Lady Finger, Red Sign, Red Ribbon - A Traditional Indian Dish

Lady Finger, known as Bhindi in Indian cuisine, is a popular vegetable enjoyed by many people. It is one of the most colorful vegetables grown in the world and comes from a family of five annual herbs which includes kale, spinach, dandelion root, fennel and cress. The flavor is often quite specific to this vegetable and usually liked by young children. Here are 10 great Lady Finger Health Benefits:

The main ladyfinger benefits include high levels of phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients. Phytochemicals help the body fight diseases as well as infections. Antioxidants help reduce the aging process and diseases like Alzheimer's and breast cancer. Vitamins and minerals are also very important especially vitamin A, C, E, K, and B-complex. Together, these provide good amounts of folic acid, iron, copper, magnesium, and beta carotene that provide a healthy way of life.

Fiber is another ingredient in Lady Finger. This gives the body an overall boost as it helps cleanse the colon and makes bowel movements regular. High fiber diets reduce cholesterol levels and thus prevent heart diseases. They also help prevent constipation, which can lead to bloating, diarrhea and gas. Low cholesterol diets reduce bad cholesterol, increases HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), lowers LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides and keeps the blood pressure at a healthy level.

Apart from providing enough nutrition, the rich taste of the Lady Finger makes it one of the most popular dishes in India. It can be a main course or a side dish with rice and different curries. Since one cup of Lady Finger contains more than one hundred calories, it is advisable to have one cup a day as a healthy snack option. The health benefits of Lady Finger go beyond just delicious tasting food as it has numerous health benefits.

Besides being good for you, fiber also prevents constipation. In the Indian tradition, it is believed that the finger of a lord was once eaten by a snake but thanks to its wonderful taste, it was able to move about with the other foodstuffs. Fiber helps you feel full for a longer time, thus reducing the temptation to overeat. The fiber in the Lady Finger helps lower bad cholesterol and improves your digestion and absorption of nutrients in your body.

Folic acid found in Lady Finger helps prevent anemia and thus deficiencies lithemia. Beta carotene found in the fruit helps prevent premenstrual syndrome. Foods rich in vitamin k such as spinach, okra, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes and squash are very rich in vitamin k and thus provides essential vitamins and minerals to your body and Lady Finger helps prevent vitamin k deficiency as well.