Can Eating Okra Affect Arthritis? What You Need to Know

Happy Thursday Hivers!

We’ve often heard that if you have arthritis, you should avoid eating vegetables with seeds because they can trigger flare-ups. I used to doubt this belief. But when arthritis hit me hard at the age of 33, I realized there might be some truth to it after all.

Arthritis runs in my family, especially on my mother’s side. There were times when my uncle couldn’t sleep because of the pain. Back then, I used to feel sorry for him, seeing him endure such discomfort, never imagining that I would eventually inherit the same condition.

A few years ago, I experienced my first severe arthritis flare-up. One of my favorite dishes is eggplant omelet (tortang talong), and we all know eggplant contains a lot of seeds. A day after eating it, I started to feel intense joint pain, almost like I had a fever. The next day, my right hand became swollen, and even something as simple as picking up my phone at work was unbearable. When I finally went for a check-up, that’s when I found out, it was arthritis.

One of the most frustrating things about arthritis is having to avoid foods you love, especially those with seeds. Because of this, I searched for ways to still enjoy these foods without triggering a flare-up.

Take okra (lady's finger), for example. I really love eating it steamed, paired with a simple sauce made of tomatoes, calamansi, and ginger. But since okra is full of seeds, I had to find a way around it. So here’s what I did: before steaming the okra, I carefully removed all the seeds.

It may sound tedious, but surprisingly, it worked. Even after eating it for several days, my arthritis didn’t flare up. If you also have arthritis and still want to enjoy okra, you might want to try this method and see if it works for you too.

Living with arthritis doesn’t necessarily mean giving up the foods we love, it just means finding smarter ways to enjoy them. While every person’s triggers may be different, listening to our body and making small adjustments can go a long way. With a little patience and creativity, we can still enjoy our favorite meals while managing our condition more comfortably.

Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Cheers!

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