Via The Daily Mail. So there might be a super low-cost $4 alternative to Ozympic hiding in every grocery store in the country. Why not give it a try?
The $4 'natural Ozempic' hiding in grocery stores across the US
Scientists have identified a natural Ozempic hiding in nearly every grocery store across the US.
Brazilian researchers discovered that okra, a fuzzy green pod often overlooked in supermarkets, may help reduce body fat, improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and even protect vital organs like the liver from obesity-related damage.
The research, conducted on rats, points to the vegetable’s potential as a low-cost tool in fighting metabolic disorders and supporting long-term health, similar to the powers of Ozempic that costs around $1,000 a month.
Often priced at around $4 per pound, okra is an edible seed pod available in green and red varieties.
It’s long been praised for its high fiber and antioxidant content, but this new research shines a light on its lesser-known metabolic benefits.
Researchers credit catechins, powerful antioxidants found in okra, and also in green tea, for many of its effects. These compounds are known to combat inflammation, support cardiovascular health and may play a role in disease prevention.
While human trials are still needed, scientists believe introducing okra early in life could offer protective health effects over time.
Registered dietitian Dr Sereen Zawahri Krasuna, who was not involved in the study, said: 'Okra may not be at the top of most people's grocery lists.
'But it's easier than you'd think to use it in the kitchen. Okra's health benefits definitely make it worth the effort.'
In this animal trial, researchers worked with newborn rats, dividing them into two initial groups based on litter size to simulate different feeding conditions.
The first group included only three pups per mother - allowing them to have more access to milk and gain weight more rapidly.
The other group followed a standard litter size of eight pups, creating more competition for milk and slower early growth.
At three weeks old, all rats were weaned and placed on one of two diets: a standard rodent diet or the same diet supplemented with 1.5 percent okra.
The form of the okra, whether fresh, powdered, or otherwise, was not specified.
The rats remained on their assigned diets until adulthood at 100 days old. Researchers tracked body weight, food and water intake, blood sugar, fat accumulation, and muscle mass every two days.
They also measured insulin sensitivity in both the body and brain, and analyzed inflammation markers in the hypothalamus, the brain region that regulates appetite and energy balance.
By adulthood, rats from small litters on a standard diet showed greater food consumption, higher blood sugar, and increased fat mass compared to the others, highlighting the metabolic risks tied to early-life overnutrition and the potential mitigating effects of okra.
Read the entire Daily Mail story here.
2 comments:
Now if science could just make Okra palatable....
I raise it. Raw with cherry tomatoes is a fine snack.Harvest and eat,in the garden.
Post a Comment