Power of O: Orange, Okra, Onion & Olives

Pick up an orange in your hand. The peel is dimpled yet smooth, glowing like sunrise. Scratch it lightly with a nail and you get a sudden spray of citrus perfume – sharp, sweet and clean. As you peel, the white pith clings to your fingers and the segments separate with a soft snap, each one full of glittering juice beads waiting to burst on your tongue.

The first bite is always a little surprise: sweet and tangy together, with enough acidity to wake up your taste buds and make your mouth water. It feels light, juicy and refreshing – like drinking water and eating dessert at the same time.

What’s inside 100 g of orange (approx. 1 small–medium fruit)?

• Energy: about 47 kcal
• Carbohydrates: ~12 g (natural sugars + fibre)
• Fibre: ~2.4 g
• Vitamin C: ~53 mg (close to full daily need for many people)
• Smaller amounts of vitamin A, B‑vitamins, potassium and antioxidant plant compounds.

Try this: Pack peeled orange segments in a small box with a few roasted chana or nuts. The fruit hydrates and adds vitamin C, while the nuts slow down sugar absorption and keep you full for longer.

Now move from fruit bowl to sabzi basket. Fresh okra – bhindi, or lady’s finger – feels firm and slightly velvety on the outside. When you bend the tip, a good pod snaps cleanly. Slice it and you see tiny pale seeds set in a soft, sticky gel that clings to your knife.

That “slimy” gel, which many people complain about, is really soluble fibre. When it meets water and heat in your pan – and later, in your intestines – it turns into a gentle, soothing cushion for your digestion.

Nutrition in 100 g of raw okra

Serve it with story: Picture okra hitting a hot pan with mustard seeds and sliced onions – a quick hiss, then a gentle crackle as edges turn golden. Each bite is lightly crisp outside and almost creamy inside, soaking up masala and lemon like a sponge.

Few kitchen smells are as emotional as onions in hot oil. Raw, they are sharp enough to sting your eyes; but give them time on the flame and they transform – slowly turning from white to translucent, then golden, then a deep, caramel brown that smells sweet and smoky.

Peeling an onion is like opening a tiny nested universe of circles. The dry outer skin crackles in your hands, and inside, layers curve into perfect O‑rings, each one juicy and crisp.

Nutrition in 100 g of raw onion

• Energy: ~40 kcal
• Carbohydrates: ~9–10 g
• Fibre: ~1.7 g
• Vitamin C: ~7–9 mg
• Small amounts of B‑vitamins, potassium and antioxidants like quercetin plus sulfur compounds that give onions their smell.

In your plate: Raw onion rings in salad give a cool, juicy bite and sharpness. Slow‑browned onions in dal tadka become soft, sweet and almost jam‑like, wrapping the lentils in deep flavour without needing heavy cream.

A small bowl of olives looks almost like jewellery on the table – glossy green or deep black beads glistening with a thin coat of oil. Bite into one and it resists slightly before giving way, releasing a mix of salty, sour, slightly bitter, and rich flavours that linger on your tongue.

We don’t usually eat olives in large quantities, but even a few pieces can completely change a salad, pasta or grain bowl – making it feel like café food at home.

Nutrition in 100 g of ripe canned olives (pitted)

• Energy: roughly 115–145 kcal
• Total fat: ~10–15 g (mostly monounsaturated oleic acid)
• Carbohydrates: ~6 g, Fibre: ~3–3.5 g
• Small amounts of vitamin E, iron, copper and polyphenols like oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol.

Note for readers: Many bottled olives are stored in salty brine, which means they can be high in sodium. Use them like a garnish – just 4–5 sliced olives on top of salad, chana, or millet bowls – rather than as a full bowl of sabzi.

If you want to make this series global, you can briefly introduce less common O‑foods:

• Ogen melon: A fragrant melon with pale green flesh, rich in water and vitamin C – perfect for hot days.
• Oroblanco: A sweet, mild hybrid of grapefruit and pomelo, full of citrus vitamin C without too much bitterness.
• Oca: A colourful tuber from the Andes eaten like potato, offering complex carbs and some vitamin C.
• Oyster mushrooms: Soft fan‑shaped mushrooms that bring plant protein, fibre and B‑vitamins to stir‑fries and curries.
• Orach (mountain spinach): A leafy green similar to spinach, used in salads and sautés.

You can use these as a “did you know?” corner in your blog, inspiring students to look for new foods when they travel or visit bigger markets.

To keep the blog practical, end with easy combinations your readers can actually try:

• Orange + nuts snack: One orange with a small handful of peanuts or almonds – vitamin C, fibre and healthy fats together.
• Bhindi‑pyaz sabzi: Okra stir‑fried with onions, tomatoes and light oil, served with roti or millet for a fibre‑rich lunch.
• Onion–orange salad: Thin onion rings, orange segments, coriander, a drizzle of lemon and a pinch of black salt for a fresh starter.
• Olive sprinkle: A few olives sliced over vegetable upma, salad or chana chaat for a Mediterranean twist.

Remind readers that “Power of O” works best as part of a whole rainbow – many letters of the alphabet on the thali, not just one hero food.