Arthritis Diet: Foods to Eat

Arthritis is a disease of joints. Chronic inflammatory arthritis leads to severe joint pain, deformity of the joints and restricted movement of the affected joints. Arthritis is also an autoimmune type of disease wherein the immune system itself attacks its own tissues. List of arthritis foods to avoid varies according to the type of arthritis, such as gouty arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. Certain foods help relieve general inflammatory arthritis symptoms.

Foods to Eat

Patients of arthritis should eat lots of fruits since flavonoids from the fruits help reduce the pain and inflammation. Fruits are rich in antioxidants which help strengthen the immune system and thus help heal the frayed joints. Those diagnosed with arthritis should incorporate fruits rich in vitamin C in their regular diet. Vegetables are also packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables high in beta carotene and vitamin C can be especially beneficial for arthritics. Fish are high in vitamin E and omega 3 essential fatty acids which help reduce pain, stiffness and swelling associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The following tables will help you know the foods to be included in the diet meant for arthritics.

Fruits	Vegetables	Fish
Avocados	Collards	Salmon
Bananas	Squash	Mackerel
Apricots	Sweet Potatoes	Sardines
Strawberries	Broccoli	Herring
Kiwi Fruit	Spinach	Tuna
Peaches	Seaweeds	Trout
Mango	Carrots	Cod
Cantaloupe	Brussels Sprouts	Halibut
Papaya	Bell Pepper	Oysters

Other than the above mentioned foods, patients with arthritis need to eat foods which exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. Unsalted nuts and seeds are rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids and vitamin E and they are an essential part of the diet that is planned for arthritics. These foods serve as natural remedies for arthritis. Some of these foods act as detoxifying agents too. The following table contains a list of healthy foods to be eaten by arthritics.

Nuts and Seeds	Pulses and Grains	Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Almonds	Whole wheat bread	Turmeric
Brazil Nuts	Brown Rice	Apples
Pecans	Chickpeas	Ginger
Sunflower Seeds	All Lentils	Garlic
Linseed	Millet, Oats and Barley Products	Wheat Grass Products
Pumpkin Seeds	Soy Products	Avocado Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Green Tea

Studies show that a proper arthritis diet plan helps lower the symptoms of inflammatory arthritis significantly. Minerals like calcium and magnesium are required for healthy bones and bone matrix structure. Most of the above mentioned fruits and foods are rich in these minerals. Boron and manganese promote absorption of calcium. Zinc, copper, selenium and beta-carotene (vitamin A) rich foods work great for arthritis. The omega 6 essential fatty acids and omega 3 essential fatty acids should be consumed in proper proportion. Eating organic foods is the best way of gaining all the essential nutrients from the foods consumed. For those diagnosed with arthritis, use of nutritional supplements can prove to be beneficial; but only after consultation with a doctor. Overweight patients need to follow a proper weight loss diet, after consulting a physician.

Foods to Avoid

Arthritis patients also need to know about foods to avoid with arthritis. Those who have gout need to avoid foods containing purine. In general, foods to be avoided by arthritis patients include organ meat (liver, kidney), processed meat (high in phosphorus), sugar (responsible for poor absorption of nutrients), soft drinks (contain high amount of phosphoric acid), caffeine (enhances the rate of loss of minerals and nutrients), fried items and oily foods (worsens the situation), antacids (leads to poor absorption of calcium), red meat, red-fleshed fish, margarine (high in bad fat), etc.

If you are worried about arthritis diet recipes, I would like to tell you that there are thousands of such recipes available, online. Try altering your diet by reminding yourself repeatedly of the 'foods to eat' and 'foods to exclude' and you will notice significant improvement in your condition. While consuming the recommended foods for arthritis, if you perform exercises regularly, as suggested by your physician, you will certainly be able to manage the symptoms of arthritis.