well & good: Okra Water Is Having a Moment on TikTok—Is the Gooey Drink Worth the Hype?

By Nandini Maharaj
May 29, 2024

kra doesn’t have the best reputation. The green fruit (yep, it’s a fruit) is a little fuzzy, can be sort of slimy, and is sometimes referred to as lady’s fingers—how appetizing! But okra is a nutrition powerhouse that can be quite delicious when prepared properly (read: air fryer okra). And if you’ve been on social media lately, you might’ve noticed that a beverage made with okra—that is, okra water—is having a moment.
Okra water is, simply, a drink made from soaking okra pods or slices of this fruit in water.

You may have seen TikTok videos about the benefits of drinking okra water for glowing skin, improved digestion, and enhanced fertility. But are these benefits legit?

Here, we asked registered dietitians about the possible benefits and risks of drinking okra water.

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Likewise, Maya Feller, RD, CDN, of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of Eating From Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites From Cultures Around the World, says further research is needed to substantiate claims around okra water for women’s enhanced fertility and vaginal lubrication.

Drinking okra water vs. eating okra

Feller explains that okra is a “functional food,” meaning it’s minimally processed and highly nutritious. The carbohydrates and chemicals “found in okra have the potential to increase antioxidant activity within the body, specifically concerning blood sugar regulation and lipid regulation,” she says. One such chemical is glutathione, which is an antioxidant that helps with repairing tissue, supporting immune health, and making proteins that help the body function properly.

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