Around GMA

Article Inside Page

Okra is well-known as an ingredient for many Filipino viands, it is also considered by many to help reduce the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, can okra soaked in water be the key to cure prostate cancer?

In an episode of PinoyMD, a 51-year-old man from Bustos, Bulacan stands by the fact that okra water cured his prostate cancer. With the lack of a medicinal budget, he resorted to using the said alternative not only to save money but also because it's easy to prepare. He makes his Okra Water by cutting six pieces of okra into thin slices and soaking it overnight in a bottle filled with two cups of water.

According to Healthline, “drinking this okra water solution is a quick and simple way to derive the benefits of okra without eating it.”

However, the Philippine Cancer Society explains that no study has been conducted to prove okra water as a cure for prostate cancer. The Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care also agrees with the statement.

“Until such time that it is concluded to be a cancer-fighting vegetable in a sense that it can kill cancer cells, and it's been tested on humans, I don't think we can give a recommendation that okra water is the sole remedy to use against a certain cancer,” said Dr. Rachel Rosario, executive director of the Philippine Cancer Society.

Nevertheless, okra is rich in folate and as Medical News Today states, “a low folate intake may also increase a person's risk of developing a range of cancers, including cervical, pancreatic, lung, and breast cancer.”

Learn more about the healing effects of okra water in last week's episode of PinoyMD: