Arthritis affects millions of people. Painful and swollen joints are the result of an inflammatory state in the body. You may be surprised to learn that the food you eat may induce inflammation.[1] Diet, therefore, plays a significant role in the regulation of chronic inflammation. For someone suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a dietary change could help eliminate pain.[2] Evidence suggests foods may trigger an inflammatory response in the body and pain and related symptoms usually go away with the elimination of such food triggers.[3] So there is certainly a connection between food and arthritis.

Arthritis Types

Arthritis is a group of diseases characterized by painful and swollen joints. There are different types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis - Develops gradually and is associated with pain and stiffness due to the gradual loss of cartilage. A study suggests that a plant-based diet can help people with arthritis, contributing to pain management in osteoarthritis patients. [4] The 2015 study found that a group of people suffering from arthritis significantly reduced their osteoarthritis pain symptoms after transitioning to a whole-food, plant-based diet within two weeks. Additionally, the group reported better physical performance and greater energy upon the completion of the six-week study.

Rheumatoid arthritis – Is an aggressive form of arthritis that occurs when the immune system attacks the joints, resulting in painful and inflamed joints. For someone suffering from RA, a change to a plant-based diet could bring about significant improvement in pain reduction.[5] In most cases, it might even eliminate pain.

Since certain foods trigger inflammation in joints, eliminating those foods from your diet starts the healing process. Alternatively, introducing fiber-rich foods lowers the risk of arthritis, according to a research report published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.[6] The study confirms that increased dietary fiber intake is linked to a lower risk of symptomatic osteoarthritis.

According to a survey report, caffeine, red meat, fat, sugar, salt, eggplants, and tomato are some of the common foods that could trigger an inflammatory response.

One study looked into the effects of a vegan diet on people with RA.[7] The study reported significant improvement in symptoms of arthritis in the subjects on the whole-food plant-based diet within four weeks. This included a reduction in pain, joint stiffness in the morning, and joint swelling and tenderness.

A raw vegan diet, which is rich in both dietary fiber and antioxidants, can help reduce the arthritis-related painful symptoms in patients with RA.[8]

How Does a Vegan Diet Help With Arthritis

Animal fat is loaded with saturated fat and iron. Your body does not need an overload of iron, which could further trigger the production of free radicals. Excess free radicals can further trigger an inflammatory response and cause oxidative stress, attacking the joints and resulting in painful arthritis symptoms.

Even vegetables contain iron, but the body can easily break it down and absorb it whenever needed. Plant-based food is generally rich in antioxidants and polyphenols that neutralize free radicals. They also contain a moderate amount of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and can help alleviate arthritis-related pain.[9] Additionally, vegan food is low in saturated fat and calories and rich in good fats. A plant-based diet is linked to a lower body mass index and, therefore, induces weight loss without the risk of causing malnutrition or nutritional deficiencies.

Weight loss could further contribute to the improvement in arthritis symptoms by reducing the mechanical load on joints. Research reveals that with the loss of every pound, the mechanical load exerted on knees comes down by four pounds, further reducing knee and joint pain.[10]

Food and Arthritis: Dos  & Don’ts

When it comes to planning a diet for arthritis, there are certain inflammation-causing foods that you should eliminate from your everyday meals. Self-help through dietary intervention can help alleviate arthritis symptoms and provide you with relief from debilitating pain, joint stiffness, tenderness, and disability. Studies reveal that dietary intervention can help in disease management in arthritis patients and slow down progression, besides helping improve their quality of life.[11]

Food and Arthritis: Don’ts

These foods are categorized as major arthritis triggers and you must try to eliminate them as part of your food and arthritis don’ts list. Such foods include:

• Animal fat
• Meat
• Egg
• Dairy products
• Corn
• Wheat
• Oats
• Citrus fruits
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Coffee

Food and Arthritis: Dos

It is advised to arthritis patients to opt for anti-inflammatory foods, which are safe for arthritis-related pain. Generally, a low fat, plant-based diet is categorized as a safe food for arthritis. Studies have shown that a whole food plant-based diet is associated with a significant reduction in pain within two weeks of dietary intervention.

Research shows that diets enriched with plant proteins and omega-3 fats help reduce pain in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

WFPB dieters are reported to have greater serum levels of omega-3 fats compared to those on animal-based diet and fish eaters. When the body metabolizes alpha-linoleic acid found abundantly in vegetables, greens, and soy, it produces anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. These are a group of hormones that accelerate the healing process. As soon as the recovery process is started, there is an automatic reduction in the concentration of prostaglandins, which point toward the healing process. However, the increased concentration of prostaglandins may trigger an inflammatory response.

Pain-safe foods for arthritis include:

• Brown rice
• Vegetables – cooked
• Cooked or dried fruits except for citrus fruits, tomato, banana, and peach
• Water - Plain water or carbonated drinks
• Other beverages - Herbal tea
• Condiments - Maple syrup

All in all, a whole food plant-based diet promises hope for people suffering from arthritis. Research also confirms the connection between food and arthritis, emphasizing the need for dietary intervention for arthritis patients.

 

References

[1] Kiecolt-Glaser J. K. (2010). Stress, food, and inflammation: psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition at the cutting edge. Psychosomatic medicine, 72(4), 365–369. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181dbf489

[2] Khanna, S., Jaiswal, K. S., & Gupta, B. (2017). Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis with Dietary Interventions. Frontiers in nutrition, 4, 52. doi:10.3389/fnut.2017.00052

[3] PCRM. Reduce Arthritis Pain with a Plant-Based Diet, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.pcrm.org/health-topics/arthritis

[4] Clinton, C. M., O'Brien, S., Law, J., Renier, C. M., & Wendt, M. R. (2015). Whole-foods, plant-based diet alleviates the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Arthritis, 2015, 708152. doi:10.1155/2015/708152

[5] Alwarith, J., et al. (2019). Nutrition Interventions in Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Potential Use of Plant-Based Diets. A Review. Frontiers in nutrition, 6, 141. doi:10.3389/fnut.2019.00141

[6] Dai, Z., Niu, J., Zhang, Y., et al. (2017). Dietary intake of fibre and risk of knee osteoarthritis in two US prospective cohorts. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 76:1411-1419.

[7] McDougall, J., Bruce, B., Spiller, G., Westerdahl, J., & McDougall, M. (2002). Effects of a very low-fat, vegan diet in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine, 8(1):71-5.

[8] PCRM. Foods and Arthritis, 2019. Retrieved from https://p.widencdn.net/fhiuem/Foods-and-Arthritis

[9] Khanna, S., Jaiswal, K. S., & Gupta, B. (2017). Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis with Dietary Interventions. Frontiers in nutrition, 4, 52. doi:10.3389/fnut.2017.00052

[10] Clinton, C. M., O'Brien, S., Law, J., Renier, C. M., & Wendt, M. R. (2015). Whole-foods, plant-based diet alleviates the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Arthritis, 2015, 708152. doi:10.1155/2015/708152

[11] Khanna, S., Jaiswal, K. S., & Gupta, B. (2017). Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis with Dietary Interventions. Frontiers in nutrition, 4, 52. doi:10.3389/fnut.2017.00052