Diet has a very positive impact on the body’s overall health and reduces joint pain too, but how? Different foods that help reduce joint pain have excellent analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. You only need to adapt to the proper diet for strengthening your bones and joints to ensure their longevity.
A healthy diet intake can not only reduce joint pain but also prevents it even before its occurrence. A medical study proves the positive impact of nutritional food content on muscle and joint pain. According to that study, the severity of rheumatoid arthritis was affected in 24% of the total patients after adapting several dietary changes.
Hence, changing your lifestyle is recommended for reducing joint pain. And dietary changes could be the best initiative for a healthy lifestyle. In this article, we uncover the doctor’s recommended 11 foods that help reduce joint pain – Incorporate in your dietary life and say goodbye to that teasing joint pain.
Most Effective Foods to Reduce Joint Pain Naturally
Foods that help reduce joint pain vary in different categories: fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc. This article gives you a combination of everything so that you can make delicious and healthy fusion meals. Some of the most effective foods containing suitable nutritional content for arthritis are as follows:
1. Berries
Berries serve as an excellent fruit for healing arthritis-related pain. Berries can reduce the inflammation of joints as it has vital minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Many anthocyanins in berries are a powerful flavonoid by nature and help to shut down inflammation in the body.
Also, berries are rich in quercetin and rutin, which means that they are a well-known source for several health benefits, such as blocking the inflammatory process.
Now you must be wondering, “what kind of berries can you eat for arthritis?” Whether it’s blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, or raspberries, all are equally helpful in arthritis. You can eat either in fresh form, frozen preserved form, or dehydrated form with similar health and dietary benefits.
2. Ginger and Turmeric
Ginger and turmeric are two powerful forces combining to soothe your joints pain. These kitchen-famous ingredients are known to calm arthritis-related pain and symptoms. Besides their anti-inflammatory properties in arthritis, ginger and turmeric can enhance food taste and significant other health benefits.
Ginger is an excellent food for knee pain relief. A study in 2001 involved supplementing the ginger extract to 261 patients with knee osteoarthritis. The results were shown as an improvement in 63% of the total patients after six weeks.
Similarly, turmeric is known for its pain and inflammation releasing properties. It is commonly used in ayurvedic and natural treatment remedies. Turmeric and ginger are equally beneficial in dried, fresh, or powdered form. Combined, they work wonders in curing the inflammatory effects of arthritis.
Adding these spices in daily foods could bring little effect, but weekly or daily intake of supplemental doses could help to achieve desired targeted impact.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is a vegetable heavily enriched with nutritious ingredients. Being loaded with various antioxidants, fibers, minerals, and nutrients, broccoli is considered vital for overall body health and curing arthritis pain.
In addition to the nutritional content, broccoli includes magnificent anti-inflammatory properties. The role of broccoli in treating arthritis and its symptoms is wonderful. It has a specific composition that causes blockage of an enzyme involved in joint swelling and arthritis-related pain.
A compound found in broccoli called Sulforaphane is responsible for preventing rheumatoid arthritis. It helps in preventing the synthesis of cells involved in joint pain. You must add broccoli to the daily diet to benefit from this natural remedy. You can have it either as a salad or any side dish.
4. Walnuts
Crunchy, nutritious, and healthy, walnuts are hearty foods that help reduce joint pain. It is densely composed of nutrients and compounds which cure arthritis of root and inflammation of the joints.
How would it reduce joint pain? Study shows that the omega-three fatty acid found in walnuts reduces the joint inflammation symptoms. It helps boost the immune system. 13 studies show arthritis patients who were supplemented with walnuts reported reduced inflammation.
Moreover, Walnuts are rich in vitamin E, protein, magnesium, calcium, and alpha-linolenic acid. Compared to other nuts, walnuts are also high in proteins. And most importantly, they don’t contain any cholesterol and have less saturated fats, unlike other nuts – Every aspect is favorable to make it a practical choice for reducing joint pain.
5. Grapes
Grapes have the best anti-inflammatory properties for arthritis-related pain. This delicious and juicy fruit is full of antioxidant compounds and other valuable nutrients. Various reasons make grapes a great food to help reduce joint pain.
Grapes have a combination called Resveratrol. It is an antioxidant found in grape skin and an excellent remedy for joint pains. The joint’s thickness is prevented by the Resveratrol present in the grape. Thus, it helps to avoid the development of rheumatoid arthritis.
Another great compound found in grapes is Proanthocyanidin. This compound is responsible for decreasing the joint pain caused by arthritis. Considering the benefits of these compounds found in grapes, they serve as vital natural food for joints.
6. Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice is a natural remedy to heal illnesses, especially arthritis. It is made from the fruit of the Prunus cerasus tree and comprises a wide variety of nutrients.
Studies prove the reduction in arthritis symptoms like pain and markers of inflammation after ingesting the tart Cherry Juice for three weeks in about 20 osteoarthritis suffering women.
Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, tart cherry juice is a good choice for knee pain relief and calming the osteoarthritis of the knee. However, it is recommended to take the sugar-less tart cherry juice to avoid the side effects of excess added sugars. Especially if you have diabetes, be extra cautious about identifying those hidden sugar content in your food.
