Vegetables like okra/okro can be ideal for your pregnancy diet. Let’s find out all about lady’s finger benefits, or okra during pregnancy. Okra soup is an ovulation booster and increases a woman’s chances of getting pregnant especially as regards getting pregnant with twins.
A good diet of fresh vegetables can make a great difference to your body, especially during pregnancy. With the number of changes your body is going through, it is important that you provide it with enough nutrition to sustain and accommodate these changes.
Questions have, however, been raised whether What are the Benefits of Okra During Pregnancy? Is okro soup good or safe in pregnancy?
Can a pregnant woman eat okro soup? Is it safe for pregnant women?
Is Okro soup good during pregnancy? There is a myth out there that warns pregnant women from eating okra soup because of the belief that it causes miscarriage or pregnancy loss but this is FALSE.
During pregnancy, the mother’s body needs essential nutrients to ensure the healthy growth of the fetus.
okra was considered to be a very versatile vegetable that is packed with beneficial properties.
Okra is loaded with essential vitamins and nutrients, and its goodness has made it a part of the must-have in a pregnancy diet in different parts of the world.
Is Okra Good for Pregnant Women?
Okra is a nutritious pod vegetable that is good for pregnancy. Eating okra during pregnancy will help you obtain various nutrients such as folic acid, fibre, protein, carbohydrates, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, beta-carotene, etc. vital for pregnancy.
Even if you consume okra in any form whether cooked, fried, roasted, or grilled, you will still be able to reap the maximum nutrients stored in it.
Health Benefits of Okra During Pregnancy
Okra extends several benefits to pregnant women. It is a low-calorie vegetable and is rich in folate and riboflavin, which are essential for the healthy development of the baby. Some of the benefits of eating okra during pregnancy are:
1. Rich in Dietary Fiber:
Fibre is very important for easing out bowel problems, which are very common during pregnancy. Okra is a rich source of both soluble fibre and insoluble fibre.
According to some recent findings, soluble fibre prevents diabetes and helps to lower blood cholesterol level whereas insoluble fibre aids in the functioning of the digestive system.
2. Packed with Vitamin C
Vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron in the body, which promotes your baby’s growth. As an antioxidant, Vitamin C also prevents cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.
It further promotes immunity and the development of skin, capillaries, and bones in your baby.
3. Good Source of Antioxidants
Okra has an abundance of antioxidants that can build your baby’s immune system, promote foetal growth, and lower the risk of ailments and cardiovascular diseases or diabetes in the baby.
4. Controls Hair Fall:
During pregnancy, women complain of excessive hair fall. This can be controlled considerably by consuming okra.
5. Promotes Good Sleep:
Okra contains essential amino acids, namely tryptophan, which improves the mental health of a person and aids in getting good sleep.
Sleep is a problem during pregnancy and hence eating okra can ease things a bit.
6. Rich in Folate
Okra is a good source of folate: folic acid can help prevent the risk of birth defects in babies.
Consuming okra is especially recommended between the 4th and the 12th weeks of pregnancy, as this is when the neural tubes in your baby develop. Folic acid in okra aids this development.
Side effects of okra during pregnancy
Okra is very healthy for pregnancy. But as the general rule says anything in excess can be harmful, and the same applies to the consumption of okra too.
Okra is rich in fructans, and excessive consumption of okra can cause bloating, gas, diarrhoea, and other bowel-related problems.
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