The Ultimate Diet for Arthritis: What to Eat and Avoid

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a general term that refers to a group of conditions that affect joints and surrounding tissues.

There are over 100 types of arthritis, with the most common types being:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout
• Psoriatic arthritis

Symptoms of arthritis ³ vary depending on the type but commonly include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Weakness
• Loss of function
• Joint deformity
• Joint instability

Arthritis that affects your weight-bearing joints can make it challenging to sit up straight or walk comfortably. In severe cases, ⁴ the affected joints may lose their normal shape and alignment.

The Role of Inflammation in Arthritis

Inflammation is a natural immune response to injury, infection, or foreign substances. Inflammation helps to protect and heal the affected area by increasing blood flow, sending white blood cells, and releasing chemical mediators.

However, not all inflammation is the same. There are two main types of inflammation ⁵ :

• Acute – is usually short-term and resolves within a few days. Acute inflammation is characterized by warmth, redness, swelling, and pain in the affected area.
• Chronic – is long-term and can persist for months to years. It occurs when the immune system doesn’t eliminate the cause of inflammation or if it becomes overactive and attacks healthy body tissue. Chronic inflammation is associated with various chronic diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Inflammation can affect your joints in different ways, depending on its cause.

In some cases, inflammation can help to heal joint injuries or infections by removing debris and stimulating tissue regeneration.

On the other hand, inflammation can damage the joints of your body ⁶ by eroding cartilage, bone, tendons, or ligaments.

The Best Foods For Relieving Arthritis in Your Joints

We’ve mentioned that eating an anti-inflammatory diet can help manage your arthritis symptoms and improve your overall health and well-being. This might leave you wondering what foods help arthritis go away.

Below, we’ll outline some of the best foods for arthritis and inflammation.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Berries, including blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, and boysenberries, as well as apples, are all rich in antioxidants and can fight arthritis inflammation . ⁷
• Pomegranates are rich in tannins, which help decrease inflammation . ⁷
• Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and broccoli are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber and provide anti-inflammatory benefits . ⁷

These are just some fruits and vegetables that can help you manage your arthritis. You can also add a variety of colorful fruits and veggies to your plate, such as dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and beets, as these all have different nutrients that can help fight inflammation in your body.

Fish and Lean Meat

• Omega-3-rich fish options, including salmon, sardines, tuna, and mackerel, help decrease inflammation.

Legumes and Nuts

• Protein-rich plant options, including nuts and seeds, lentils, beans, and peas, are low in saturated fats and cholesterol. Replacing meat with protein-rich plant options helps to minimize inflammation . ⁷

Grains and Cereals

• Whole grains, ⁸ including brown rice, quinoa, farro, whole wheat, and millet, are rich in antioxidants and fiber and help to reduce inflammation . ^{7 ,}

Beverages

• Tea , ⁹ including green, black, and white tea, is rich in polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory effects.
• Juices , ⁹ including orange, tomato, pineapple, and carrot juice, are rich in vitamin C, which helps to neutralize free radicals that contribute to inflammation. However, if you opt for juice, drink it in moderation, as most juices are high in sugar and calories.
• Smoothies ⁹ packed with colorful fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants and help to decrease inflammation. Smoothies may be preferred over juices because they use whole fruit or vegetables, giving you extra fiber and containing no added sugars.

Adding some of the best foods for arthritis and inflammation into your diet can help decrease inflammation in your body and help get your arthritis symptoms under control.

Foods to Avoid: Triggers and Inflammatory Foods

Some foods can trigger or worsen inflammation, leading to more joint pain, stiffness, and decreased mobility.

What foods worsen arthritis? Below, we’ll outline what foods trigger arthritis and worsen inflammation.

Sugars and Sweets

• When you think about what foods worsen arthritis, sugars and sweets should be at the top of your list.
• Research has shown that excessive dietary sugar can cause metabolic disorders and increase inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines in various body tissues, leading to insulin resistance and low-grade chronic inflammation . ¹⁰ Simply put, sugars and sweets trigger inflammation and worsen arthritis symptoms.

