Okra, also known as okra (scientific name: Abelmoschus esculentus), okra, tomato, lamb's horn, lady's finger bean, lamb's horn pepper, and pepper. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the Malvaceae family. The tender pods are harvested for consumption, and the flowers and leaves are also edible. It is native to Africa and later entered the Americas and other regions. It is also cultivated in China. Americans call it "Plant Golden Okra", which is a good medicine for lowering blood sugar. Okra can be further processed into scented tea, beverages, capsules, dried vegetables, oil, etc.

Okra is also widely cultivated and used abroad. Many countries are very optimistic about okra and have high praise. Basically, the evaluation of okra in China tends to be consistent. *** agrees that okra has the following three highlights:

1. Green ginseng

In this regard, our country's scientific and technological personnel have also specialized in Through research. Wang Junyao, Zhou Jun, Tang Guping and others from Shaw Hospital and Zhejiang Pharmaceutical College in Zhejiang have conducted comparative tests on the anti-fatigue effects of ginseng and okra: including mouse endurance tests, hypoxia resistance tests, and cold and heat resistance tests. and effects on blood lactate levels after strenuous exercise. Most of the experimental results show that okra has the same effect as the same amount of ginseng. For a few items (hypoxia tolerance), the effect is equivalent when the dosage of okra is twice that of ginseng. Only the cold tolerance effect is lower than that of ginseng. It shows that okra does have effects similar to "ginseng", and "green ginseng" is well deserved!

2. Plant Viagra

The United States calls okra "plant Viagra". Its aphrodisiac effect is thought to be comparable to Viagra. Studies have found that okra flowers are rich in flavonoids (about 300 times higher than the flavonoids contained in soybean cotyledons), which have the effects of regulating endocrine and anti-aging. However, its aphrodisiac effect is different from that of the chemical drug Viagra (Viagra mainly acts locally). It gradually exerts its effects through systemic regulation (anti-fatigue, increased endurance, blood promotion...), so its effect is milder and longer-lasting, without side effects. .

3. Vegetable for athletes

Because okra has obvious effects of increasing endurance and anti-fatigue, it has long been used as a vegetable for athletes. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, okra was included as a vegetable for athletes. The experiment showed that the swimming time of the okra group was significantly longer than that of the control group. In the test of hypoxia, cold and heat tolerance, the okra group also showed better anti-stress effects. The okra group had a significant promoting effect on the recovery of blood lactic acid after strenuous exercise in the group, and also had a significant reducing effect on serum urea nitrogen.

These experiments strongly prove that okra can improve athletes' endurance, reduce fatigue, and improve their stress ability.

4. Medicinal value of okra

4.1 Helps digestion and protects the stomach: The viscous substance of okra can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, which is beneficial to digestion and stomach;

4.2 Reduce blood lipids: The viscous substance of okra contains 50% of soluble cellulose, which can effectively reduce serum cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease;

4.3 Hypoxia tolerance: it can improve the ability to tolerate hypoxia;

4.4 Protect the liver: Okra’s pectin and polysaccharides have liver-protective effects;

4.5 Prevent constipation and intestinal cancer: The viscous substance of okra contains 50% of soluble fiber, which is beneficial to the liver. defecation, detoxification, and cancer prevention;

4.6 Calcium supplement: Okra not only contains the same amount of calcium as fresh milk, but also has a calcium absorption rate of 50-60, which is 1 times higher than that of milk, so it is an ideal calcium source. ;

4.7 Weight loss: Okra is a low-energy food and a good weight loss food;

4.8 Delaying aging: The flavonoid content is 2.8, which has antioxidant and anti-aging effects;

p>

4.9 Aphrodisiac and anti-fatigue (as mentioned above);

4.10 Beauty and skin care: both effective for external use and oral administration.

5. Development prospects

5.1.1 Increase endurance and resist fatigue:

Okra can not only be used as a vegetable for athletes, but can also be further developed as an endurance-enhancing drink for athletes. , and can also be used to develop anti-fatigue foods for middle-aged and elderly people and people with excessive mental work.

5.1.2 Tonify the kidneys and strengthen yang:

Impotence accounts for 10% of men and is the most common symptom of male sexual dysfunction. Therefore, impotence is a topic that attracts considerable social attention. The advent of Viagra is like an impotence patient meeting a savior. However, from the perspective of Chinese medicine, Viagra is inevitably suspected of "helping fire and strengthening yin"!

A large number of drugs and sexual health products used to treat impotence on the market are mainly local aphrodisiacs. If these products are used in large quantities for a long time, they will cause serious side effects and often inhibit the male hypothalamus - - Excitation of the pituitary-testicular axis can cause prostatic hypertrophy and even worsen prostate cancer. Therefore, some people compare these impotence products to a pump that inflates a tire, which may burst if not done properly. The new aphrodisiac idea is to require this tire to be reinforced. That is to say, the emphasis is shifted from "local aphrodisiac" to "overall balance" and "whole body conditioning". The aphrodisiac effect of okra is in line with this new concept, so its effect is mild and reliable, without adverse side effects.

5.1.3 Delaying aging:

Aging is a natural law, but through hard work, aging can be delayed. This is completely possible with today's advanced science and technology. The polysaccharides and flavonoids in okra both have the function of delaying aging. As mentioned earlier, the flavonoids in okra are 100 times more than the flavonoids in soybean leaves, which is enough to illustrate the rich flavonoid content in okra. As we all know, flavonoids can pass through the thalamic barrier, absorb active free radicals (the culprit of cell aging), have strong antioxidant capabilities, and can complex metal ions that catalyze oxidation. Therefore, okra is the ideal choice for developing anti-aging foods. Excellent resources.

5.1.4 Loose bowels:

Constipation not only causes pain due to difficulty in defecation, but more seriously affects the excretion of waste and toxins, leading to many diseases. occur. For middle-aged and elderly people, especially those with high blood pressure, difficulty in defecation may lead to "stroke" and even death. Middle-aged and elderly people are very prone to constipation. Therefore, the prevention of constipation has become the focus of health care for middle-aged and elderly people. The large amount of viscous juice contained in okra is rich in fiber, which is good for laxatives and can be used as a raw material for such health foods.

5.1.5 Beauty:

The pectin, polysaccharides and SOD in okra can protect the skin, increase skin elasticity, delay aging, and remove brown spots on the skin.

The natural protein in okra seeds, an "oligopeptide" complex obtained through biotransformation, can resist wrinkles. Therefore, okra is a natural skin care and beauty treasure. The juice from the fresh fruit can be directly squeezed for skin care, or the processed product can be taken internally or externally.

Food value

What makes okra unique is that the young pods contain sticky juice with a special aroma and flavor. This slime is composed of water-soluble fiber pectin, galacto Composed of polysaccharides and gum arabic, it can help digestion, treat gastritis and gastric ulcers, protect the liver and enhance human endurance. It has also been designated as the first choice vegetable for athletes in many countries and regions, and is also a health food for the elderly.

Nutritional content: Tender pods contain protein, sugar, fat, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc., suitable for boiling, frying, and frying. Or salted, pickled, or made into pickles.

How to eat: Wash the okra, blanch it in boiling water, half-cook it, slice it, add shredded pork and garlic cloves, and stir-fry it. It is delicious and tastes good. Or after boiled until tender, dipped in soy sauce, seasonings or mayonnaise for a fragrant, tender and crispy taste. The mature seeds are roasted and ground into fine powder. It has an aromatic taste and dissolves quickly when brewed. It can be used as a coffee substitute but does not contain caffeine.