Ginger, known as Zingiber officinale is a plant whose rhizome (ginger) is commonly used as spices and natural plant medicine. It is in the same family (Zingiberaceae) with turmeric, galangal, and cardamom.

It got its origin from Southeast Asia and was recorded as one of the first spices to be exported from Asia.

Ginger is one of the healthiest food spices in the world. It has a wealth of nutrients and bioactive compounds that serve a lot of benefits to the body system.

This rhizome is commonly used for any type of nausea and vomiting. For treating diabetes, migraine headaches, menstrual cramps, osteoarthritis, and other health conditions.It is used in food such as for making stews and seasoning meat.It is used for making beverages, as a fragrance in soaps and cosmetics and also generally used as a flavoring agent.

It can also be used with lemon, garlic, and honey in warm water as a morning drink before any breakfast.

One tablespoon of fresh ginger contains;

And trace amount of;

Ginger contains gingerol compounds which have been believed to be responsible for its health benefits, smell and flavor.

Research has shown that those who took about 1600 mg of ginger powder for three months increased their insulin action, lower cholesterol, and had a reduced blood sugar level.

Adding ginger to your food helps you to control your blood sugar and prevent the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Ginger is one of the natural remedies for cancer. It contains gingerol compounds with high antioxidants capable of fighting cancerous cells. A good treatment for gastrointestinal cancer

Gingerol compounds found in ginger is capable of easing your stomach pain and upset. It also helps to digest your food easily. People with indigestion problems are advised to always add ginger to their diets.

A good remedy for morning sickness during pregnancy and also help to prevent vomiting.

Menstrual pain is a pain common to women during their menstrual cycle. Ginger root has been confirmed as a natural remedy for this pain.

In a study, some women were told to take 1g of ginger powder per day in the first three days of their period. And ginger was found to reduce the pain as effectively as the drug ibuprofen.

The use of ginger has been proven to enhance brain function and help reduce brain age-related degeneration.

According to USDA guidelines ginger is considered safe and nutritious when used as a part of a healthy diet.

Taken too much of ginger or an overdose of ginger supplements can expose you to the risk of heartburn and diarrhea.

 

Okra is one of the most eaten vegetables worldwide. It is often referred to as the lady’s fingers, its scientific name is Abelmoschus esculentus and Hibiscus esculentus.

It is a tall-growing vegetable plant, with a height of 4 – 8 ft. Because of how long it can get, it is said that an okra plant cannot grow more than the owner as he can always bend it down to harvest.

Okra plant is grown for its tender and delicious pods, but some persons also consume the leaves by using it to make stew. The pods contain seed reach in natural oil and protein.

This seed can also be removed from the pod and dried to be used later for soup, like adding it to Ogbolo soup. It can also be used as coffee additives or substitute.

Okra is well enjoyed for making soup when it harvested fresh and tender. But many persons cannot differentiate them. So when they buy okra they end up throwing them away without being able to use them to make soup.

To prevent this incessant wastage always check for how tender the okra is by easily breaking the tip with your finger. If it breaks that means it is tender and if it does not it means that it has become very strong and likely unusable for making soup.

Always go for a tender and fresh okra to enjoy every bit of it.

Okra vegetables contain a whole lot of nutrients and good taste with sticky juice that will always make you want to eat more. Taking this recipe with pounded yam or amala will always leave you overfed.

According to the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA), one cup of raw okra contains;

It also contains some amount of niacin, iron, phosphorus, and copper.

One of the nutrients that a pregnant woman needs is folate and a low level of this nutrient can lead to many pregnancy complications and pregnancy loss.

Doctors advise pregnant women to take enough of this nutrient preferably about 400mcg as recommended by the 2015 – 2020 American dietary guidelines.

Okra provides a lot of these nutrients as a cup of okra contains 60mcg of folate.

Several studies have shown that okra has anti-diabetic properties as it reduces high blood sugar levels. Many patients with diabetes have also reported this effect.

The lectin in okra has been found to help fight against cancerous cells to about 72% especially breast cancer.

Food like okra that is high in fiber and low in cholesterol has been known to prevent heart disease which can result from high cholesterol. Eating enough of okra can also help prevent the risk of stroke, obesity, and diabetes.

Eating food that contains vitamin K like okra helps to prevent hemorrhage and help play a key role in blood clotting.

The fiber contained in okra helps to provide a healthy digestive system and prevent constipation. You cannot eat okra and not go to the toilet with ease. It is good food for intestinal health by helping to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

This ladies finger vegetable has a lot of benefits to your body system. It is also beneficial to your eyes as a good source of vitamin A. Eating fresh okra early in the morning had been found to clear vocal cord for singing and singers are advised to do so.