Cooked bhindi or bhindi ki sabzi, one of the most beloved recipes in Indian households, isn’t just a treat for taste buds, but also a favoured preparation for people with diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart diseases. The benefits of lady’s finger or okra pods are many, with the vegetable being a storehouse of innumerable nutrients and bioactive compounds. The slimy substance in okra called mucilage can work wonders for health – from regulating digestion to managing blood sugar and cholesterol.
According to a review published in PubMed Central, okra supplementation statistically reduced the high levels of fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. The methanol extract of okra can benefit the central nervous system and reduce depressant activity.
People who eat a diet rich in polyphenols had lower inflammatory markers associated with heart disease, according to PubMed Central.
In recent times, okra water- the infused water recipe prepared by soaking the veggie overnight in water, has gained popularity in the wellness circuit, making people wonder which is better for health – cooked okra or okra water? FinancialExpress.com got in touch with a few experts.
The craze around okra water
Featured in health trends, many people have turned to bhindi water for its benefits in terms of aiding digestion, blood sugar control, and overall well-being. The infused water is good for gut health and may aid in digestion and maintaining bowel movements.
“Raw okra is rich in antioxidants, which help combat oxidative stress and maintain cellular health. Additionally, raw okra water contains natural soluble fiber, which may help digestion, maintain bowel regularity, and promote gut health. Overall, raw bhindi water is a good option for those wishing to retain the most nutrients possible,” says Dr Karuna Chaturvedi, Head – Clinical Nutrition, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Noida.
Cooking okra doesn’t reduce its benefits for people with diabetes
“Okra is a high-fibre vegetable, loaded with vitamins, minerals like zinc and bioactive compounds. Soluble and insoluble fibre present in okra helps lowering of blood sugars by slowing down the movement of food. Raw and cooked okra provides significant health benefits. Studies indicate that boiling and roasting does not affect the antidiabetic potential of the vegetable. However the phenolic contents are reduced on cooking but not completely destroyed,” says Priya Palan, Dietician – Zen Multispeciality Hospital.
Palan says there is very little scientific evidence available to support the health benefits of soaked okra water and further studies are needed to show its potential benefits on skin, immune system and blood sugars.
The expert cautions about adding excess of okra as eating too much of fibre can cause bloating and gas.
‘Definitely cooked bhindi!’
Dr Shruti K Bhardwaj, Chief Dietician at Zydus Hospitals, says it’s better to consume Bhindi after cooking, compared to raw okra water, as the latter can lead to gut intolerance or gastric upset. The dietitian says that while cooking on high flame can destroy some of the nutrients, it also enhances bioavailability of nutrients.
“Raw okra water has gut mucosa healing properties just like aloe vera has. So it is great for gut health and acidity,” Gut health Nutritionist Smriti Kochar told Financial Express.com.
Both cooked okra and okra water has the approval of experts. Veena V, Chief Clinical Dietician, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru, helps us understand how the two versions affect different aspects of our health.
Heart health
Cooked bhindi is a good source of soluble fibre and can lower cholesterol which can further improve cardiovascular or heart health. The soluble fibre in bhindi can bind with bile acids, which results in the excretion of cholesterol. Bhindi water may allow for less blood sugar spikes and allows for better lipid management but research is limited to anecdotal evidence. If you seeking longer term heart health, consistently consuming cooked bhindi in your diet will provide reliable benefits.
Kidney health
Bhindi is full of antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols that can reduce oxidation stress, which is a good thing for kidney protection. Cooking bhindi will retain these beneficial antioxidants and change the food to a more easily digestible form. There are advocates promoting raw bhindi overeating water to flush toxicity and kidney stones, but there are not significant clinically reviewed evidence to promote these claims. People with kidney concerns should be careful and avoid high oxalate content due to it being high in raw bhindi and being a component of stone formation in predisposed individuals.
Liver health
Cooked bhindi is a reliable source of antioxidants that combat free radicals and lower liver inflammation. There is evidence that polysaccharides found in bhindi may protect the liver from damage due to toxins. Because bhindi water is hydrating and has mucilage which theoretically enhances the liver’s detoxifying action, it may also provide some benefit, but without being used in place of other medical care. For ongoing support for the liver, a sensible choice would be prepared bhindi in a balanced diet.
Weight Loss
Cooked bhindi has low calories and high fibre, which improves satiety and regulates appetite. Bhindi is great to have in weight-loss diets. Bhindi water is believed to slow the absorption of carbohydrates, improving blood sugar control and regulating appetite to prevent overeating. While this may help us, cooked bhindi is overall better, because it is a source of complete nutrition with proteins, vitamins and minerals that water alone cannot provide.
Brain health
Cooked okra is a great source of cognitive function-related nutrients and mental clarity: folate, vitamin C, and some other antioxidants. Both the folate and vitamin C from cooked okra increase blood circulation to the brain. Furthermore, the antioxidants will repair damage to the nerve pathways. Eating or drinking bhindi water offers limited brain health benefits despite it may not directly provide nutrients, it may help diabetic individuals maintain stable blood sugar levels; which can indirectly help maintain cognitive stability.
Cooked bhindi vs raw bhindi
Both cooked bhindi and raw bhindi water are good for your health, but there are some differences in the strengths of each. First, cooked bhindi readily offers all the many nutrients: fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that serve to promote heart, kidney, liver, weight and brain health in more complete and useful manner.
Raw bhindi water, as a raw food home remedy even may be, would be an adjunct health remedy, as a raw food in general offer inherent risk with possibly the only real benefit being regulating blood sugar, and for fluids; it is lacking, in my opinion, as an alternative for cooked bhindi in one’s diet.
A word of caution
Veena advises people with kidney stones or GI sensitivities to not consume raw bhindi water without physician consultation.
“For the general population, consuming cooked bhindi in regular amounts within a healthy, varied diet is a more satisfactory and evidence-supported means of gaining its entire benefit. Bhindi water can be experimented with sparingly, but it is best utilized as a supplementary remedy rather than as the main source of nutrition,” concludes Veena.