Herbs, Plants, Trees and Roots | July, 2012

You entered Gumboo, the more common name is...

A healthy vegetable, Okra is high in fiber, vitamin C, and folate. Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants and is eaten as part of a weight loss diet since it is both fat-free and cholesterol-free.  Okra is also a good source of calcium and potassium.  It is believed that eaten regularly may help to lower high blood sugars.

Okra

SCIENTIFIC NAME:
(Abelmoschus esculentus)


The Okra plant can grow from 3 to 6 feet tall. It is a flowering plant in the mallow family and is valued for its edible green seed pods. The species is an annual or perennial with leaves that are 10 to 20 cm long. The flowers are 4 to 8 cm in diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base of each petal. The fruit is a capsule up to 18 cm long, containing numerous seeds.



Common Names:

Lady Fingers, Gumbo


Okra

Uses:

A healthy vegetable, Okra is high in fiber, vitamin C, and folate. Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants and is eaten as part of a weight loss diet since it is both fat-free and cholesterol-free. Okra is also a good source of calcium and potassium. It is believed that eaten regularly may help to lower high blood sugars.



Applications:

Eating:
Eat as much as you like as often as you can.


Warnings:

Those prone to kidney stones may want to avoid this veggie.

With any herb, there is the risk of an allergic reaction. Small children and pregnant women should use additional caution when considering the use of herbal remedies.