Stiffness, joint pain, swelling, and a decreased range of motion afflict people with arthritis. While there are more than 100 different kinds of arthritis, anti-inflammatories can treat several symptoms of this disease. If you’re looking to limit your pain, avoid these kinds of foods that trigger inflammation and other arthritis symptoms.
Fried food
If you’re looking to fend off arthritis pain, steering clear of your local state fair may be for the best. Foods that have been fried in oils, whether it’s fried chicken or deep fried cookie dough, can be a nightmare for patients with arthritis.
A study of 350 participants conducted by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that cutting back on fried food reduced inflammation. Fried and processed foods are full of advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, which are compounds in your body that can accumulate and cause inflammation. Instead of frying food, try steaming or poaching your meats.
Candies, sodas, and processed food
You may not want to add “. . . and a large Coke” to your next lunch order. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found healthy patients who consumed soda increased inflammation in their bodies. The study warns that the processed sugars in soda can trigger cykotine, a protein that affects inflammation.
Avoiding foods with processed sugars can be tricky, as Americans don’t often realize how much sugar they’re eating. Be on the lookout for ingredients that end with “-ose,” such as “fructose” and “dextrose.”
White bread
Refined grains are simple carbohydrates that the body breaks down into sugar more quickly, and sugar is highly inflammatory. Examples of these kinds of carbs include white bread, white rice, some cereals, and cookies.
However, you don’t have to cut out all grains to avoid your risk of arthritis. Choose whole grain breads, rye, and whole wheat cereals, and you can still enjoy the benefits of fiber, antioxidants, and B vitamins.
Baked goods
Cookies, cakes, pies, and donuts are made with shortenings and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Those foods are high in trans fat which, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is a kind of fat linked with an increase of inflammation in women.
But that’s not to say you need to avoid all fat. A study in the Global Journal of Health Sciences found omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce morning stiffness as well as swollen and tender joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Salmon, oysters, walnuts, and chia seeds all have omega-3s that can be help to fight arthritis pain.
Sources:
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/94/2/479/4597872
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2785020/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4424767/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15051604
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4965662/
