Bamia: useful properties and contraindications. How to cook okra?

Exotic vegetable okra appeared on Russian shelves relatively recently, although in the recipes of Southern Europe, Asia and America it is present since the XIII century. In modern America, color has become a leader among anti-cancer natural products. But what other possibilities are there in this amazing fruit?

What is okra?

The okra plant belongs to the Malvov family and looks like a green pod of chili pepper, but pyramidal. Its cross-section is similar to a five-pointed star. Someone saw in the okra a resemblance to a part of the female body and gave the romantic name "ladies fingers". Perhaps it was AP Chekhov, who successfully cultivated this crop on his estate in the Moscow region.

It is believed that gombo, or okra (another name of okra), comes from West Africa or India, since it is here that the greatest number of varieties of this vegetable culture is observed. In Europe, okra was imported by the Arabs in the 13th century and since then has become an active ingredient in various recipes.

Bamia: useful properties and contraindications

Bamia has extremely diverse properties, but first of all it is the leader in the content of cellulose. In 100 g of oak, dietary fibers occupy 3.2 g, which is 16% of the daily dose of their consumption. The use of coarse fibers lies in the fact that they are not absorbed by the body, but, on the contrary, swell, accumulating toxins and carcinogens, and along with this unpleasant baggage are discharged outside, cleansing the body. Increased in the volume of fiber also contributes to the improvement of intestinal motility, the fight against constipation and flatulence.

It is useful for people who suffer from respiratory problems, who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who have heavy physical exertion, as well as those who have undergone surgery and require restoration of vitality. It helps the color in diabetes mellitus and prevents the development of cataracts. The researchers of okra say that it can bring a tangible effect even in problems with potency.

It is strongly recommended to consume pregnant women, since a high content of folic acid regulates the proper development of the neural tube of the embryo in the first weeks of pregnancy.

Bamia is very much appreciated by adherents of a healthy diet, vegetarians and people who are fighting for a normal weight, because 100 grams of female fingers contains only 31 calories.

But use the surroundings carefully, because it has an okra of the allergen. More precisely, a strong allergen is the hairs covering the fetus. Therefore, before cooking, they must be removed.

Bamia is the No. 1 anti-cancer product in America

According to American doctors, the color can help in the fight against cancer cells, so in America, okra, useful properties and contraindications which are caused by a large content of nutrients, is placed on a pedestal of natural anticarcinogenic products. To prevent the occurrence of cancer every day you should drink one glass of broth from the bowl.

The anticancer properties of okra are explained by the high concentration in it of a powerful antioxidant of glutathione, which not only combats free radicals causing mutations of cells, but also suppresses the influence on DNA structure of different carcinogenic substances. Studies have shown that taking large doses of glutathione reduces the likelihood of cancer 2 times.

Chemical composition of okra

The chemical composition of the ocre is very extensive, which gives grounds to say that the plant okra is a storehouse of useful substances.

In addition to the above nutrients, copper (9%), calcium and phosphorus (8% each), vitamin B2 (6%), vitamin PP and zinc (5% each), vitamin B ₅ and iron (4% each) are contained in okra. and others.

The resulted indicators of the maintenance of useful substances should be considered at drawing up of a high-grade diet in order to not admit as a lack, and their overabundance.

With what do they eat okra?

Kitchens of different countries prefer different ways of its heat treatment. For example, Iranian and Egyptian cuisines abound with meat dishes and stews with the addition of okra, in India fried or marinated oak pods taste more, the Japanese fry the okra in tempura and serve with soy sauce, in Thailand it is added to soups with seafood. Also, you can eat around and in raw form, adding to salads.

The taste of fresh okra in salads is most clearly revealed in combination with tomatoes, red pepper, onions, garlic and cilantro. A good side dish will serve poultry and seafood.

Cooking: how to cook okra?

When cooking dishes most often use immature (3-4 days) pods okra, dense and bright green. The "older" the fruit, the more fibrous and harder it is, the less suitable for consumption. The optimum length of the pod is from 5 to 10 cm. A quality vegetable should be elastic and easily break when bent. To taste the color reminds of asparagus or eggplant. And the ways of making it are akin to cooking asparagus beans.

Before preparing the okra, in order to avoid allergic reactions, it is necessary to remove all hairs from the surface and rinse thoroughly.

Since the okra is 90% water, extinguishing and cooking the vegetable provoke a large amount of mucus. For the preparation of soups and stews, this property is just a find. If this effect is undesirable, then first "finger fingers" should be fried in an acidic environment, for example, with lemon or tomato juice.

Oruk pods are very quickly prepared, so that it does not lose shape when preparing a multicomponent dish, it is better to add bamiyu last.

Non-traditional use of okra

Not only soups and stews use okra. Useful properties and contra-indications of the eagle induce the full use of all its components: both flesh and seeds.

Immature seeds of okra are preserved and eaten instead of green peas. Thanks to a 20 percent oil content, a very fragrant oil, similar to olive oil and rich in unsaturated fats like Omega-6, is extracted from the oak seeds, which is often used for pharmacological purposes.

The mature seeds of okra are used to make a Gombo coffee substitute. First they are fried, until the coffee aroma begins to be felt. Then cool, grind in a coffee grinder, and the resulting powder is brewed like coffee. The advantage of this drink is the lack of caffeine, but the benefit will be felt by both children and elderly people.

Procurement of okium for future use

Bamia can be stored in the refrigerator in fresh form no more than 2-3 days. In a dark dry place, the color can lie up to 6 days. If the "lady's fingers" dry or canned, then in the hermetically sealed glass jar, the storage period increases to 3 years.

When cooking, frozen okra is often used. How to cook frozen meats? First of all, you need to lower fresh pods for a minute in boiling water. Then peel, cool in cold water and dry. Each pod is divided along into two parts, folded into bags and put in a freezer.

Procuring okra for future use is the only way to be able to pamper yourself with it all the year round.

The barium, useful properties and contra-indications of which made it known all over the world, is rapidly gaining popularity in our country. A variety of ways to prepare it and the possibility of harvesting can enrich the daily menu of each family not only with tasty but also extremely useful dishes.