Broccoli vs Okra - Health impact and Nutrition Comparison

Summary

Okra provides more manganese, calcium, Vitamin B1, magnesium, and copper than broccoli. It is also lower in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat.

On the other hand, broccoli has more Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B5, and iron.

Introduction

In this article, you can find a detailed description of the differences between okra and broccoli.

What's The Actual Difference?

It is difficult to confuse broccoli and okra with each other; they have no similarities on the outside. Broccoli is dark green, with firm stalks and compact bud clusters, while okra fruit is hairy at the base and is a tapering 10-angled capsule 10–25 cm long with numerous oval dark-colored seeds. Raw broccoli has a vegetal, slightly sweet, and slightly bitter flavor. It tastes very different from cooked broccoli, which is usually sweeter. Cooked broccoli can be very tender, crisp-tender, or crunchy, depending on the cook time and method. Okra has a sweet, grassy flavor that deepens with cooking time and a texture that can be crisp, juicy, or dense and creamy.

Nutrition

Below you can find the nutrition infographics that visually show the differences between broccoli and okra. The nutritional information and infographics in this article are for raw broccoli and raw okra.

Calories

Both broccoli and okra are low in calories and have almost equal numbers. Broccoli contains 34 calories per 100g, and okra contains 33 calories per 100g.

Fats

Both broccoli and okra have fats of less than 1g.

Carbs

Broccoli contains 6.64g of carbs per 100g, whereas okra has 7.45g of carbs per 100g. Both are considered low-carb foods.

Fiber

Broccoli has 2.6g fiber and 4.04g net carbs. Okra provides 3.2g of and 4.25g of net carbs.

Cholesterol

Both foods have no cholesterol.

Vitamins

Broccoli contains three times more Vitamin C, two times more Vitamin K, and more Vitamin B2, Vitamin B5, and Vitamin E.

Broccoli falls in the range of the top 10% of foods as a source of Vitamin C.

On the other hand, okra contains more Vitamin B6, Vitamin B3, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B1.

Both have an equal amount of folate.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" chart below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food

Broccoli

6

:

4

Okra

Contains more Vitamin E +188.9%

Contains more Vitamin C +287.8%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +95%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +133.9%

Contains more Vitamin K +224.6%

Contains more Vitamin A +14.9%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +181.7%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +56.5%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +22.9%

Equal in Folate - 60

Broccoli

Okra

Contains more Vitamin E +188.9%

Contains more Vitamin C +287.8%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +95%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +133.9%

Contains more Vitamin K +224.6%

Contains more Vitamin A +14.9%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +181.7%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +56.5%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +22.9%

Equal in Folate - 60

Minerals

Okra has a relatively higher amount of minerals than broccoli. It contains more calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc and less sodium than broccoli.

Broccoli contains more iron than okra.

Both have equal amounts of phosphorus and potassium.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" chart below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food

Broccoli

3

:

5

Okra

Contains more Iron +17.7%

Contains more Calcium +74.5%

Contains more Magnesium +171.4%

Contains less Sodium -78.8%

Contains more Zinc +41.5%

Contains more Copper +122.4%

Equal in Phosphorus - 61

Equal in Potassium - 299

Broccoli

Okra

Contains more Iron +17.7%

Contains more Calcium +74.5%

Contains more Magnesium +171.4%

Contains less Sodium -78.8%

Contains more Zinc +41.5%

Contains more Copper +122.4%

Equal in Phosphorus - 61

Equal in Potassium - 299

Health Impact

Cardiovascular Health

Okra contains mucilage, a thick gel-like substance that can bind to cholesterol during digestion, causing it to be excreted with stools rather than absorbed.

In one 8-week study [1], mice were randomly divided into three groups and fed a high-fat diet containing 1% or 2% okra powder or a high-fat diet without okra powder. The mice on the okra diet had lower total blood cholesterol levels and eliminated more cholesterol in their stools than the control group.

A study [2] on broccoli sprouts in mice revealed a potentially protective effect against cell death and oxidative stress in heart tissue following a cardiac arrest.

In another study [3], people who took a powdered broccoli sprout supplement had lower triglycerides and "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and higher "good" HDL cholesterol levels.

Cancer

Okra contains lectins, proteins that may inhibit the growth of human cancer cells. In one test-tube study [4] of breast cancer cells, the lectin in okra was found to inhibit cancer cell growth by up to 63%.

Another test-tube study [5] found that okra extract caused cancer cell death in metastatic mouse melanoma cells.

In some animal studies [6], treatment with broccoli extract reduced tumor growth and prevalence in mice with UV-induced skin cancer. Small human studies have yielded similar results, revealing a significant protective effect of broccoli extract against skin damage and cancer development after sun exposure.

Diabetes

According to the researchers [7], the okra reduced sugar absorption in the digestive tract, resulting in a more stable blood sugar response. However, okra may interact with metformin, a commonly used diabetes medication. As a result, eating okra is not advised for those taking this medication.

In one human study [8], people with type 2 diabetes who consumed broccoli sprouts daily for one month had significantly lower insulin resistance.

Broccoli also contains a lot of fiber. According to some studies, a higher fiber intake is associated with lower blood sugar and better diabetic control.

Healthy Digestion

Broccoli is high in fiber and antioxidants, which can help with bowel function and digestive health. A broccoli diet reduced colon inflammation and improved mice's gut bacteria.

According to a recent human study, people who ate broccoli could defecate more quickly than those in the control group [9].

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23606408/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22325157/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20706790/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24129958/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20013817/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2737735/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263724/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22537070/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16633129/