The effects of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) products on glycemic control and lipid profile: A comprehensive systematic review

Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent endocrine disorder with clinical manifestations of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia due to malfunction and/ or insufficiency of insulin in the body. DM is considered as a public health problem worldwide due to its adverse effects on the body. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is an annual medicinal plant rich in antioxidant components, bioactive polysaccharides, and fibers. This systematic review aimed to summarize the effects of okra on glycemic indices and lipid profile. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and Google scholar databases were searched until May 2021 with no limitation. Totally, 54 studies which investigated the effects of okra on glycemic control and lipid profile were included in the present systematic review. Most of the included studies showing favorable effects of okra products on glycemic variables and lipid profile, were performed on animal models. Therefore, more clinical trials are needed for a definitive conclusion.