Okra Water Is Having a Moment on TikTok—Is the Gooey Drink Worth the Hype?

Okra water is, merely, a drink constructed from soaking okra pods or slices of this fruit in water.

You’ll have seen TikTok movies about the advantages of ingesting okra water for glowing pores and skin, improved digestion, and enhanced fertility. However are these advantages legit?

Right here, we requested registered dietitians in regards to the attainable advantages and dangers of ingesting okra water.

Is okra water good for you?

Should you don’t thoughts the style, okra water will help you keep hydrated, “doubtlessly supporting weight administration and digestion,” says Michelle Routhenstein, RD, CDN, preventive cardiology dietitian, registered dietitian nutritionist, and authorized diabetes educator.

Consuming water aids in digestion by stopping or assuaging constipation and serving to your physique break down meals so it could take up vitamins, she provides. And staying well-hydrated has additionally been linked to a more healthy weight. (Though take into accout, you possibly can hydrate with many drinks past okra water, together with plain ol’ H2O.)

Past that, whether or not okra water is sweet for it’s possible you’ll come all the way down to the way you drink it. Extra to the purpose: Should you’re consuming the okra items together with sipping this fruit-infused beverage, then you definitely’ll reap the advantages of entire okra, of which there are numerous. (Extra on that within the subsequent part.)

Presumably due to its sticky and gelatinous consistency, TikTok customers advocate ingesting okra water earlier than intercourse and through being pregnant as a result of they declare it helps with the birthing course of. It’s true that folate is beneficial throughout being pregnant for fetal improvement, notably of the mind and backbone, and okra is an honest supply of folate. However: “There isn’t any validated scientific analysis that exhibits okra water is sweet for fertility, sexual well being, or labor,” Routhenstein says.

Likewise, Maya Feller, RD, CDN, of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Vitamin, a registered dietitian nutritionist and writer of Consuming From Our Roots: 80+ Wholesome Residence-Cooked Favorites From Cultures Across the World, says additional analysis is required to substantiate claims round okra water for ladies’s enhanced fertility and vaginal lubrication.

Consuming okra water vs. consuming okra

Feller explains that okra is a “purposeful meals,” that means it’s minimally processed and extremely nutritious. The carbohydrates and chemical substances “present in okra have the potential to extend antioxidant exercise throughout the physique, particularly regarding blood sugar regulation and lipid regulation,” she says. One such chemical is glutathione, which is an antioxidant that helps with repairing tissue, supporting immune well being, and making proteins that assist the physique operate correctly.

What’s extra, okra is a supply of potassium, which will help scale back blood strain and shield in opposition to stroke. It is also wealthy in nutritional vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin Okay, folate, and magnesium, which contribute to general well being, Routhenstein says. It is also an awesome supply of soluble fiber, which performs a task in reducing blood glucose and ldl cholesterol. The mix of fiber and vitamins in okra could improve intestine well being together with selling wholesome pores and skin, Routhenstein says.

Given the restricted analysis accessible, a lot of which is concentrated on animals, “it’s not clear if ingesting okra water has the identical impact as consuming okra as a result of the entire fruit just isn’t consumed,” Feller says. You may’t inform what number of vitamins you’re consuming by soaking okra pods in water.”

She notes that okra accommodates a gel-like substance known as mucilage (much like the gel from an aloe plant), and analysis on mice exhibits that mucilage binds to lipids and ldl cholesterol, which prevents them from being absorbed by the physique (a boon for coronary heart well being). However this impact hasn’t been studied in individuals, she stresses, and we will not assume a human physique reacts the identical method as a mouse’s.

In a 2021 examine, researchers used a way of extracting chemical substances from completely different components of okra pods known as pressurized sizzling water extraction. They discovered that a lot of the antioxidant and antidiabetic results of okra resulted from making use of this methodology to the seeds in comparison with different components of the plant. Primarily based on these findings, it’s attainable that okra will help with controlling blood sugar and defending in opposition to toxins, however this extraction course of isn’t one thing you are able to do at residence, Feller says.

In a nutshell: “Whereas okra boasts dietary advantages resembling excessive fiber content material, potassium ranges, and glutathione, it’s unknown if vital portions of those vitamins are current in okra water,” Routhenstein says. To maximise the advantages of okra, her recommendation is to eat the entire vegetable.

Dangers of ingesting okra water

Okra water is usually protected for most individuals, however ingesting an excessive amount of might have destructive results in some instances. For one, okra tends to be excessive in a sugar known as fructans which can be a priority for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or different gastrointestinal points. The mucilage in okra water can also have a laxative impact, resulting in bloating and diarrhea.

Past intestine well being: “Extra analysis is required to validate the amount and security of incorporating okra water, notably for people taking blood thinners or medicines for diabetes,” Routhenstein says.

The style and consistency of okra water could not enchantment to everybody. Should you’re making an attempt to manage your blood sugar, including a sweetener to make okra water extra palatable might be dangerous.

Except for that, Feller recommends avoiding okra water should you can’t tolerate it or have a meals allergy. She recommends talking with a professional well being care skilled should you plan so as to add okra water to your routine. Inform them the medicines and dietary supplements you’re taking to keep away from any destructive interactions.

One other danger of over-consuming okra water is the potential for a “excessive oxalate quantity, which might result in an elevated danger of kidney stones, relying on what else you’re consuming,” Routhenstein says. Oxalate is an natural compound that binds with minerals like calcium, which makes it tougher for the physique to soak up these vitamins. So, it’s smart to restrict your consumption of oxalate-rich meals when you’ve got a historical past of kidney illness.

How one can make okra water

Begin by washing the okra pods totally. You may have the choice of utilizing entire pods or chopping them into slices. Whichever you select, add them to a jar or pitcher of cool water to steep in a single day. Feller suggests soaking okra pods for 8 to 24 hours. Should you desire a much less viscous texture, you possibly can pour the liquid via a strainer. The result’s a beverage that’s wealthy in mucilage.

Should you don’t benefit from the earthy taste of okra, one other tip is so as to add lemon or honey. Keep away from including sugary drinks like juice or soda which might make you are feeling extra dehydrated than refreshed. Becaise okra water tends to be slimy, you possibly can skip the water and eat the pods entire. Each Feller and Routhenstein agree that okra is greatest consumed entire. (Try these okra recipes for inspiration.)

Routhenstein suggests sautéing okra in an herb-infused tomato sauce. The acidity of tomato can scale back okra’s gummy texture. Feller recommends making an attempt a recipe like callaloo (a Caribbean stew made with okra, amongst different elements) for max taste and diet. Different methods to chop down on the sliminess of okra are utilizing excessive warmth, baking slices within the oven, or roasting them on a grill. You can even pickle okra or eat it recent.

How a lot okra water must you drink a day?

Presently, there isn’t a analysis on the advantages of ingesting a selected amount of okra water. “Subsequently, it must be carried out with warning and in dialog along with your well being care supplier, together with a registered dietitian,” Routhenstein says.

The underside line

Okra is a staple in stews and soups as a result of it’s available, cheap, and works as a thickening agent. Some research recommend there are advantages to consuming okra, however analysis on the well being results of ingesting okra water is missing. Okra accommodates fiber, minerals, and nutritional vitamins, however you don’t understand how a lot of those vitamins are deposited into the water.

That mentioned, as a result of okra water is thick and gelatinous, it’s attainable that not less than some vitamins are seeping into the H2O. If okra water enhances your style preferences, staying hydrated is an efficient motive to make this beverage a part of your routine. Simply make sure you’re additionally consuming a nutritionally balanced food regimen that features fruits, greens, legumes, and entire grains.