THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OKRO
1. Presently now in Nigeria, We are in the season of okro.
2. In Nigeria, this vegetable is popularly known as okro while in some other countries, it is known as okra.
3. It is because of its long and slender nature that okro is called lady’s finger in part of Europe.
4. Okro comes in two colours: it is mainly green and the other colour is red. Both varieties taste the same and the red one turns green when cooked.
5. Okro is a vicious/slimy vegetable.
6. Okro is a flowering plant known for its edible seed pods.
7. Okro has a mild flavour and basically absorbs the flavour of the spices and seasonings used in cooking it.
8. Okro as a vegetable, likes lot of water and warm environment to grow well.
9. Inside the okro pod are small, edible seeds.
10. Okro is known for its slimy nature. The sliminess is known as mucilage or drawness.
11. Okro is a very popular and delicious soup recipe that is loved by a majority of people in West Africa, especially if cooked well.
12. Just like ogbono soup and ewedu soup, okro soup has a vicious texture which makes it a delicious soup.
13. Okro is loaded with vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber and is more than just a food, but also a medicine.
14. Okro can be used in making soups, sauces and stews.
15. Okro as a vegetable, can be eaten raw.
16. The entire okro plant is edible; the leaves can be used for preparing salads or cooking soups, and the pods can be fried, stewed, pickled, boiled or used as a thickener for soups.
17. The Nigerian okro soup is very healthy and nutritious. It is high in protein, healthy fats and low in carbohydrates.
18. Okro soup is one of the quickest and easiest Nigerian soups to prepare.
19. Okro soup is also known as miyan kubewa (dried okro soup) in Hausa.
20. Okro soup is also known as draw soup, okra soup or lady’s finger soup.
21. Okro soup and ogbono soup are from the same family of draw soups.
22. Okro can be used to cook the following soup recipes: okro soup, plain okro soup, okro soup (without oil), miyan kubewa, okro/ogbono soup and fisherman soup.
23. Some health benefits of okro are as follows:
It improves eyesight.
It prevents diabetes.
It relieves cough.
It boosts digestion.
It prevents constipation.
It stabilizes blood sugar.
It promotes colon health.
It reduces risk of heart disease.
It helps in weight management.
It treats lung inflammation.
It promotes healthy skin and hair