Antioxidants, which quell inflammation, are plentiful in fruits and other food sources.
The most troubling symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis — pain, stiffness, and swelling — stem from the same source: inflammation. What to do? Part of the answer may involve your diet.
While changing your diet probably won't reduce inflammation enough for you to forgo other RA management treatments, it can help reduce the amount of medication needed and the side effects of the medication, says Lona Sandon, PhD, RDN, an associate professor in the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, who is also an RA patient. And, Dr. Sandon adds, eating well has never been known to make any condition worse.
Read on to find out what foods could ease your symptoms and keep you healthy.
Olive Oil May Work in Much the Way NSAIDs Do
Eat These 8 Foods To Help Beat RA Inflammation
Next up video playing in 10 seconds
Vitamin C Is Important for Tissue Repair
Vitamin C is a dietary component necessary for the synthesis of collagen, which helps build and repair blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, and bone, and is therefore helpful for people with osteoarthritis, Sandon says.
“Another option,” notes Sandon, is to avoid taking your medication with citrus juices. “Instead, have the juice or citrus fruit at another time of day.” Talk with your healthcare provider to figure out what’s best for your diet and medication routine.
Berries Are High in Antioxidants and Inflammation-Fighting Potential
Sandon recommends that you make one or more servings of fresh or frozen berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or huckleberries, part of your daily diet. These little fruits pack powerful antioxidant compounds, like proanthocyanins and ellagic acid, which fight inflammation and cell damage. The amount and combination of the compounds vary by the type of berry, Sandon says, so make variety your goal.
Berries — and other “superfruits” you’ve heard about — can be expensive. But ordinary, accessible fruits like apples, grapes, and bananas also provide anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
Carrots Pack Anti-Arthritis Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene
Whole Grains May Help You Lose Weight and Lessen Pain
Much has been made of the health benefits of whole grains, and for good reason, Sandon says. Whole grains are simply grains that still have all three parts of the original grain: the bran (outside hull), endosperm, and germ.
So, switch from white bread to whole wheat, and from regular pasta to whole grain, Sandon says. Caution: When buying whole-wheat bread, don’t be misled by the label. It should read “100 percent whole wheat” or have the Whole Grain Stamp from the Oldways Whole Grains Council.
Ginger: Spice Up Your Dishes to Turn Down the Flame
Pineapple: This Fruit’s Enzymes Can Decrease Swelling
Pineapple is rich in vitamin C and the enzyme bromelain, which has been linked to decreased pain and swelling in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, Sandon says. So, add this tropical fruit to your diet every chance you get. Try it cubed in fruit salad, baked in savory dishes, blended into a smoothie, or added to stir-fries to give a sweet-and-sour zing.
Turmeric: This Spice May Cool Inflammation
The jury is still out on how much is needed to get the beneficial effect, but why not add it to your cooking to jazz up the flavor?
Green Tea: A Nice Cuppa May Soothe Your Joints
A number of other teas, such as black tea and ginger tea, also have anti-inflammatory properties. And when you make tea yourself and don’t add anything to it, it’s a low calorie beverage with no inflammatory fats, carbohydrates, or sweeteners.
Cherry Juice May Increase Antioxidants
In moderation, cherry juice is a healthy food, so drink up. Add it to a seltzer for a refreshing libation instead of sodas.
Walnuts Are Packed With Inflammation-Fighters
A review of research suggests that walnuts contain a “considerable amount” of polyunsaturated fatty acids (including omega-3 fatty acids), flavonoids, and phenolic compounds and “have a remarkable potential to alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation.”
The Takeaway
- Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like pain, stiffness, and swollen joints are caused by inflammation in the body, and your diet can greatly affect inflammation.
- People with RA who follow anti-inflammatory eating ways, like the Mediterranean diet — full of whole grains, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids — have lower pain and less disease activity than those on ordinary diets.
- Certain foods may be especially beneficial to people with RA, for the nutrients and antioxidants they contain. These include fruits and veggies like pineapple, citrus fruits, carrots, and berries, along with ginger, turmeric, olive oil, and walnuts. Whole grains may help control weight.
- Green tea and cherry juice are beverages loaded with antioxidants that can also counteract inflammation.
Beth Biggee, MD
Medical Reviewer
Beth Biggee, MD, is medical director and an integrative rheumatologist at Rheumission, a virtual integrative rheumatology practice for people residing in California and Pennsylvania. This first-of-its-kind company offers whole person autoimmune care by a team of integrative rheumatologists, lifestyle medicine practitioners, autoimmune dietitians, psychologists, and care coordinators.
Dr. Biggee also works as a healthcare wellness consultant for Synergy Wellness Center in Hudson, Massachusetts. Teamed with Synergy, she provides in-person lifestyle medicine and holistic consults, and contributes to employee workplace wellness programs. She has over 20 years of experience in rheumatology and holds board certifications in rheumatology and integrative and lifestyle medicine. Dr. Biggee brings a human-centered approach to wellness rather than focusing solely on diseases.
Dr. Biggee graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree from Canisius College, and graduated magna cum laude and as valedictorian from SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse Medical School. She completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital, completed her fellowship in rheumatology at Tufts–New England Medical Center, and completed training in integrative rheumatology at the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. Following her training, she attained board certification in rheumatology and internal medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine, attained board certification in integrative medicine through the American Board of Physician Specialties, and attained accreditation as a certified lifestyle medicine physician through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. She is certified in Helms auricular acupuncture and is currently completing coursework for the Aloha Ayurveda integrative medicine course for physicians.
In prior roles, Dr. Biggee taught as an assistant clinical professor of medicine at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital (an affiliate of Columbia University). She was also clinical associate of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and instructed "introduction to clinical medicine" for medical students at Tufts. She was preceptor for the Lawrence General Hospital Family Medicine Residency.
Dr. Biggee has published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, Arthritis in Rheumatism, Current Opinions in Rheumatology, Journal for Musculoskeletal Medicine, Medicine and Health Rhode Island, and Field Guide to Internal Medicine.
Beth Levine
Author
Beth Levine is an award-winning health writer whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Woman's Day, Good Housekeeping, Reader's Digest, AARP Bulletin, AARP The Magazine, Considerable.com, and NextTribe.com. She has also written custom content for the Yale New Haven Hospital and the March of Dimes.
Levine's work has won awards from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Connecticut Press Club, and the Public Relations Society of America. She is the author of Playgroups: From 18 Months to Kindergarten a Complete Guide for Parents and Divorce: Young People Caught in the Middle. She is also a humor writer and in addition to her editorial work, she coaches high school students on their college application essays.
Michele Bloomquist
Author
Michele Bloomquist is a full-time freelance writer and editor based near Portland, Oregon. She has covered the health, diet, and fitness beats for more than a decade for various award-winning online, print, and newspaper clients, including WebMD, iVillage, Shape magazine, CNN, MSN, and others. She covers women's health, pediatric health, mental health, reproductive health, parenting, pregnancy, men's health, and food and nutrition. Bloomquist also writes often on home and garden topics and pursues a career in creative writing. When she isn't writing, she is operating her small boutique winery.