Foods To Avoid If You Have Arthritis

Living with arthritis can be painful, and while you should always consult your healthcare provider for personal guidance, we’ve got some tips for you about what you should remove or limit from your diet if you’re living with stiff joints and inflammation. 

Monitoring your sugar consumption is ideal to stay on top of your health, but it’s especially important if you suffer from arthritis. It’s possible that sugar can worsen inflammation in the body. One study found a link between chronic inflammation and excess sugar consumption! 

Be sure to check the back of the label on condiments like tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and even salad dressings to see how much added sugars they contain, they’re often added to extend the shelf life of the product. 

Some other foods with added sugars include:

• Cookies

• Cakes

• Ice cream

• Pastries

• Fruit juice

• Sports drinks

Ultra-processed foods contain refined ingredients and artificial substances that provide little nutritional value, think fast food. These kinds of foods can cause inflammation which is the last thing you want when you’re dealing with swollen joints!

Some other ultra-processed foods include:

• Sweetened breakfast cereals

• Fried chicken

• Potato chips

• Cheese crackers

• Soft drink

It’s time to check the back of the label! Excessive sodium consumption can cause bloating, a rise in blood pressure, and exacerbate inflammation. A lot of sauces are sneakily high in sodium such as soy sauce and barbecue sauce. 

Some other sodium-rich foods include:

• Pizza

• Pretzels

• Salami

• Pickles

• Hot dogs

• Mac & cheese

Everything in moderation! You don’t have to cut out all alcohol and caffeine but excessive consumption of both interferes with both sleep patterns and exacerbate inflammation in the body. 

By avoiding or at the very least limiting these foods you may be able to better manage your symptoms!