In this article
- Okra fiber by serving and form
- Okra nutrition: more than the fiber
- How okra compares with other fiber rich vegetables
- Okra and digestive health
- A Southern plate, counted
- Okra on a lower carb plate
- Okra myths vs facts
- A checklist for cooking okra
- The one caveat: how it’s cooked
- What people ask about okra
- Sources
Picture a pot of gumbo or a pan of roasted okra pods on the table. Each cup of cooked okra in it brings about 4 grams of fiber for roughly 35 calories, which is a lot for a vegetable that often gets overlooked.
So yes, okra is high in fiber by vegetable standards. Okra fiber matches green beans cup for cup, and the pods carry a solid list of vitamins and minerals along with it.
Okra fiber by serving and form
USDA FoodData Central lists raw okra at 3.2 grams of fiber per 100 grams and boiled fresh okra at 2.5 grams. The servings you’re likely to eat compare like this.
| Okra form | Serving | Fiber | % DV (28 g) | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw pods | 8 pods (95 g) | 3.0 g | 11% | 31 |
| Boiled fresh, sliced | 1/2 cup (80 g) | 2.0 g | 7% | 18 |
| Boiled fresh, sliced | 1 cup (160 g) | 4.0 g | 14% | 35 |
| Frozen, boiled | 1/2 cup slices (92 g) | 1.9 g | 7% | 27 |
| Breaded and fried | 1 cup (90 g) | 1.4 g | 5% | 197 |
The cooked cup figure matches the Dietary Guidelines’ Food Sources of Dietary Fiber list, which puts a cup of cooked okra at 4.0 grams and 36 calories.
Counting by the pod is handy if you buy okra fresh. Eight raw pods weigh about 95 grams and carry about 3 grams of fiber, so a generous handful of 16 pods roasted as a side gives you close to 6 grams. Roasting or grilling skips the cooking water entirely, so you start from the full 3.2 grams per 100 grams that USDA lists for raw pods.
Frozen okra lands a little lower per gram, at 2.1 grams of fiber per 100 grams after boiling. It’s still a convenient choice for soups and stews, where it works especially well.
Fried okra is the outlier. USDA’s record for breaded fried okra lists 12.8 grams of fat per 100 grams and 219 calories, and the breading dilutes the okra so the fiber per cup actually drops.
Okra nutrition: more than the fiber
Okra nutrition is surprisingly broad for such a low calorie food. Based on USDA’s raw okra record, eight pods (95 g) provide about:
- Manganese: about 33% of the Daily Value
- Vitamin K: about 25% DV
- Vitamin C: about 24% DV
- Thiamin (vitamin B1): about 16% DV
- Folate: about 14% DV
- Magnesium: about 13% DV
- Protein: about 2 grams
That’s a wide spread of nutrients in about 30 calories, with three of them landing at a quarter of the Daily Value or more.
Cooked okra keeps a good share. Eight boiled pods (85 g) still provide about 34 mcg of vitamin K, or 28% of the Daily Value, plus about 14 mg of vitamin C and 70 mg of calcium.
Frozen okra is the folate standout. USDA lists 100 mcg of folate per 100 grams of boiled frozen okra, so half a cup of slices covers about 23% of the Daily Value, along with about 37 mg of magnesium.
How okra compares with other fiber rich vegetables
Here’s how a cup of cooked okra stacks up next to other common vegetables on the Dietary Guidelines’ fiber list.
| Cooked vegetable (1 cup) | Fiber | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Brussels sprouts | 6.4 g | 65 |
| Broccoli | 5.2 g | 54 |
| Collard greens | 4.8 g | 63 |
| Okra | 4.0 g | 36 |
| Green beans | 4.0 g | 44 |
| Mushrooms | 3.4 g | 44 |
| Asparagus | 2.9 g | 32 |
Okra ties green beans on fiber with slightly fewer calories. It trails broccoli by about a gram but carries 18 fewer calories per cup.
Collard greens come out a little ahead on fiber, and both are staples of Southern cooking. Put them on the same plate and you’re close to 9 grams from two vegetable sides.
Mayo Clinic suggests about 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day for women and 30 to 38 grams for men. A cup of cooked okra covers 16 to 19% of a woman’s target and about 11 to 13% of a man’s.
Per 100 calories, cooked okra delivers about 11 grams of fiber. That ratio is why a big helping fits easily into a lighter meal.
Wondering exactly how much fiber your own day calls for? Our fiber calculator gives you a personal target in seconds.
Okra and digestive health
Okra’s fiber helps your digestion the same way fiber from other vegetables does. Mayo Clinic explains that fiber increases the weight and size of stool and softens it, which makes it easier to pass and lowers the chance of constipation. That holds whether your okra comes fresh, frozen or from a pot of gumbo.
Mayo Clinic also links fiber rich diets with lower cholesterol, better blood sugar control and a lower risk of heart disease. A cup of okra is one practical way to move your daily total in that direction.
Because okra is so low in calories, it also adds volume to a meal. Mayo Clinic notes that high fiber foods tend to be more filling and help you stay satisfied longer.
