Arthritis, a condition that causes inflammation and pain, is the most common cause of disability in the U.S., limiting the activities of nearly 21 million adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Symptoms include joint pain, swelling and stiffness, fatigue, and limited range of motion. If arthritis is left untreated, it could cause bone and joint damage, eventually leading to disabilities. No cure exists for this condition, but making dietary changes may help reduce pain and symptoms.
Nightshades
If you suffer from arthritis, you may want to stay away from nightshade foods. Nightshade foods include potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, pimientos, paprika, cayenne and Tabasco sauce. These foods contain alkaloids that may affect your digestive, nerve, muscle and joint functions. In a study published in the 1993 issue of the "Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medical Surgery," researchers found that individuals who consumed plants in the Solanaceae family, known as nightshade foods, cause arthritic symptoms in "sensitive people." Participants who ingested nightshades experienced more inflammation, pain and stiffness in joints and had muscle spasms. After participants eliminated nightshade foods from their diet, almost 87 percent saw positive results in their arthritic symptoms and 15 percent of those participants claimed they were at least 85 percent symptom free.
Foods With Gluten
There may be a direct correlation between arthritis and gluten. Gluten is found in foods that contain wheat, durum, triticale, kamut, oats, rye, spelt and barley. In a study published in the October 2001 issue of "Rheumatology," researchers concluded that those who followed a gluten-free, vegan diet experienced fewer arthritic symptoms. If you feel that a vegan diet would be too strict, nutritionist Joy Bauer still recommends cutting gluten, a compound known to exacerbate inflammation, out of your diet. Many processed grain products such as bread, pasta, and crackers contain gluten. When these foods are eliminated, you may find relief from your arthritic symptoms.
Saturated and Trans Fats
Although healthy fats, such as ones that contain omega-3 fatty acids, help reduce inflammation, two other types of fats may cause inflammation. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, saturated and trans fats should be limited in your diet if you have arthritis. Saturated fats include fats from animal products, such as beef, pork, poultry skin, salami, pepperoni, sausage and bacon. It is also found in dairy products and oils such as ice cream, butter, whole milk, whole fat cheese, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil. Trans fat, also known as partially hydrogenated oil, is a man-made fat that was developed to give processed products a longer shelf life. Foods that contain trans fat include cookies, cakes, crackers, muffins, pizza dough, pastries and pies. Trans fats are also found in fried foods such as french fries, doughnuts, and fried chicken.
References
- Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation: An Apparent Relation of Nightshades (Solanaceae) to Arthritis
- PubMed: "A Vegan Diet Free of Gluten Improves the Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Effects on Arthritis Correlate With a Reduction in Antibodies to Food Antigens"
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Rheumatoid Arthritis
- "Today" Health: Feeling Stiff? Foods Can Ease the Pain
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Arthritis
