Okra

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)

Okra (in Hebrew “במיה”, bamia) is the vegetable more people say they dislike than any other — almost always because of the slime. That’s a shame, because that very slime is the most interesting thing about it nutritionally, and there are simple, proven ways to get rid of it on the plate without giving up its benefits in the body.

Nutritionally, okra is a thoroughly dense vegetable: 33 calories per 100 grams, 3.2 grams of fiber and a good amount of minerals — especially magnesium and manganese.

Nutrition facts per 100 grams (fresh)

57 mg of magnesium per 100 grams is a standout figure: okra provides more magnesium than most vegetables, including broccoli and cooked spinach.

The slime — what it actually is

The sticky substance released by okra is called mucilage, or “plant slime.” It is not a defect or a sign of spoilage: it is a mixture of water-soluble polysaccharides and glycoproteins — in nutritional terms, soluble dietary fiber.

Soluble fibers of this kind have well-known roles:

• They form a viscous gel in the small intestine that slows stomach emptying and glucose absorption, and so moderates the rise in blood sugar after a meal.
• They bind bile acids in the gut and increase their excretion, a mechanism linked to lower LDL.
• They are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine and serve as a prebiotic substrate.

There is preliminary research on okra extract and glycemic regulation, including work on water in which okra has been soaked. The evidence is early, mostly in animals and small human studies, and does not justify treating okra as a treatment. As a vegetable rich in soluble fiber within a balanced diet — it is fully justified.

How to get rid of the slime on the plate

The slime is released when okra cells are damaged and come into contact with water. That gives four methods that work, and they can be combined:

1. Cook it whole. A whole pod, without cutting the ends down to the flesh, releases almost no slime. That’s why small, young okra is served whole in many cuisines.
2. High, dry heat. Roasting in the oven at 220°C (428°F) or quick frying in a hot pan dries out the polysaccharide before it has time to spread. This is the most effective method.
3. Acid. Lemon, vinegar, tamarind or tomatoes in a stew break down some of the slime. Not by coincidence, almost every traditional cuisine that cooks okra — Iraqi bamia, Egyptian bamia, gumbo — does so in a tomato or lemon sauce.
4. Dry it before cooking. Rinse early and let it dry completely, and don’t cut a wet vegetable. Water on the surface speeds up the release.

What doesn’t work: long cooking over low heat in lots of liquid. That is exactly the way to maximize the slime.

Benefits

• Exceptionally soluble fiber: mucilage is a high-quality soluble fiber, and its contribution to satiety, glycemic regulation and blood lipid profile is established at the category level.
• Magnesium: 57 mg per 100 grams — among the best vegetable sources, for a nutrient many people get less of than recommended.
• Manganese: 34% of the daily value.
• Vitamin K and vitamin C: 26% of the daily value each, for 33 calories.
• Folate: 15% — significant during the reproductive years and pregnancy.
• Polyphenols: quercetin and its derivatives, and in red varieties also anthocyanins in the skin (which disappear with cooking as the pod turns green).
• Very low in calories with volume and a sense of fullness.

Downsides and considerations

• Oxalates. Okra is considered a high-oxalate food. People who have had calcium-oxalate kidney stones should limit it and eat it with a source of calcium in the same meal — that way the oxalate binds in the gut and not in the kidney. The rest of the population need not worry.
• Vitamin K and anticoagulants. 26% of the daily value per 100 grams. People taking Coumadin don’t need to avoid it — they need steady, consistent intake, so that the drug dose is calibrated to it.
• Fructans and FODMAPs. In large servings okra may trigger symptoms in sensitive people; a serving of about 75 grams is generally considered low-FODMAP.
• Mature pods are fibrous and inedible. Okra that has grown too large becomes woody. The rule: up to 7-8 cm — beyond that it is already tough.
• The slime itself — for some people it is an absolute deal-breaker. The solutions above work, but it’s worth starting with the oven-roasted version rather than the stew.
• Skin irritation from the fuzz. The pods are covered with tiny hairs that can itch. Rinsing or gloves solve it.

Practical use

• Choose small. Pods of 5-8 cm, bright green, that snap cleanly rather than bend. A pod that bends is old and fibrous.
• Roast in the oven: halve lengthwise, toss with olive oil, salt and paprika, and roast at 220°C (428°F) for about 20 minutes until browned. This version is almost completely slime-free, and it changes the mind of most people who “don’t like okra.”
• In a stew: use whole pods, sear them first in a dry pan, and only then add them to a tomato sauce with lemon — as in Iraqi bamia.
• Rinse and dry well before cutting, not after.
• Frozen works great in stews, and is sometimes even less slimy than fresh. Don’t thaw — add it directly to the hot pot.
• For people prone to kidney stones: combine it with yogurt, cheese or tahini in the same meal, and drink water.

Summary

Okra provides 3.2 grams of fiber, 57 mg of magnesium and 26% of the daily value of vitamin K and vitamin C — for 33 calories. The slime that repels so many people is soluble dietary fiber, and from a health standpoint it is the vegetable’s strength, not its weakness. The practical recommendation: high heat, acid, and small whole pods — these three remove almost all the slime from the plate while keeping its benefit in the gut. People prone to kidney stones should keep the oxalates in mind.