Okra, a Powerhouse of Potential

Kindly note: As an Amazon Associate and Affiliate for other companies, I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases if you use the links provided. There is no additional cost to you if you use these links. Thanks so much for supporting my home business, Diligent Homemaker!

Okra is a powerhouse food with so much health potential and many preparation options. You think you don’t like it because it can be “slimy”? Let’s give it another look, shall we?

Okra, a member of the mallow family, is technically classified as a fruit but is consumed as a vegetable.

What is okra?

Okra is technically classified as a fruit because it contains seeds inside the pods. A member of the mallow family, okra is related to the flowering hibiscus, as well. Okra is found in red and green colors but green is primarily grown and found in markets. Red okra does turn green when cooked.

Okra is a food that is a source of many vitamins and nutrients. It may be associated with managing diabetes, blood pressure and more health concerns.

Growing Okra

Having its roots, pun intended, in hot climate of Africa, okra enjoys hot and humid weather. I should know. My family has grown okra in southern middle Tennessee for just about my whole life of nearly 60 years.

Tips for planting

The okra seeds are hard so soaking them at least overnight in a cup of water helps to prepare them for planting. Plant as soon as possible after the final spring frost. Mr. Patient always just hoes a furrow (row) and walks down the furrow sprinkling seeds every 3 or 4 inches. He then walks back down the furrow with his feet in a V-format, covering over the seeds. Cover with about 2 inches of soil. We have never amended the soil when growing okra. It thrives in poor, hot soil with hot, humid conditions. We water the seeds maybe the first couple of days but that’s it. We have never regularly watered okra even in drought conditions. In the American South, okra will produce nearly the entire summer growing season.

Can okra be grown in other regions of USA outside of the South?

In between our living in Tennessee, my Mr. Patient and I lived in mid-Ohio (zone 6a) for five years and learned a thing or two about growing okra there. Folks there were not familiar with okra and one of our family members said it would not grow in Ohio. But, it did! The season of extreme heat and humidity is very short in zone 6a, thankfully for us but not for growing okra. In order to have okra before the first fall frost, we would need to get it in the ground as soon as possible after spring frost. Also, always plant in full sun. It really doesn’t like shade, especially in the north.

Harvesting Okra

Children are never thrilled when sent out to the garden to pick okra. There’s a reason for that and it isn’t because it requires bending or searching for the pods. The stems and leaves have rough, stiff hairs which are terribly annoying for okra pickers. Wise, old farmers (even in the heat of the South), will wear all-cotton, long-sleeved shirts to pick okra. As a matter of fact, these folks recognize the cooling benefit of wearing such shirts all summer long. Personally, I don’t mind picking okra. No bending required, no kneeling, easy-to-see. Take a pair of scissors and a basket.

What to look for when picking okra…

Choose okra pods that are smaller. I have always told my younger children (pre-teen aged) to cut okra that is about the size of their pointer and middle fingers. That’s about 3 inches. If planning to pickle the okra, I would prefer about 2 inches. The smaller pods are considered to have less mucilage.

Be aware that tough pods are good for three things: saving seeds for next year, tossing to the farm animals, or drying for winter decorating or crafting.

Watch this video to hear how the tough, inedible pods sound so you’ll know what and when to toss them.

Video: How to Identify Okra that Is Inedible

Health Benefits

Okra is a powerhouse, full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and even protein, which isn’t normally found in fruits or vegetables. It’s really a superfood when we consider all of its properties. Don’t count okra out because of the naturally occurring mucilage. This is what gives it the characteristic that some call “slime.” The mucilage, or gummy, factor can be reduced in a few ways. Southern-Style, or Country, Fried Okra won’t be as “slimy” as other preparations methods. We’ll get to all of those methods next.

In the meantime, let’s focus on the high level of vitamins C and K1, specifically. Okra is also low in carbs and calories. The naturally-occurring mucilage binds to cholesterol and toxins in the intestines and helps the liver to move those out quite gracefully.

Okra is high in magnesium and calcium which are helpful minerals, especially for those of us ladies in our mid-lives. These minerals are beneficial to promote sleep and bowel regularity.

Health Considerations

Okra is a source of vitamin K1. If this is a concern, consult your functional health care practitioner before consuming large amounts of okra. K1 is known as a blood-clotting agent.

Additionally, oxalates are found in okra. This may be a concern for those with kidney issues.

Many Ways to Prepare Okra

Soups, Stews, Gumbos — serves as a healthy thickener
Frying in healthy fat such as lard, coconut oil, tallow in cast iron
Boiling (This method will produce quite a slimy product which may bother some more than others.)
Steaming whole on top of green beans (Little to no sliminess. Learn how here.Start at 12:05 for okra information.)
Stewing with tomatoes (Same as above but less sliminess.) Check out my friend’s method using bacon here.
Grilled
Roasted
Fermented
Pickled
Dehydrated
Consume okra water

Let’s return down-home, comfort food to your supper table!

My first and most popular cookbook contains 205 of the recipes my family asked me to write down for them — their favorites! Grab your copy of From Katie’s Kitchen, Vol. One cookbook HERE.