by Marcy Cassidy
(Carson City, Nv. )
I was just diagnosed with diabetes and have been researching natural approaches. I heard about okra water but could not find fresh okra.
I bought frozen, already-cut okra. Can frozen okra be used, and how much should I soak overnight?
Answer by Dr. Albana Greca Sejdini, MD, MMedSc, Family Physician, IDF Fellow
Hello Marcy,
Okra is a nutritious vegetable and can certainly be included in a healthy eating plan for diabetes. What I would not do, however, is rely on okra water as a treatment for newly diagnosed diabetes.
Some clinical studies suggest that okra preparations may modestly improve fasting glucose, after-meal glucose and HbA1c in people with diabetes.
However, the research is still limited. Studies have used different forms and doses of okra, and the overall certainty of the evidence remains low. We do not yet have a standard medically accepted dose or preparation for okra water.
That means I cannot recommend a specific number of okra pieces, cups of frozen okra or soaking time as a proven diabetes treatment.
Yes. Frozen okra can still be a nutritious vegetable. Freezing does not make it unsuitable for people with diabetes.
You can use it in meals such as soups, stews, roasted vegetables or other dishes. It provides fiber and nutrients without needing to be turned into a medicinal drink.
There is no good evidence that raw okra water is more effective than simply eating okra as food.
If you enjoy okra water as a food-based drink, that is different from using it as medicine. But I would not give you a treatment recipe such as “four pieces overnight,” because that dose has not been established as effective or safe for controlling diabetes.
The most important first step is to understand what type of diabetes you have and how high your glucose is.
Your clinician may review fasting glucose, HbA1c and other tests. Our blood tests for diabetes guide explains the tests used for diagnosis.
If you already have results, our blood glucose test-results guide explains how diagnostic ranges are interpreted.
Nutrition, physical activity, weight management when appropriate, glucose monitoring and medication all have stronger evidence than relying on a single food or herbal remedy.
Yes. Okra can be a good vegetable choice because it contains fiber and relatively little digestible carbohydrate compared with many starchy foods.
I would use it as one part of a varied eating pattern rather than trying to consume unlimited amounts or treating it as a medicine.
You can also use our diabetes foods guide to build a more balanced overall eating pattern.
Be cautious with claims that herbs, spices or foods can “reverse” or cure diabetes. Current diabetes guidance does not recommend herbal supplements specifically for glucose control because the evidence is not strong enough.
Natural does not always mean risk-free. Some supplements can interact with diabetes medicines or other treatments.
Frozen okra is fine to eat, but I would not depend on okra water or a specific soaking recipe to control newly diagnosed diabetes.
Use okra as a healthy vegetable if you enjoy it, and focus first on confirming your diagnosis, understanding your glucose numbers and following a treatment plan with your healthcare professional.
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