
If you use social media, you may have seen influencers talking about okra water. Content creators claim okra water offers many health benefits. They report it improves everything from blood sugar and digestion to sexual function. There’s even a recommendation for pregnant people to drink okra water — not to induce labor, but to make vaginal delivery easier.…READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE | READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE…
Okra on its own does offer some health benefits. But, at this point, there isn’t research proving that okra water can do any of the things mentioned above. Let’s take a look at some of the health claims being made about okra water and its potential for helping certain health conditions.
What is okra water?
Okra water is made by slicing pods of fresh or frozen okra, submerging them in water, and letting them steep in the fridge for several hours. The liquid that gets strained out is okra water. But it won’t have the same texture as plain water. In fact, it can even be a little gross.
Here are some of the more popular claims about the health benefits of okra water — and what science has to say about each one.
1. Improves digestive health
Okra contains both insoluble and soluble fiber. Fiber helps digestive health in many ways, including:
Helping support a healthy gut microbiome
Moving stool through your intestines to keep bowel movements regular
Bulking up your stool, making it easier to pass
Making stools softer, which also decreases the likelihood of developing hemorrhoids
Reducing the risk of diverticulosis, or small pouches that develop in your colon and can become inflamed
But, Hadley adds, we don’t know whether okra water has the same benefits as eating the vegetable itself.
2. Promotes heart health
3. Detoxes the body
Okra water does have two things going for it, says Hadley: It contains both water and fiber.
Both water and fiber are involved in the body’s detox processes:
Drinking water helps the body get rid of waste and toxins through the kidneys, sweating, and the lymphatic system.
Fiber also carries toxins away, into your stool.
But, Hadley says, you don’t need to drink okra water to get water and fiber. “Okra isn’t some kind of miracle detox food,” she said.
For instance, you can drink plain water and eat a variety of fiber-rich foods. High-fiber foods include things like:
Fruits
Veggies
Whole grains
Legumes (beans)
Nuts
Seeds
4. Supports weight goals
5. Regulates blood sugar
Experts know that fiber helps to manage blood sugar. But some initial research suggests that polysaccharides and antioxidants in okra’s mucilage may help with blood sugar too. Since this research has been done on animals and in test tubes, we don’t know what effect — if any — it has on humans.
6. Supports sexual health
Ultimately, says Hadley, the claims on social media about okra water are overstated. More research on its potential health benefits are needed.