NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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okra

A low-calorie, fiber-rich pod whose viscous mucilage gives it genuine, RCT-backed glucose-lowering credentials.

Moderate evidence 🥦Vegetables

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Moderate
Research weight
Citations
8 verified / 8
Classification
Vegetables
❝
What the evidence says. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent.

Nutrition per serving 1 cup sliced, raw (100 g)

100gSERVING
  • Sugars 1.5 g2%
  • Fibre 3.2 g3%
  • Other carbs 2.8 g3%
  • Protein 1.9 g2%
  • Other 90.6 g91%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Vitamin C26%Fiber11%Potassium6%Folate15%Vitamin A4%Vitamin K26%Vitamin B613%Manganese34%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
33 kcal1.9 g protein3.2 g fiber1.5 g sugar
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Vitamin C23 mg26%
Fiber3.2 g11%
Potassium299 mg6%
Folate60 µg15%
Vitamin A36 µg4%
Vitamin K31 µg26%
Vitamin B60.22 mg13%
Manganese0.79 mg34%
Copper0.11 mg12%
Vitamin E0.27 mg2%
Magnesium57 mg14%
Calcium82 mg6%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is okra?

okra is a vegetable used for lowers fasting blood glucose in type 2 diabetes. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Moderate. Okra is a standout among vegetables for glycemic control: multiple 2023-2025 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes show okra supplementation significantly lowers fasting blood glucose (pooled reductions of roughly 15-40 mg/dL) and HbA1c (about 0.4-0.5%), likely driven by its soluble mucilaginous fiber and polyphenols slowing carbohydrate absorption. Effects on cholesterol and triglycerides are favorable but more modest, while insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), blood pressure, and body weight show no consistent benefit. The glycemic evidence is among the more robust for any single vegetable, though most trials are small and short.

Purported Benefits

✓Lowers fasting blood glucose in type 2 diabetes
✓Reduces HbA1c (long-term glycemic control)
✓High soluble + insoluble fiber for satiety and digestion
✓Modestly improves total cholesterol and triglycerides
✓Low-calorie source of vitamin K, folate, magnesium and manganese

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
Standard serving: 1 cup sliced, raw (100 g). Eat whole (with skin where edible); favour whole fruit over juice.
Active Compounds
soluble mucilage (polysaccharide gel)pectinquercetin glycosidescatechins / flavonoid polyphenolsisoquercitrinvitamin K1 (phylloquinone)

Safety & Cautions

Rich in vitamin K (about 31 ug per 100 g), so large, sudden changes in intake can interfere with warfarin dosing. The viscous fiber can cause gas/bloating and may bind metformin, theoretically reducing its absorption if eaten together. Okra is moderately high in oxalates, which may matter for people prone to calcium-oxalate kidney stones. Glucose-lowering effects could add to antidiabetic medication, so monitor for hypoglycemia. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining okra with any medicine.

Key Studies

Meta-analysis of RCTs Fan et al. 2025 ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of 6 RCTs in type 2 diabetes: okra supplementation lowered fasting blood glucose (WMD -21.72 mg/dL, 95% CI -36.86 to -6.58) and HbA1c (WMD -0.42%, 95% CI -0.64 to -0.19), with no effect on insulin, HOMA-IR, BMI or weight.
Meta-analysis Zhang et al. 2024 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review/meta-analysis (8 studies, 521 adults): okra reduced fasting glucose (WMD -32.56 mg/dL, 95% CI -48.83 to -16.28), HbA1c (-0.48%, 95% CI -0.81 to -0.16) and total cholesterol (-9.70 mg/dL), but not HOMA-IR, HDL-C or LDL-C.
Meta-analysis of RCTs Bahari et al. 2024 ✓ Source
Meta-analysis of 9 RCTs (540 participants) in prediabetes/diabetes: okra lowered fasting glucose (WMD -39.6 mg/dL, 95% CI -61.6 to -17.6) and HbA1c (-0.5%, 95% CI -0.8 to -0.1), but had no significant effect on systolic or diastolic blood pressure.
Meta-analysis of RCTs Mokgalaboni et al. 2023 ✓ Source
Meta-analysis of RCTs (331 prediabetic/T2D patients) found okra significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (MD -14.63 mg/dL, 95% CI -25.25 to -4.00, p=0.007) with low heterogeneity (I2=33%).
Systematic review & meta-analysis Jafari et al. 2024 ✓ Source
Systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis across the diabetes spectrum confirmed okra improves dysglycaemia and metabolic dysfunction, supporting glycemic benefit while highlighting small trial sizes and variable quality.
Meta-analysis Front Nutr 2024 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs in prediabetes/diabetes found okra-based treatment significantly lowered HbA1c (WMD -0.5%, 95% CI -0.8 to -0.1, p=0.005) and improved cardiometabolic markers.
Meta-analysis Br J Nutr (GRADE dose-response) ✓ Source
GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs reported beneficial okra effects on glycaemic control, lipid profile, anthropometry, blood pressure, and liver function tests.
Randomized controlled trial Tavakolizadeh et al. 2023 ✓ PubMed
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 100 T2D patients (1000 mg okra powder 3x/day for 3 months) significantly reduced fasting glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol, triglycerides and hs-CRP versus placebo, with no adverse effects.
8 sources cited · 8 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about okra

What is okra used for?

okra is most often taken for Lowers fasting blood glucose in type 2 diabetes, Reduces HbA1c (long-term glycemic control), High soluble + insoluble fiber for satiety and digestion, Modestly improves total cholesterol and triglycerides. A low-calorie, fiber-rich pod whose viscous mucilage gives it genuine, RCT-backed glucose-lowering credentials.

Does okra work — what does the evidence say?

Moderate evidence. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent. Okra is a standout among vegetables for glycemic control: multiple 2023-2025 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes show okra supplementation significantly lowers fasting blood glucose (pooled reductions of roughly 15-40 mg/dL) and HbA1c (about 0.4-0.5%), likely driven by its soluble mucilaginous fiber and polyphenols slowing carbohydrate absorption. Effects on cholesterol and triglycerides are favorable but more modest, while insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), blood pressure, and body weight show no consistent benefit. The glycemic evidence is among the more robust for any single vegetable, though most trials are small and short.

What is the typical dose of okra?

Standard serving: 1 cup sliced, raw (100 g). Eat whole (with skin where edible); favour whole fruit over juice.

Is okra safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Rich in vitamin K (about 31 ug per 100 g), so large, sudden changes in intake can interfere with warfarin dosing. The viscous fiber can cause gas/bloating and may bind metformin, theoretically reducing its absorption if eaten together. Okra is moderately high in oxalates, which may matter for people prone to calcium-oxalate kidney stones. Glucose-lowering effects could add to antidiabetic medication, so monitor for hypoglycemia.

How many studies support okra?

NutriDex cites 8 sources for okra, graded "Moderate".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). okra: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/okra

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_okra,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {okra: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/okra},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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