List of 10 foods to avoid with arthritis pain

Arthritis refers to discomfort, soreness, and inflammation in any joint in the body. It is a common problem and may occur in anybody, regardless of gender and age. This kind of pain may be chronic or acute and can be severe or mild, which can make it impossible to use the joint.

Gout and arthritis are the 2 main reasons for joint pain. It may also result from broken or dislocated bones, muscle strains, bursitis, fibromyalgia, lupus, and leukemia.

Whatever the cause, this problem may be managed with medication, alternative medicines, or exercise. Diet also plays an important role in controlling joint pain.

While there are a lot of anti-inflammatory foods such as ginger, garlic, and turmeric that can help to fight the pain, there are also some certain foods that can trigger pain.

If you are suffering from arthritis, you need to avoid the certain foods below that may trigger pain and inflammation. In this article, VKool.com will present to you the list of 10 foods to avoid with arthritis pain. This article listed the foods that people who suffer from arthritis should avoid from reliable sources. However, it is only for the informational target and it is not aimed to give medical advice. Continue reading this writing to understand more!

List Of 10 Foods To Avoid With Arthritis You should Know

1. Eggs

foods to avoid with arthritis - eggs

Regular consumptions of eggs may lead to increased joint pain and swelling. Eggs, particularly the yolks, have arachidonic acid that can result in the production of prostaglandins (one type of lipid autacoids), which will trigger inflammation in your body.

In addition, eggs have saturated fat that also contributes to pain and inflammation.

If you like to consume eggs for breakfast, you should skip the egg yolks and eat just the egg whites in the omelet forms.

Learn more: Simple tips to use egg white to treat acne

2. Red And Processed Meats

foods to avoid with arthritis - red and processed meats

One of the foods to avoid with arthritis is red and processed meats. These meats contain many chemicals, like nitrites and purines, which can increase pain and inflammation in your body.

Processed foods are very high in toxins known as advanced glycation end products that may cause inflammation.

Moreover, according to a 2024 study in the Proceedings of NAS (the National Academy of Sciences), a glycan derived from red meat promotes the development of cancer progression and systemic inflammation.

You should try to consume more fresh fruits and vegetables instead of processed meats.

3. Dairy Products

foods to avoid with arthritis - dairy products

Dairy products may also contribute to arthritis. The high content of protein casein in these dairy products can trigger pain and inflammation.

According to an old report, this type of protein can even irritate the tissues around your joints.

Moreover, even the saturated fats found in dairy products such as milk, cheese, and butter can trigger fat-tissue or adipose inflammation, which will, in turn, increase pain.

You should avoid pasteurized dairy when you suffer from arthritis any other kinds of chronic pain. Instead, you can opt for soy milk, tofu, margarine, almond milk, and some other non-dairy products. Even you can switch to an absolute vegan diet.

See more: List of nutritious dairy products

4. Artificial And Refined Sugars

foods to avoid with arthritis - artificial and refined sugars

Another food listed in the top 10 foods to avoid with arthritis is artificial and refined sugars. High amounts of sugar can also raise the level of advanced glycation end products in your body that cause inflammation. Moreover, sugar can also trigger the release of some inflammatory agents known as cytokines in your body.

Being very high in calories, excess intake of sugar also results in weight gain, which will put more pressure on the joints and raises pain.

Even sugar-sweetened soft drinks are also not good for the body. According to a 2024 study in the American Journal, regular intake of sugar-sweetened soda can increase the risk of suffering from rheumatoid arthritis in women without depending on other lifestyle and dietary factors.

You have to avoid having sugar-loaded foods such as candy, pastries, and snacks as well as sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, punches, and pre-sweetened cereals.

Instead of artificial sweeteners and refined sugar, you can opt for other natural sweeteners such as stevia, blackstrap molasses, or honey.

5. Refined Flour And Grains

foods to avoid with arthritis - refined flour and grains

Refined flour and grains are also agents causing inflammation and may increase your arthritis. The high-glycemic index foods can trigger the production of advanced glycation end products that stimulate inflammation.

According to a 2024 study in Nutrients, the role of daily intake of wheat products along with other related cereal grains is very important in the manifestation of autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation.

In addition, the grains are devoid of vitamin B and fiber and have empty calories. Regular consumption of these products may even raise the risk of getting degenerative diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

You do not use refined grain products such as white bread, white rice, and white pasta. Instead, you should try whole-grain, coconut, or almond flour. Also, you should use brown rice, instead of white rice

Read more: The book of everyday grain free cookbook

6. Corn Oil

foods to avoid with arthritis - corn oil

Corn oil is another food in the list of 10 foods to avoid with arthritis pain that you should limit. This oil contains high sources of omega-6 fatty acids, which can trigger your body to produce some pro-inflammatory chemicals.