Processed Foods

• Another thing to watch out for if you’re trying to figure out what foods make arthritis worse are additives and preservatives in processed foods.
• Processed food contains additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), salt, and aspartame ¹¹ to preserve food and improve taste, but these additives increase inflammation.

Alcohol and Caffeine

• While you may find having an alcoholic drink or cup of coffee relaxing, you should drink them in moderation.
• While research has shown that coffee has antioxidant polyphenols, which help to protect your body from free radical damage, there may be a link between coffee and an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis. However, further research is needed to support this claim. In general, limit coffee consumption to a max of 2 cups per day ⁹ if you have arthritis.
• Some research has shown that red wine contains resveratrol, which has anti-inflammatory properties, and other research has found that moderate drinking is associated with a reduced risk of rheumatoid arthritis. However, many scientists question the strength of these studies. To complicate matters further, additional research has shown that alcohol consumption ⁹ has detrimental effects on arthritis. If you’re a drinker, drink in moderation to avoid triggering or worsening arthritis symptoms.

Avoiding or limiting these foods that trigger inflammation and worsen arthritis symptoms can help you manage your arthritis symptoms and improve your overall health and well-being.

Creating a Balanced Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan

If you’re new to meal planning, here are some tips for success:

• Use an online meal planner – these planners can save and organize your recipes, generate your shopping list, and track your nutrition.
• Keep it simple – there’s no need to cook elaborate dishes every night; opt for simple, nutritious meals.
• Choose a variety of foods – including foods from different groups ensures that you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet.
• Shop the sales – go through your local grocery store flyers and plan your meals around what’s on sale. This will help to save you money and also reduce food waste.
• Plan for leftovers – cook enough food so that you have leftovers for another meal. You can use your leftovers as is or make them into a new dish by adding a few extra ingredients.
• Batch cook and freeze – if you have some extra time during the week, prepare your meals and freeze them for a later time. This will ensure you have something nutritious to eat when you’re busy or don’t feel like cooking.
• Organize – organizing your fridge and pantry can help make meal preparation easier and more efficient.
• Have fun – there’s no need for meal planning to be stressful. Keep it fun by trying new recipes, getting a helping hand from family or friends, and listening to music while you cook.

Portion control ¹² is another important part of a healthy diet as it can help you avoid overeating, which can lead to weight gain and inflammation.

Tips to control your portions include

• Use smaller plates, bowls, cups, and utensils.
• As a general rule – fill half of your plate with vegetables, a quarter with good-quality protein, and a quarter with complex carbohydrates.
• When eating out, ask for half a portion or take half of your meal home to eat later.
• Be cautious of serving sizes, read nutrition labels, and measure single servings.
• Eat slowly – chew your food well and enjoy each bite.

When planning an anti-inflammatory diet, consider any medications or supplements you’re taking. In some cases, certain foods may interact with medications or supplements , ¹³ leading to harmful side effects. If you’re taking any medications, speak to your health professional before drastically changing your diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is it possible to completely cure arthritis through diet? No, it’s not possible to cure arthritis through diet, but consuming an anti-inflammatory diet can help you manage your condition and improve your quality of life.

• How long will it take to notice improvements? The effects of changing to an anti-inflammatory diet can vary among individuals depending on the type and severity of inflammation. It may take several weeks to months to notice an improvement in your symptoms.

• Are supplements a good substitute for natural foods? No, supplements are not a good substitute for natural foods. Supplements are intended to supplement your diet, not replace it. Natural foods are whole foods that contain various nutrients that work together to support health and well-being.

Takeaway

Arthritis is a chronic condition that causes joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation. There is currently no cure for arthritis, but effective ways to manage symptoms exist.

One of the easiest and most natural ways to do this is following an anti-inflammatory diet. An anti-inflammatory diet provides antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and various other nutrients that help reduce inflammation in your body and help manage arthritis symptoms.

With some planning and preparation, you can enjoy nutritious meals that help to nourish your body and reduce inflammation.