Arthritis is a health condition that causes pain and damage to joints , bones and other parts of the body depending on the type.
While each requires a specific clinical approach, several studies have shown that eliminating certain foods and beverages from the diet can reduce the severity of symptoms in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis , as well as improve their overall quality of life. .
Here are which ones.
Foods with added sugars
Added sugars are found in candy, soda , ice cream and numerous other foods .
Confirming that they should be avoided in case of arthritis is a study conducted on 217 people with rheumatoid arthritis who by consuming them regularly experienced a worsening of their symptoms .
What’s more, sugary drinks can significantly increase the risk of arthritis in healthy subjects, as disclosed by a study of 1,209 adults aged between 20 and 30 years, at the end of which it was evident that those who drank sugary drinks with fructose 5 or more times a week were 3 times more likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed little or no of these drinks.
Additionally, a large study of nearly 200,000 women associated regular intake of sugary soda with an increased risk of arthritis.
To counteract arthritis, oral hygiene also plays its part.
Red and processed meats
Diets high in red or processed meats have elevated levels of inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 , C -reactive protein, and homocysteine , which can increase arthritis symptoms.
Furthermore, according to a study conducted on 217 people, red meat would worsen those of rheumatoid arthritis in particular. Another found that high red meat intake may be a risk factor for inflammatory arthritis.
Conversely, plant-based diets that exclude red meat have been shown to improve arthritis symptoms.
Foods containing gluten
Some research links gluten to increased inflammation and suggests that a gluten-free diet may ease arthritis symptoms.
Furthermore, there would seem to be a correlation between celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis since people with celiac disease run a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and those with rheumatoid arthritis have a significantly higher prevalence of celiac disease than the general population.
A study of 66 people with rheumatoid arthritis found that a gluten-free vegan diet significantly reduced disease activity and improved inflammation .
Highly processed foods
Ultra-processed foods such as fast food , breakfast cereals and baked goods are typically high in refined grains, added sugars , preservatives and other potentially inflammatory ingredients , which can worsen arthritis symptoms and increase the risk of arthritis . rheumatoid.
In addition, a study of 56 people with rheumatoid arthritis found that those who ate large amounts of ultra-processed food had increased risk factors for developing heart disease and seeing raised levels of glycated hemoglobin , a long-term marker of blood sugar control .
Alcohol
Because alcohol can make arthritis symptoms worse , anyone with it should limit or avoid it.
A study of 278 people with axial spondyloarthritis , inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting the spinal cord and sacroiliac joints, linked alcohol intake to increased structural damage to the spine .
Several studies have also shown that alcohol intake can increase the frequency and severity of gout attacks and the risk of osteoarthritis.
Some vegetable oils
Diets high in omega-6 fats and low in omega-3 fats can worsen symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
These fats are necessary for health but the imbalanced ratio between them can increase inflammation . Conversely, reducing your intake of foods high in omega-6 fats, such as vegetable oils , and increasing your intake of omega-3 -rich foods such as fatty fish may improve arthritis symptoms.
Salt-rich foods
Cutting back on salt is a good choice for everyone but especially people with arthritis. This is confirmed by two studies conducted on mice. The former found that arthritis was more severe in mice fed a high-salt diet than in those fed one containing normal levels. The second revealed that a low-salt diet would reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis compared to a high-salt diet. Specifically, it would lead to less cartilage breakdown and bone destruction, as well as lower inflammatory markers.
Foods rich in advanced glycation end products
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are molecules created through reactions between sugars and proteins or fats, which exist naturally in raw animal foods and are formed through certain cooking methods . Included in this category are, for example, bacon , pan-fried or broiled steak , roasted or fried chicken , and grilled hot dogs and french fries .
When these molecules build up in high amounts in the body, oxidative stress and inflammation can occur , which are linked to disease progression in people with arthritis.
