful free radicals.
6. Blood Circulation
Okra vegetable helps in promoting healthy blood circulation and is also good for anemic conditions; production of red blood cells. It also contains vitamin K, which is responsible for blood clotting.
7. Breathing
Because of its antioxidant and vitamin C properties, okra helps treat asthma/respiratory diseases. Okra leaves have anti-inflammatory properties that are useful for treating the respiratory/urinary tract/genitals.
8. Healthy bones
It contains calcium and vitamin K, which are responsible for building strong bones, thus preventing health conditions such as osteoporosis.
9. Physical development
As a good source of protein, okra helps with both body growth and maintaining healthy hair.