Ladies finger: nutrition for pregnancy & family

Also known as Bhendi, Dherosh, Okra, Okro, Ochro, Bhinda, Bhindi, Bende, Bindi, bindi, Vendakkai, Belandri, Ramtoriya, Bhindikaa, Vendaikkai, Bendakaya. Food group: Other Vegetables. Vegetarian.

Is it safe during pregnancy?

What official food-safety sources say, source by source: Is Okra (bhindi) safe during pregnancy?

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy33 kcal
Protein1.9 g
Fat0.2 g
Carbohydrate7.5 g
Fibre3.2 g
Iron0.6 mg
Calcium82 mg
Folate60 mcg
Vitamin C23.0 mg
Choline12 mg
Zinc0.6 mg
Sodium7 mg

Values: USDA FoodData Central, Okra, raw (FDC ID 169260; public domain). This is USDA's analysis of the same food, not of the Indian sample in IFCT, so figures for this exact variety may differ. See the full USDA page.

What 100 g gives you in pregnancy

Folate60 mcg — 10% of the daily need in pregnancy

From the USDA values above, against NIH / US Dietary Reference Intakes recommended intakes for pregnancy. Requirements differ by country, so percentages are only meaningful against the authority named here. They describe 100 g of this food, not a meal plan; your doctor may advise different amounts for you.

Explore further

By USDA's figures, Ladies finger is a notable source of folate, calcium and vitamin c — see what each does in pregnancy.

More other vegetables: Ash gourd, Bamboo shoot, tender, Bean scarlet, tender, Bitter gourd, jagged, smooth ridges, elongate, Bitter gourd, jagged, teeth ridges, elongate, Bitter gourd, jagged, teeth ridges, short.

Ladies finger in Indian languages

AssameseBhendi
BengaliDherosh
EnglishOkra, Okro, Ochro
GujaratiBhinda
HindiBhindi
KannadaBende
KashmiriBindi
Khasibindi
MalayalamVendakkai
ManipuriBelandri
MarathiBhendi
OdiaBhendi
PunjabiBhindi
SanskritBhindikaa
TamilVendaikkai
TeluguBendakaya
UrduBhendi

Regional names as recorded by ICMR-NIN in the Indian Food Composition Tables.

Why it can help during pregnancy

Consensus public-health guidance (WHO / ICMR-NIN), for nutrients the USDA values show this food is a good source of. A balanced, varied diet matters more than any single food.

Source for composition: ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), code D056 — IFCT values not reproduced; the figures shown are USDA's. IFCT's licence does not allow its tables to be republished electronically, so we cite the record instead.

Educational information, not medical or dietary advice. Most everyday foods are fine in normal amounts — ask your doctor or dietitian about anything specific to your pregnancy.