Abelmoschus esculentus, commonly known as Okra, is a vegetable used as a thickening agent in stews due to its slimy seed pods which also contain a powerful medicine that can lower blood sugar.
Okra has been used in some traditional cultures for generations to help stabilize blood sugar levels. Modern studies on okra and diabetes have also conducted through time. Evidences of okra having anti-diabetic properties has increased in recent years, with multiple in-vitro (laboratory) and in-vivo (animal) studies confirming okra as a potent blood glucose-lowering (or anti-diabetic) food.
In a 2011 study published in ISRN Pharmaceutics, researchers tested okra in rats with diabetes. Researchers soaked sliced okra pods in water and then gave the rats the solution through a gastric feeding tube. The control group is the ones that did not receive the solution. Results showed that the okra helped reduce the absorption of glucose, which in turn reduced blood sugar levels in the treated rats. More so, researchers noted that okra has a rich source of dietary fiber and has been traditionally used to manage diabetes.
In a similar study published in the Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences, researchers again tested okra in diabetic rats. They used powdered okra seed and peel extracts. After up to 28 days of consuming the extracts, the rats showed a significant reduction in blood sugar levels. Their triglyceride levels by then were stabilized. Scientists noted that though both extracts were effective, the seed extract produced a greater blood sugar level reduction.
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