Foods for joint health: Reduce joint pain with your diet

The right foods for joint health may fight inflammation, protect cartilage, and even reduce pain. So, if your joints feel like a burden of battles, take heart—relief might be as close as your kitchen.

What foods to choose for joint health

Joint pain is a common complaint, whether caused by arthritis, inflammation, or years of wear and tear. Choosing foods for joint health can help reduce pain and keep you moving with ease.

1. Consider the best diet for joint pain

Inflammation is one of the main culprits behind joint pain, especially in conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The good news? Some foods act like tiny firefighters for your joint health, helping extinguish inflammation. The Mediterranean diet is a great example of an anti-inflammatory eating pattern.

Foods to include:

• Fatty fish–such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel–provide omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and stiffness
• Berries, like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries, contain antioxidants that fight cell damage.
• Extra virgin olive oil contains a compound that works similarly to ibuprofen in reducing inflammation.
• Leafy greens, such as spinach, chard, and kale, are loaded with vitamin C and other antioxidants that help protect joints.

Foods to limit:

• Processed foods such as fast food, sugary snacks, and sodas may trigger inflammation, worsening joint pain.
• Red and processed meats may contribute to inflammation due to their high levels of saturated fat.

2. Protect cartilage with joint-friendly nutrients

Cartilage is like a shock-absorbing cushion for your joints, and pain can occur when it wears down. Luckily, certain nutrients help keep cartilage strong and resilient.

• Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries, helps your body produce collagen, the main building block of cartilage.
• Collagen and gelatin found in bone broth, chicken skin, and collagen supplements may provide the raw materials your body needs for cartilage repair.
• Sulfur, a mineral found in fish, meat, eggs, garlic, onions, broccoli, and cabbage, helps form connective tissue and may slow cartilage breakdown. Sulfur is also a component of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a supplement used for joint pain.

3. Spice it up: Natural pain relievers in your kitchen

Certain spices work like natural painkillers, helping to reduce inflammation and stiffness.

Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound that studies show can be as effective as some pain medications for knee osteoarthritis. Add turmeric to your diet by stirring it into soups, stews, and smoothies, sprinkling it over roasted veggies, or mixing it in salad dressings and marinades.

Pro tip: Combining turmeric with black pepper helps your body absorb curcumin better.

Ginger may reduce joint pain in knee osteoarthritis by blocking inflammatory pathways. You can incorporate ginger into your diet by adding freshly grated ginger to smoothies, stirring it into soups and stir-fries, brewing it into a soothing tea, or seasoning marinades and dressings with it.

4. Stay hydrated to keep joints lubricated

Your joints need water to stay cushioned and function properly. Most people need about 8 cups (1500 mL) of water a day. If plain water isn’t your thing, herbal teas or infused water count, too.

Do joint pain supplements work?

In addition to eating the right foods, you may be tempted to turn to supplements for better joint health. The most well-researched options include glucosamine and chondroitin, which may help slow cartilage breakdown and reduce pain, especially for osteoarthritis sufferers. Vitamin D is another vital player. Some studies show that vitamin D supplementation may reduce joint pain in osteoarthritis sufferers with low baseline levels.

If you’re considering supplements, talk to your doctor to ensure they’re the right choice for you.

Maintain a healthy weight to ease pressure on joints

Carrying extra weight is like asking your knees to carry around a heavy backpack all day—eventually, they’ll complain. A pound of extra body weight puts about four pounds of additional pressure on your knees.

Feed your joints well

While no food will magically cure joint pain in an instant, an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-rich diet can go a long way in keeping your joints happy and provide whole-body health benefits. Focus on whole, minimally processed foods, keep your weight in check, and don’t forget to add a little spice to your life!

Related content

Eat these 7 healthy Mediterranean foods to fight inflammation

10 Mediterranean snacks that take 5 to 15 minutes to prepare

Low-impact exercise tips to help ease chronic pain

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