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Why I Started Adding Okra into My Smoothie ( And Fruit Okra Recipe)

October 4, 2017 by KimiHarris 10 Comments

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Thanks for stopping by! If you're interested in healthy eating check out my free gifts! and subscribe to get regular email updates. *Some links may be affiliate.*

Fruit Okra Smoothie - this green smoothie is full of important nutrients! Okra has well documented heath promoting attributes, and adds a lot of body to smoothies!

This beautiful fruit smoothie has a green secret that adds important minerals and vitamins to it, as well as making a frothy texture – okra!

Okra is an unlikely contender for smoothies, yet here I am throwing it into my smoothies. It’s known for being a popular vegetable in many southern dishes, but certainly isn’t known as a typical smoothie addition. So why am I adding it to mine? Besides the fact that it’s an excellent source of whole food fiber, vitamin C and K, and folate, there are some interesting studies looking into possible benefits.

What is Okra?

First, what is okra? It’s a flowering plant from the mallow family. The mallow family boasts of the following well-known family members: cacao, cotton, hibiscus, okra, and durian. Okra is the edible fruit of a variety of hibiscus (so it’s not technically even a vegetable!). Did you notice that “mallow” sounds like “marshmallow”? That’s because the original marshmallow was developed from the gelatinous properties of marshmallow roots, from the mallow family. Okra also can produce a gelatinous texture.

Health Benefits and Studies on Okra

  • Okra helps diabetic symptoms and lowers blood sugar (Source)
  • A lectin from okra may help fight or prevent some cancers. (Source) (Also good information here on contradictions – make sure you check them out!)
  • Could help protect the liver (Source)
  • Okra could also help prevent stomach ulcers (Source)
  • Plus,it could also be helpful for your gut health – both in promoting good gut bacteria and soothing inflammation. (Source)

Speaking from a culinary perspective, it adds a lot of creamy texture to the smoothie because of its gelatinous (otherwise known as mucilage) texture. I love the texture, and it only adds a mild taste to the smoothie. However, I will warn you that my children have all informed me that they are not a fan of the “weird green vegetable” I put into the smoothies. Although, I’ve heard reports of many children not even noticing it in their smoothies, mine have been too perceptive for me to add it without them noticing. I may try to sneak in very small amounts next time to see if they notice, but for now, I’ve been making my own personal smoothies stuffed full with it! UPDATE: Adding only a small amount was the key! My kids have now drunk several smoothies with small amounts of okra in it without knowing it was there. 

A Notes on Ingredients and Blenders:

I use pre-steamed and pre-frozen sliced okra. It works well and is easy to use. Although technically you could use raw, this recipe suggests pre-steaming it to reduce a slimy texture.

Secondly, you should have a powerful blender to properly blend frozen vegetables. I use a Blendtec, but any brand that can pulverize ice well should work great.

Lastly, for extra nutrition, I’ve been adding two things lately. First gelatin. I like many brands, but lately I’ve been using Super Collagen . Supposedly it’s in in a smaller peptide form so that it is easier to digest. What I like about it is that it is so fine that there is no added grittiness from it. Sadly, it’s not from pastured animals. The other addition I’ve been adding is colostrum from this company – which is a wonderful immune booster. Although some in the family are sensitive to dairy, it appears that we all do fine with it!

Finally, take note that okra is high in oxalates. If you are sensitive to okra, be careful. I don’t seem to be sensitive, but with all things being done in moderation, I don’t eat okra, or other high oxalate foods every day.

Fruit Okra Smoothie - this green smoothie is full of important nutrients! Okra has well documented heath promoting attributes, and adds a lot of body to smoothies!

Okra Fruit Smoothie

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Makes 1 large or two small smoothies. This recipe can have so many variations! Have fun with it.

  • ½ cup of frozen fruit (such as blueberries, raspberries, mango, or peach slices)
  • ¼-½ cup of frozen and sliced okra
  • ½ cup each of kombucha and coconut cream/milk (or 1 cup of desired liquid – kefir, milk, juice, coconut water, etc.), plus extra, as needed
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 small ripe banana (adds a lot of sweetness, but sometimes I leave out because they are a bit high in sugar for me)

Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend on high until very smooth. Stop to scrape sides, if needed, and add more liquid as needed (I often use more).

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KimiHarris

I love beautiful and simple food that is nourishing to the body and the soul. I wrote Fresh: Nourishing Salads for All Seasons and Ladled: Nourishing Soups for All Seasons as another outlet of sharing this love of mine. I also love sharing practical tips on how to make a real food diet work on a real life budget. Find me online elsewhere by clicking on the icons below!

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Filed Under: Beverages, Breakfast and Brunch, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nutrient Dense Foods, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Steve Yakoban

    October 4, 2017 at 11:40 am

    Okra is great! You failed to mention that it is one of the most chemically laden vegetables and unless organic okra is used, the health benefits are offset by the harmful chemicals.

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      October 4, 2017 at 12:08 pm

      Hey Steve,

      I’m sure my readers would find that information of interest if you can share a link to accurate information on the topic. Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Corinne

    October 4, 2017 at 11:56 am

    Excellent article. Thanks for sharing. I am now curious to try okra for the first time. Kimi, do you buy your okra fresh and then steam and freeze it, or do you buy a pkg of pre-steamed frozen okara?

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      October 4, 2017 at 12:06 pm

      I’ve been buying pre-blanched and pre-frozen okra. 🙂

      Reply
      • Amy Best

        October 4, 2017 at 5:51 pm

        Can I ask where you’ve found this pre-blanced and frozen okra? 🙂

        Reply
        • KimiHarris

          October 5, 2017 at 9:19 am

          New Seasons! It makes it so much easier to use when it’s already prepped and ready to use. 😉

          Reply
  3. LeAnna

    October 4, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    So awesome! I’ve been eating the “Trim Healthy Mama” way for the 2 years and okra is a big player in a lot of their smoothie recipes. There’s also an okra brownie that is deliciously fudgey!

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      October 5, 2017 at 9:20 am

      I guessed this must be a THM thing to do, because the recipe I linked to above was from a THM blogger. 🙂 The brownie sounds crazy! I’m intrigued!

      Reply
  4. Rachel

    October 5, 2017 at 9:20 am

    I’m a bit surprised that okra would be a high pesticide/chemical crop. I’ve grown it for several years. I’ve seen some aphids this year but nothing troubling. Regardless, it’s so easy to grow I hate having to buy it 🙂 I might try some in smoothies if I have any left. My favorite way to eat it is to cook it in coconut oil with lots of curry powder. A little crispy and a lot curry, it’s fantastic!

    Reply
  5. Rhonda

    February 20, 2018 at 9:27 am

    So are you sure that just regular frozen okra from the grocery store isn’t blanched first before freezing?

    Reply

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The information you find here at The Nourishing Gourmet is meant to help you become a better cook! This site is primarily for sharing family friendly recipes. It's not meant to give medical advice or to make any health claims on the prevention or curing of diseases.This site is only for informational and educational purposes. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding in supplements or making any changes in your diet. Also, any links to sponsors or affiliates (including Amazon) may give me a percentage of the sale or a pay per click. Thank you for supporting this site.

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