'I'm a doctor - here's why viral weight loss trend doesn't work'

A doctor has slammed a new social media weight-loss craze as being 'a waste of time'. Influencers on platforms like and are claiming that drinking okra water is a surefire health hit.

Achieved by dunking raw okra pods in water overnight, the method is trending online for its alleged health benefits. Supporters claim it can help manage . But Dr Masarat Jilani argues that while guzzling okra-laced water might not do any harm, expecting it to have significant advantages is overly optimistic.

Dr Jilani, who works for , said: "Staying hydrated is always beneficial for digestion and metabolism. Drinking okra water might encourage people to consume more fluids, which is a positive step, but the okra itself contributes very little, except for a slightly unusual flavour.

"Fruit or cucumber slices might be a tastier alternative. The frustrating thing about this is that most of the gut-friendly fibre in okra stays in the pod, not the water.

"Since people following the trend discard the vegetable and only drink the water, they miss out on any truly meaningful nutritional benefit that okra has to offer. There's no scientific evidence that okra water speeds up metabolism or burns fat.

"Any perceived is likely due to other behavioural changes, such as eating more healthily or cutting down on sugary drinks." Dr Jilani also dispensed insights regarding okra's natural composition, reports .

She added: "Okra's natural mucilage, the gel-like substance it releases when soaked, may slow digestion slightly. While this could, in theory, help regulate blood sugar levels, the studies are limited and primarily in animals.

"Drinking okra water isn't harmful, just make sure you wash the okra well before soaking. However, relying on it as a weight-loss or gut-health remedy is likely just a waste of time.

"Okra water isn't unsafe, but it's no silver bullet. The real benefits of okra come from eating the whole vegetable, not from simply soaking it and throwing it away.

"If it's the gut health benefits you want, then you'd be better off incorporating it into your diet in other ways, such as in curries or sautéed as a side dish. If you enjoy drinking it and it helps you stay hydrated, that's great, but don't expect dramatic health results.

"Using this alone as a weight management strategy is unfortunately a waste of time. In fact, the biggest concern with the okra water fads is that people will skip proven healthy weight loss strategies in favour of .

"There's no magic substitute for a balanced diet, regular movement, and consistent routines."