Okra is a fruit that's commonly thought of and utilized as a vegetable. It's a rich source of blood-sugar-lowering compounds like polysaccharides and flavonoid antioxidants.

In Turkey, okra seeds have long been used as a natural remedy to treat diabetes due to their potent blood-sugar-lowering properties.

Rhamnogalacturonan, the main polysaccharide in okra, has been identified as a powerful antidiabetic compound. Plus, okra contains the flavonoids isoquercitrin and quercetin 3-O-gentiobioside, which help reduce blood sugar by inhibiting certain enzymes.