According to a 2024 study in the “Nutrition & Metabolism” Journal, an increase in the intake of omega-6 fatty acids can exacerbate many inflammatory diseases and potentiate inflammatory processes.

Safflower, sunflower, soy, peanut oils, and grape seeds, many salad dressings, and mayonnaise are also rich sources of omega-6 fatty acids.

You needn’t to entirely remove these products from your daily diet because omega-6 fatty acids are essential for normal development and growth.

You simply need to eat them in moderation. Meanwhile, you should increase your omega-3 fatty acid intake, which is found in foods such as olive oil, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and nuts.

Learn more: Advantages of corn for health and for weight loss

7. Whey Protein Products

foods to avoid with arthritis - whey protein products

Whey protein products can also promote inflammation and pain due to the casein and gluten found in them.

Being a kind of protein, casein can result in the production of uric acid within your body. The excess uric acid may lead to inflammation and pain in your body, including your joints. Joint pain caused by uric acid, also known as gout, may be severe and do lasting damage to your joints.

People who are sensitive to gluten may suffer from chronic inflammation that causes widespread pain. In fact, according to a 2024 study in the “Nutritional Biochemistry” Journal, a gluten-free diet will help to reduce inflammation, insulin resistance, and adiposity.

Instead of whey protein products and supplements, you can opt for other healthy and natural sources of lean protein such as beans, seeds, and nuts.

See more: List of foods high in protein

8. Foods Containing Monosodium Glutamate

foods to avoid with arthritis - foods containing monosodium glutamate

In fact, monosodium glutamate is a flavor-increasing food additive with some preservative properties most often found in packaged foods such as potato chips, frozen snacks, canned and frozen Chinese foods, frozen dinners, soups, and store-bought salad dressings.

Monosodium glutamate can trigger pain and inflammation in your body, including your joints. The artificial additive is extremely harmful to people who already have inflammatory conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis.

Because most frozen and packaged foods contain artificial additives such as monosodium glutamate, you should strive to consume fresh foods made at home. You should use organic products and also avoid artificial flavor enhancers.

Apart from monosodium glutamate, you have to avoid foods having aspartame, an artificial sweetener that can also trigger an inflammatory response.

9. Refined Salt

foods to avoid with arthritis - refined salt

Refined salt, called table salt, is one of other foods to avoid with arthritis pain that I will show to you below.

Refined salt has additives and chemicals (aluminosilicate and ferrocyanide) to make it non-flowing, but they may throw off the fluid balance of your body. In addition, refined salt doesn’t contain naturally occurring minerals, like silicon, and phosphorous that the body needs to function correctly.

Limiting your intake of refined salt may also lower calcium loss from the bones, thus lowering the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.

You should reduce your intake of refined salt to a minimum or, if possible, you should switch to pink Himalayan salt or sea salt. In addition to limiting salt in the daily cooking, you need to watch over the processed foods that have excessive salt along with other preservatives to raise their shelf life.

10. Beer

foods to avoid with arthritis - beer

Excessive intake of beer and other alcoholic beverages isn’t good for your joint condition. In fact, many heavy beer drinkers often have a higher risk of extending rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

Beer is very high in purine that your body converts into uric acid, which may cause inflammation. Because beer is also made with gluten, it is best for you to avoid consuming it when suffering from arthritis. In addition, the other toxins found in beer may cause significant harm to the body.

So, you should try to limit the intake of beer along with other alcoholic beverages.

If you want to know more about benefits of other ingredients, please go to our main Health Nutrition page. After reading the article of the list of 10 foods to avoid with arthritis pain, hope that it can help you realize the foods to cause pain and inflammation in your body and joints. However, the article is only for the informational purpose; therefore, you should see your doctor in order to get the advice. If you have any question, please leave the comments below, I will respond you as soon as possible.  And if you know other foods to avoid with arthritis pain, please leave them below.

Related articles:

Simple tips to use ginger for arthritis treatment

Easy ways to use turmeric for arthritis treatment

Home treatments for arthritis in hands and legs

Want More Content Like This In Your Inbox?

Join The Discussion

JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Comments JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Advertising Disclosure

Displayed content is offered by businesses which have been compensated. There is a potential effect on how, what, and where products may appear. All effort is made into providing full transparency, not all available products or companies are highlighted. Published material is offered without any slant or bias no matter what affiliation there is with sponsorship or association.