For most people, arthritis means inflammation—the kind that causes swelling, pain, and reduced movement. Whether you have osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear of the cartilage) or inflammatory types like rheumatoid arthritis or gout, what you eat can change how you feel. If you’re overweight, even losing a few pounds can help take pressure off your joints.
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The Top 10 Foods and Ingredients to Avoid
Here’s a rundown of the worst offenders when it comes to arthritis. Some you probably already know, but others might surprise you.
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- Added Sugars: Think sodas, sweetened juices, pastries, cookies, ice cream, and candy. Even many processed or packaged foods have hidden sugars—check dressings, sauces, and breads. These spike your blood sugar and trigger inflammation.
- Refined Carbs: Foods made with white flour—like white bread, pasta, non-whole grain cereals, and some baked goods—have had their fiber and nutrients stripped away. They act almost like sugar in your body and make you hungrier, leading to weight gain.
- Salty Foods: Processed meals, chips, canned foods, and takeout usually contain loads of sodium. Too much salt leads to water retention, swelling, and can make high blood pressure and joint pain worse.
- Trans Fats and Saturated Fats: Margarine, packaged snacks, fried foods, and fatty cuts of red meat are loaded with the kind of fats that fuel inflammation. It’s better to choose leaner meats or plant-based fats.
- Excess Omega-6 Fats: While omega-6s are essential, having too many compared to omega-3s (found in walnuts, fatty fish, chia seeds) can tilt your body towards inflammation. Omega-6s are common in cheap vegetable oils and processed foods.
- Alcohol: Booze can irritate existing inflammation, interfere with medications, and make gout attacks more likely. It also adds empty calories, making it harder to manage your weight.
- High-Purine Foods: Red meats, organ meats (like liver), anchovies, sardines, and some shellfish cause your body to produce uric acid, which can form painful crystals in the joints (hello, gout!).
- Processed Meats: Sausages, bacon, deli meats, and hot dogs usually combine unhealthy fats, salt, and preservatives—ingredients linked with worse inflammation.
- Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): When you cook food at high heat (think grilling, frying, or roasting), sugars and proteins combine to make AGEs, which damage joint cartilage. Cooking with lower heat, like steaming or boiling, is better for you.
- Food Additives and Preservatives: Look out for flavor enhancers like MSG and nitrates, often found in processed meals, canned soups, and some meats. Some people report these trigger their symptoms.
What About Gluten and Dairy?
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