Are potatoes and tomatoes bad for rheumatoid arthritis?
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff answered:The short answer is no, there is no convincing evidence to support the idea that potatoes and tomatoes (or any foods) are bad for rheumatoid arthritis.
The role of diet on arthritis has been a topic of intense debate for years. Researchers have tried to find foods that may be helpful or harmful. So far, no conclusive evidence has been found to say that diet has any role in making rheumatoid arthritis better or worse.
Still, I have many patients who are convinced that diet affects their joint disease. I encourage them to follow whatever diet they feel helps — as long as it's safe.
In recent years, a popular diet for rheumatoid arthritis is to avoid "nightshade vegetables." These include tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. Perhaps this is why your acquaintance was told to avoid them. But again, there is no scientific evidence that avoiding these foods will improve rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, I know of no connection between eating these vegetables and calcium absorption. (Even if there were, there is no obvious connection between calcium absorption and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.)
There is much we do not understand about the impact of diet on rheumatoid arthritis or other types of arthritis. I think doctors and patients should keep an open mind about possible connections. I'm hopeful that future research will reveal what role, if any, dietary changes have on rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis.
Find out more about this book: Harvard Medical School Arthritis: Keeping your joints healthyHelpful? 1 person found this helpful
The short answer is no, there is no convincing evidence to support the idea that potatoes and tomatoes (or any foods) are bad for rheumatoid arthritis.The role of diet on arthritis has been a topic of intense debate for years. Researchers have tried... More -
Lona Sandon of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:There is no scientific evidence that firmly supports the notion that potatoes or tomatoes worsen symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. I have rheumatoid arthritis and have never found a connection between my symptoms and these foods. Making a connection between the foods we eat and RA symptoms is hard to do because symptoms can vary from day to day for other reasons.
If you think a food made may be causing an increase in symptoms, I recommend keeping a food and symptom journal for several months. Write down everything you had to eat or drink as well as what activities you did that day and the symptoms you experienced. This can help you and your registered dietitian identify patterns in the foods you eat that might be linked to RA symptoms.
For now, the research that is available on diet and RA supports eating a mostly plant-based diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains along with healthy fats from vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish to help lower inflammation levels. Regular exercise can also help with pain, stiffness, fatigue and joint function.
There is no scientific evidence that firmly supports the notion that potatoes or tomatoes worsen symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. I have rheumatoid arthritis and have never found a connection between my symptoms and these foods. Making a connection... More
