Okra is a superfood. It's packed with nutrients and vitamins, and its simple taste makes it super easy to make, from traditional Louisiana gumbo to soups and stews. In Africa, it is even eaten raw. Although not yet common in the western world, it is slowly gaining popularity due to health awareness and the increasing number of immigrants from which okra originated. You can easily buy okra online from various sources.

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Okra has small amounts of saturated fat and sodium, cholesterol and sugar, but large amounts of protein and vitamins and minerals such as riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, fibre, vitamins A, C, K, B6, thiamine, folate, manganese, magnesium and calcium.

Like other vegetables, the more okra in its original form, the lower its nutritional value. This is how cooked or steamed okra retains most of its nutritional value. Dried or powdered okra pods also have more nutritional benefits. It is not recommended to fry or season vegetables. However, because of its high nutritional value, it can be said that it is ready to become a staple food in the west.

Worldwide production of okra is estimated at 6 million tonnes. About 600,000 tonnes came from West Africa, with Nigeria as the largest producer. The harvest has two separate seasons – the prime season and the lean season, and the abundance of produce during the peak season causes drying and salting to make up for the famine.