Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can strike anyone at any age. RA is different from osteoarthritis, which is the natural wearing down of joints over time. RA occurs when your own immune system attacks your joints. The underlying cause is unknown. But the result is painful swelling, stiffness, and inflammation.
Foods that fight inflammation throughout your body may reduce this pain and swelling. In a 2017 survey of 217 people with longstanding RA, 24 percent reported that foods had an impact on their RA symptoms, either positively or negatively.
A change in diet is one-way people with RA are choosing to support their health. Eating certain foods may help you manage your RA symptoms along with medical treatments like over-the-counter painkillers, anti-inflammatory medications, and immune-suppressing therapies.
Here’s a quick guide of foods to eat, foods to avoid, and particular diets that may contribute to a healthy life with RA.
Foods To Eat On An RA Diet
Foods that may help with RA symptoms have anti-inflammatory properties. They reduce inflammation in the body. Specific components, nutrients, or elements give foods this effect.
Here’s a list of those elements and the foods you can eat to get more of them.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants may improve RA disease activity. These are compounds that can destroy damaging elements like the over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in your body. They can also reduce inflammation.
You can get more by looking for foods with vitamins A, C, or E, or selenium. Eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts, or drink green tea.
Fiber
Fiber can aid in weight loss and may help with gut bacteria that reduce inflammation. Get more fiber in your diet with more of the following:
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- whole grains
- beans
- nuts
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are compounds made by plants. They make their way into our diets when we eat fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids can reduce inflammation in your body and help reduce your RA pain and swelling. Foods that are high in flavonoids include:
- berries
- green tea
- grapes
- broccoli
- soy
- dark chocolate
Spices
Spices can reduce inflammation in your body. Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin that has anti-inflammatory properties. It’s related to ginger, which may have a similar effect.
But curcumin doesn’t work as well without adding piperine, which is a substance found in black pepper. Add a pinch of black pepper when adding turmeric to reduce inflammation. Capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers, also helps reduce inflammation in the body.
Foods To Avoid With RA
While eating foods that reduce inflammation, you should also try to avoid foods that cause inflammation. These are called pro-inflammatory foods, and include a number of common ingredients.
Here are some examples of foods that might trigger an inflammatory response:
- processed carbohydrates like white flour and white sugar
- saturated and trans fats, like those found in fried foods
- red and processed meats
- dairy
- eggs
If you can’t avoid these foods completely, try eating less of them. Even a small change may help improve your RA symptoms. That’s especially true if you swap out some pro-inflammatory foods for anti-inflammatory foods, like choosing fish instead of red meat.
Types Of Diets That Might Be Good For RA
The Mediterranean Diet
Certain diets are naturally high in anti-inflammatory foods. The Mediterranean diet is an excellent example. According to the Arthritis Foundation, this regional diet can help reduce inflammation.
Specific foods include:
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- fish
- nuts and seeds
- beans
- whole grains
- olive oil
The Paleo Diet
The Paleo diet advocates eating the same foods our ancestors did in the “old stone age.” It promotes the consumption of certain foods that reduce inflammation, like fruits and vegetables. But it also includes a lot of red meat, which may have the opposite effect. Talk with your doctor before trying this diet.
The diet advocates eating plenty of:
- meat
- vegetables
- fruits
Like some other diets, this one is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. The Paleo diet also avoids:
- cultivated grains
- sugars
- dairy
- processed foods
But while the paleo diet has shown some health benefits, it does depend on the specific foods that you’re eating and choosing to avoid, and whether you’re meeting your specific nutritional requirements. Talk with your doctor about whether the paleo diet is right for you.
At the end of the day, eating a more balanced, natural diet that’s less restrictive of entire food groups of macronutrients, might be a better strategy for helping to reduce inflammation in your body.
The Takeaway
RA is an autoimmune condition. A significant number of people with longstanding RA have reported that certain foods relieve or worsen RA symptoms. This means that there may be a role for diet in managing RA.
Choosing anti-inflammatory foods and following the Mediterranean diet may improve RA symptoms. At the same time, trigger foods can make inflammation worse. People with RA can use healthy eating choices to manage their RA and improve their overall well-being.
Sources:
- Alwarith J, et al. (2019). Nutrition interventions in rheumatoid arthritis: The potential use of plant-based diets. A review.
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6746966/ - Bustamante M, et al. (2020). Design of an anti-inflammatory diet (ITIS diet) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6997513/ - Calder P. (2017). Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: From molecules to man.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28900017/ - Challa HJ, et al. (2021). Paleolithic diet.
nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482457/ - Huang, D. (2018). Dietary antioxidants and health promotion.
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5789319/ - Jalili M, et al. (2014). Beneficial role of antioxidants on clinical outcomes and erythrocyte antioxidant parameters in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4124560/ - Kunnumakkara A, et al. (2018). Chronic diseases, inflammation, and spices: How are they linked?
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5785894/ - Panche, A. (2016). Flavonoids: an overview.
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465813/ - Patel, S. (2017). Ethnic and paleolithic diet: Where do they stand in inflammation alleviation? A discussion.
com/science/article/pii/S2352618117301361?via%3Dihub - Paturel, A. (n.d.). The ultimate arthritis diet.
org/health-wellness/healthy-living/nutrition/anti-inflammatory/the-ultimate-arthritis-diet - Tedeschi S, et al. (2017). Diet and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms: Survey results from a rheumatoid arthritis registry.
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5563270/
Important Notice: This article was originally published at www.healthline.com by Mary Ellen Ellis where all credits are due. Medically reviewed by Jerlyn Jones, MS MPA RDN LD CLT, Nutrition
Disclaimer
The watching, interacting, and participation of any kind with anything on this page does not constitute or initiate a doctor-patient relationship with Dr. Farrah™. None of the statements here have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The products of Dr. Farrah™ are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information being provided should only be considered for education and entertainment purposes only. If you feel that anything you see or hear may be of value to you on this page or on any other medium of any kind associated with, showing, or quoting anything relating to Dr. Farrah™ in any way at any time, you are encouraged to and agree to consult with a licensed healthcare professional in your area to discuss it. If you feel that you’re having a healthcare emergency, seek medical attention immediately. The views expressed here are simply either the views and opinions of Dr. Farrah™ or others appearing and are protected under the first amendment.
Dr. Farrah™ is a highly experienced Licensed Medical Doctor certified in evidence-based clinical nutrition, not some enthusiast, formulator, or medium promoting the wild and unrestrained use of nutrition products for health issues without clinical experience and scientific evidence of therapeutic benefit. Dr. Farrah™ has personally and keenly studied everything she recommends, and more importantly, she’s closely observed the reactions and results in a clinical setting countless times over the course of her career involving the treatment of over 150,000 patients.
Dr. Farrah™ promotes evidence-based natural approaches to health, which means integrating her individual scientific and clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. By individual clinical expertise, I refer to the proficiency and judgment that individual clinicians acquire through clinical experience and clinical practice.
Dr. Farrah™ does not make any representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of any multimedia content provided. Dr. Farrah™ does not warrant the performance, effectiveness, or applicability of any sites listed, linked, or referenced to, in, or by any multimedia content.
To be clear, the multimedia content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in any website, video, image, or media of any kind. Dr. Farrah™ hereby disclaims any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of the content, which is provided as is, and without warranties.
