All About Okra
Okra is a flowering plant which originated in Africa and grows in
warm-climate regions. It is a kind of plant which has several sets of
chromosomes coming from different species, thus, the parentage of okra
is still rather vague. The name okra is commonly used in the United
States or the English-speaking Caribbean but it is also known as lady's
finger or gumbo outside the United States. Other countries have
different names for it.
Several countries have disputed the geographical origin of the plant. In
the 12th and 13th centuries however, Egyptians and Moors have already
came to know of the plant using the Arabic word bamay for it which
suggested that okra may have come from the east.
Okra was introduced to the Americas in 1658 brought by the ships coming
from the Atlantic, whose trade includes African slaves. It was brought
to North America in the early 18th century. Okra goes well with staple
food- like rice and potatoes- and in 1806, the North American settlers
have thought of propagating it.
The whole plant is edible. The seed pods are slimy when cooked and it
contain soluble fiber. When preferred, the sliminess can be reduced when
cooked with lemon juice, vinegar or other ingredients with acidic
characteristic. Briefly cooking okra is also another way minimizing the
slime. Okra has also became a part of signature dishes in several
countries The okra leaves can be one of the raw ingredients in salads
and the seeds may be roasted and ground as substitute for coffee.
Different cultures have varying ways of cooking and enjoying it.
Edible oil can also be extracted from the seeds of this plant which can
contain as high as 40% oil. Okra oil is high in oleic and linoleic acids
which are unsaturated fats essential for good health, the latter being
known to help in wound healing. It was also reported that okra helps in
the excretion of water in the body.
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