The Effects of Okra Consumption on Glycemic Parameters and Lipid Profile in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The clinical research findings on the effects of okra consumption on blood glucose and lipids are inconsistent. In this study, we aimed to explore the impact of okra consumption on glycemic parameters and lipid profile in adults, including homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). To find relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs), we systemically searched EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus until April 2024. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight studies involving 521 participants were ultimately included in the present study. Compared to placebo, okra consumption remarkably decreased FBG (WMD: -32.56 mg/dL; 95% CI: -48.83, -16.28; p < 0.001; I ² = 84.7%), HbA1c (WMD: -0.48%; 95% CI: -0.81, -0.16; p = 0.004; I ² = 5.5%), TG (WMD: -13.16 mg/dL; 95% CI: -23.54, -2.77; p = 0.013; I ² = 0.0%), and TC (WMD: -9.70 mg/dL; 95% CI: -14.95, -4.46; p < 0.001; I ² = 38.3%) in adults. However, okra showed no notable impact on HOMA-IR, HDL-C, and LDL-C. Okra consumption has an improving effect on adult FBG, HbA1c, TG, and TC levels. More large-scale RCT studies are necessary to validate the beneficial effects of okra on adults due to the limited number of included RCTs. Trial Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42024540121.