If you’re increasing fiber, Mayo Clinic’s advice is to do it gradually over a few weeks and drink plenty of water. That gives your digestive system time to adjust without gas or bloating.
If your gut tends to react to changes in your diet, our gut health guides walk you through a gradual plan.
A Southern plate, counted
Okra and collard greens show up together on plenty of Southern tables, so it’s worth seeing what that pairing adds up to. Say dinner is a cup of stewed okra and tomatoes, a cup of cooked collards and a cup of brown rice.
The okra brings about 4.0 grams of fiber, the collards about 4.8 grams and the brown rice about 3.5 grams, based on the Dietary Guidelines’ figures. That’s roughly 12 grams from three simple sides, about half of a 21 to 25 gram target for women.
Swap the rice for half a cup of lentils and the total jumps to about 16.6 grams, since lentils carry 7.8 grams per half cup. A pot of gumbo works the same way: every cup of okra you stir in adds another 4 grams to the pot.
Okra won’t carry a meal on its own, but it makes a fiber rich plate easy to build without adding much in the way of calories.
Okra on a lower carb plate
If you track carbs, okra fits comfortably. Eight raw pods have about 7 grams of carbohydrate, and about 3 grams of that is fiber, leaving roughly 4 grams of net carbs, the portion your body digests.
Boiled okra is even lighter. Eight cooked pods (85 g) list about 4 grams of carbohydrate with 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of natural sugar, so the net carb count is around 2 grams.
That makes okra a useful side for anyone who wants more vegetables without many digestible carbs. Roast a tray, toss it with spices and it works as a snack, a side or a salad topper.
Okra myths vs facts
Myth: okra is too slimy to enjoy
The slippery texture shows up mostly when okra is cut and simmered in liquid. Roasting whole pods at high heat, grilling them or pan searing in a hot skillet gives a crisp, tender result with little slime.
Myth: fried okra counts as a vegetable serving
Technically it contains okra, but USDA’s record shows fried okra has about 197 calories and 11.5 grams of fat per cup, with only 1.4 grams of fiber. Plain boiled okra delivers nearly three times the fiber for about a sixth of the calories.
Myth: frozen okra isn’t worth buying
Frozen okra keeps a respectable 1.9 grams of fiber per half cup and actually lists more folate than fresh boiled okra in USDA’s data. It’s a smart pantry backup for gumbo and stews.
A checklist for cooking okra
- Roast whole pods with a little oil and salt until browned at the tips
- Grill or skewer whole pods for a smoky side
- Slice into gumbo, stews or soups, where it also thickens the broth
- Sauté with tomatoes and onions for a classic Southern side
- Add to curries and stir fries, as in Indian bhindi dishes
- Keep a bag of frozen sliced okra for quick soups
Choose small to medium pods that feel firm and snap cleanly. Rinse and dry them well before cooking, especially if you plan to roast or sear them.
Looking for more ways to work okra and other fiber rich vegetables into your meals? Our recipe eBooks are full of easy ideas.
The one caveat: how it’s cooked
Okra’s fiber story falls apart in one place: the fryer. Breading and frying turn a 35 calorie cup into nearly 200 calories, add about 284 mg of sodium per cup and cut the fiber per cup by more than half.
Enjoy fried okra now and then if you love it. For everyday meals, roast, grill or stew it, and okra stays one of the best fiber per calorie vegetables you can buy.
What people ask about okra
How much fiber is in a cup of okra?
About 4 grams in a cup of cooked sliced okra, according to the Dietary Guidelines, with roughly 36 calories.
Is okra good for digestion?
Yes. Its fiber adds bulk and softens stool, which Mayo Clinic notes helps keep you regular and lowers the chance of constipation.
Is raw okra higher in fiber than cooked?
Per gram, yes. USDA lists 3.2 grams of fiber per 100 grams raw and 2.5 grams boiled, and eight raw pods have about 3 grams.
Does frozen okra have as much fiber as fresh?
Slightly less. Boiled frozen okra has about 2.1 grams of fiber per 100 grams compared with 2.5 grams for fresh boiled okra.
How do you make okra less slimy?
Cook it with dry heat. Roasting, grilling or searing whole pods keeps the texture crisp and limits the slippery effect.
Is fried okra healthy?
It’s more of a treat. A cup of breaded fried okra has about 197 calories and 11.5 grams of fat, with only 1.4 grams of fiber.
What nutrients are in okra?
Okra is a good source of manganese, vitamin K, vitamin C, thiamin, folate and magnesium. Eight raw pods cover about a quarter of the Daily Value for vitamins K and C.
Sources
- USDA Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central: SR Legacy Okra, raw (169260); cooked, boiled, drained, without salt (169261); frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt (169263); FNDDS Fried okra (2710054). 2019 to 2026. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Food Sources of Dietary Fiber.” Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020 to 2025. dietaryguidelines.gov
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.” 2024. fda.gov
- Mayo Clinic Staff. “Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet.” Mayo Clinic. 2025. mayoclinic.org
