What a Dietitian Says About the Health Benefits of Okra Water

Drinks with purported wellness advantages are nothing new. There was celery juice for clearer pores and skin, bone broth for intestine health, and, most lately, the #Oatzempic shake for weight loss. And now, you may add okra water to the record.
It’s one of the newest health developments making the rounds on TikTok, with many followers claiming it might probably enhance digestion, scale back bloating, clear up your pores and skin, and even enhance vaginal lubrication. But is it too good to be true? We asked registered dietitian Katherine Basbaum, RD, for her tackle the okra water craze, and whether or not or not it’s truly good for you.
Health advantages of okra
A 1-cup serving of okra (the vegetable, not the drink) accommodates a bunch of nutritional vitamins and minerals with antioxidant properties and health advantages backed by research, together with:
- Vitamin A: Improves immune system, imaginative and prescient, and coronary heart health
- Vitamin C: Reduces danger of heart problems and most cancers and boosts manufacturing of collagen
- Manganese: Promotes bone health, stronger immune system, and wound therapeutic
- Fiber: Improves digestion and reduces ldl cholesterol
Does okra water truly work?
While there isn’t any scientific proof supporting okra water, there is analysis supporting okra itself. “Okra accommodates numerous vitamins and phytochemicals which have proven to enhance pores and skin health (carotene and niacin) and promote healthy digestion (fiber),” Basbaum summarizes.
However, the okra water development most likely isn’t the miracle treatment that influencers declare it to be. “Yes, if you drink water that was used to soak some kind of fresh produce, some nutrients could potentially leach into the water,” Basbaum says. “But is it better than getting 100% of the nutrients from eating the vegetable itself? Nope.”
How to include okra into your eating regimen
As talked about, Basbaum strongly recommends eating your okra as an alternative of placing it in water and ingesting it. “This way, you’re getting the full benefit of okra’s rich nutrient profile, versus the much smaller amount you might get from drinking the slimy, okra-soaked water,” she explains. Prepare it any manner you’d like, whether or not that’s roasting, baking, or mixing it into a stew. “Just go easy on deep fried okra due to the added fat and calories,” she cautions.
And in case you’re after clearer pores and skin and fewer bloating? There are higher methods to perform that than by eating okra. Katherine recommends staying hydrated, eating a selection of antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies (the extra shade, the higher!), and including in healthy fat like nuts, olive oil, and avocado. And of course, watch your sodium consumption.
Pro tip: You can observe all of the above, even your water consumption, in the MyFitnessPal app.
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