A doctor has touted the benefits of a ‘slimy’ vegetable that can help to support gut health, weight loss, and cholesterol management.
Okra, often snubbed due to its gooey feel, boasts a little-known compound — mucilage — that’s great for your wellbeing. Okra’s sticky mucilage has been praised on social media; health enthusiasts are soaking okra in water, filtering, and sipping the goo in a bid to to boost their wellbeing.
In a TikTok video, Dr Karan Raj spoke out about this concoction’s gains. “If you want to improve your gut health, drinking okra water might actually help,” he shared.
“When you mix okra’s mucilage with water, it forms a gel-like substance in your gut and this gel absorbs water, bulking up your stool to make it thick and juicy.”
But Dr Raj didn’t stop there, highlighting how mucilage is more than just roughage. “It also acts as a prebiotic buffet for your microbiome, allowing beneficial bacteria to thrive.”
The benefits extend to digestion, where mucilage decelerates gastrointestinal transit — or, as Dr Raj puts it: “That’s a fancy way of saying food takes longer to pass through your digestive system. You’re fuller for longer, which can aid with any weight loss effort.”
This sticky substance also binds cholesterol within the digestive tract, according to Dr Raj, and so it has the potential to lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels. However, some people remain sceptical.
In the comments section of Dr Raj’s video, one viewer expressed their hesitation: “Can’t you just eat okra?” Another added their thoughts on the texture: “I know you’re right but that slime is unbearable.”
A third person also couldn’t get past the consistency, saying: “Sorry but I can’t drink slime.” However, not everyone was put off by the idea, with a more enthusiastic viewer commenting: “Never heard of okra water! Can’t wait to try this for my gut health!”
For those who aren’t keen on the idea of drinking okra-infused water, Dr Raj reassured them that there are alternative methods to enjoy its benefits. “If drinking okra-infused water feels like sipping vegetable-flavoured regret, you’ll be pleased to know that cooking and eating okra is actually even better for you,” he explained.
He highlighted that cooked okra still provides mucilage, as well as valuable micronutrients and insoluble fibre. Dr Raj also mentioned that mucilage can be found in other plants such as aloe vera, psyllium husk, flaxseeds, and chia seeds.