7. Olive Oil
Olive oil is a rich source of Omega 3 and unsaturated fatty acid. With potent anti-inflammatory properties, olive oil is a confident choice for treating arthritis.
The question is, which olive oil is best for reducing joint pain? Well, it is recommended to go with the less processed one for better results. Regularly ingesting olive oil reduces arthritis symptoms and helps prevent the risk of arthritis. Moreover, it slows down joint inflammation, boosts the healing process, and slows cartilage destruction.
A study shows the lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis involving 333 patients with or without diseases for evaluating the effect of olive oil. All of these and many more are the reasons why olive oil is making it the best food choice for joints and cartilages.
8. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish can reduce inflammation of joints due to omega-three and fatty acid found in it, which is also a vital component of health. In addition to it, fatty fish also comprises Polyunsaturated fatty acids. This nutritional component helps cure brain health, diabetes, and heart diseases.
Taking fish oil supplementation is essential to ingest the omega 3s and reduce joint pains. Fatty fish could be of different varieties, like Salmon, Trout, Sardine, Mackerel, etc. Study shows that osteoarthritis involves several markers, and supplementation of the omega-three fatty acid reduces these inflammatory markers.
Fatty fish is also a great source of Vitamin D, which lowers inflammation symptoms and minimizes deficiency. Another research shows that the low level of Vitamin D also contributes to rheumatoid arthritis.
9. Green Tea
Green tea is composed of valuable nutrients and antioxidants. With enormous health benefits, it is indeed an incredible food for reducing joint pain in seniors. Green tea is one of the most consumed drinkables in the world.
The anti-inflammatory properties have ranked green tea as one of the best choices for arthritis-related pain. The polyphenolic compound found in green tea is responsible for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies show that green tea can lessen the severity of rheumatoid arthritis and help prevent it. Experts recommend drinking green tea twice a day to get the maximum benefits. It would be best to prefer the tea bags over the powdered tea mixes, which may be more processed.
10. Whole Grain
Whole grain is the natural remedy for reducing joint pain with dense nutrients and fibers. You must’ve noticed that doctors and nutritionists recommend whole grains quite a lot. But have you ever wondered why whole grain is preferred over refined grains?
Well, the reason is that the whole grains are high in fiber. This high fiber helps to reduce the inflammatory process, which ultimately means minimizing joints by producing fatty acids. In comparison, the refined grains have proteins that might boost the inflammatory process, worsening arthritis pain.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, whole oats, rye, barley, and wheat are on the grain list recommended for arthritis. Also, the foundation recommends the dosage of about three to six-ounce of grains a day.
11. Dark Chocolate
If you are an arthritis patient AND a chocolate lover, we have good news for you. Chocolate is widely known for its anti-inflammatory properties, ultimately soothing joint pain.
The nutrient found in dark chocolate called cocoa has antioxidants that can help fight the joints’ inflammations. Such favorable nutritional content of chocolate directly depends on the amount of cocoa contained.
However, you need to be careful while consuming dark chocolate to choose dark chocolate due to the high sugar and carbs content. Always consider the amount of sugar, fat, and cocoa in chocolate while including it on your side-snack list.
It is recommended to eat dark chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa as it has less sugar. The higher the cocoa content is, the better it is. Since chocolate is rich in calories and fats, try to follow the intake of chocolates in small portions. It’ll help you prevent the side effects.
Foods To Avoid in Arthritis
While you intake the foods mentioned above to treat arthritis, you should also remain conscious of the don’ts of a healthy diet. Here are a few points regarding the foods harming joints-related concerns. Following them will help you ensure a healthy dietary lifestyle.
- Reduce the intake of refined grains like pasta, white bread, white rice, etc., as these may worsen the inflammatory process.
- Reduce the sugar intake – Nine teaspoons of sugar for men in a day and six teaspoons of sugar for women daily. Also, try to choose the natural source of sugar like coconut sugar, honey, etc.
- Limit the salt intake as it causes tissue swelling by fluid retention.
- Avoid the processed food as much as possible because it has a high amount of omega-6 fatty acids, enhancing inflammation.
FAQs
1. What are the five worst foods for arthritis?
The five worst foods for arthritis include:
- Refined grains like pasta, rice, white bread
- Sugar and some sugar alternatives
- Excessive salt intake
- Processed foods
- High-fat dairy products and cheese
2. Which fruit is good for joint pain?
Various fruits are good for joint pain. Arthritis patients should consume fruits that must have anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, fruits should be rich in vitamin C and other nutrients, such as berries.
3. What foods reduce inflammation in the joints?
There is a list of foods that reduce joint inflammation, such as broccoli, walnuts, grapes, olive oil, fatty fish, dark chocolates, etc.
4. What is the best vitamin for arthritis?
Vitamin D deficiency can cause arthritis. Hence vitamin D supplementation is recommended to treat arthritis.
Conclusion
No doubt, a healthy diet ensures a healthy life. So beneficial dietary adaptations are essential to living a pain-free life. For seniors, there is a need to opt for food that will help reduce joint pain.
Different foods with varying nutritional content and compositions are beneficial in Arthritis related symptoms and pain, especially foods with anti-inflammatory properties. Such diet options are enriched in highly recommended nutrients as the natural remedy for reducing joint pain.
