What foods should I avoid if I have arthritis?

Certain foods can aggravate arthritis by stimulating the inflammatory process. Depending on what type of arthritis you have, there are certain foods and food groups you should avoid. For rheumatoid arthritis, avoid the nightshade group, including tomatoes, eggplants, and red bell peppers. Also avoid spicy, greasy, and fried foods. Smoking and alcohol can also aggravate the condition. For degenerative arthritis with no rheumatoid inflammation, avoid cold, raw foods. Eat less sugar, and avoid being in damp cold places. A practitioner may be able to give you a better assessment and recommend a specific dietary regimen.

If you have arthritis, you might consider scaling back on this foods:

• Corn oil. The fats in corn oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil are predominantly omega-6 fatty acids. And although these fats are not harmful in and of themselves, some research suggests that a big imbalance in your omega-3 and omega-6 intake could trigger inflammation. So use omega-3-rich olive oil whenever you can.
• White bread. Grabbing high-fiber whole-wheat bread instead may help your joints in two ways. Early research shows that refined grains may be proinflammatory. On the other hand, high-fiber diets may help quiet inflammation. And high-fiber diets may help with weight control, too.

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Avoid sugar and foods with added sugar and refined carbohydrates if you have arthritis. Reduce inflammation by cutting out white flour products, white rice and white potatoes. Several studies have shown that consuming foods of this type aggravates inflammation. Instead eat high fiber foods like whole grains and legumes. Studies have shown that high fiber diets are anti-inflammatory.