Know2eat

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

What okra has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About okra

The immature seed pod of a mallow relative, eaten across West Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and the American South. Cutting it releases a viscous mucilage that thickens whatever it is cooked in.

Also known as Ladies fingers, Bhindi, Gumbo, Bamia

Blood Sugar & Metabolic HealthHeart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood glucose response

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Limited evidence

Small trials, mostly of okra powder or okra-soaked water in people with type 2 diabetes, report modest reductions in fasting glucose. The studies are small, short and largely unblinded, and viscous soluble fibre would be expected to blunt glucose absorption regardless of the source.

What may be going on: Viscous soluble fibre slows gastric emptying and the rate at which glucose reaches the intestinal wall.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Okra mucilage binds bile acids in laboratory conditions and lowers cholesterol in rodents. Human trials measuring lipids after eating okra are essentially absent.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Okra

Ask about Okra

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories33 kcal2%
Protein1.93 g4%
Total fat0.19 g0%
Carbohydrate7.45 g3%
Fibre3.2 g11%
Total sugars1.48 g—
Water89.6 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.026 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.017 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.027 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.026 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A36 µg4%
Vitamin C23 mg26%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.27 mg2%
Vitamin K31.3 µg26%
Thiamin (B1)0.2 mg17%
Riboflavin (B2)0.06 mg5%
Niacin (B3)1 mg6%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.245 mg5%
Vitamin B60.215 mg13%
Folate60 µg15%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline12.3 mg2%
Minerals
Calcium82 mg6%
Iron0.62 mg3%
Magnesium57 mg14%
Phosphorus61 mg5%
Potassium299 mg6%
Sodium7 mg0%
Zinc0.58 mg5%
Copper0.109 mg12%
Manganese0.788 mg34%
Selenium0.7 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene416 µg—
Alpha-carotene27 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin280 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.86 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Okra, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169260).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • boiledReduces soluble oxalate

    Boiling and discarding the water lowers the soluble oxalate content, which matters for people managing stone risk.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Oxalate content and kidney stones

    Okra is one of the higher-oxalate vegetables and should be counted towards a daily total by anyone managing recurrent calcium oxalate stones. Boiling and discarding the water reduces the soluble fraction.

  • Interaction

    Possible interference with metformin absorption

    An animal study reported that okra reduced metformin absorption, and this has circulated widely as advice. It has not been tested in people and the evidence is weak, but it is the kind of thing worth mentioning to a pharmacist if you eat okra daily and take metformin.

  • Worth knowing

    The mucilage is the point and the problem

    The same soluble fibre that thickens stews produces the slimy texture many people dislike. Cooking whole, cooking fast at high heat, or adding acid all reduce it.