Osteoarthritis foods to avoid: why?
Before shedding light on foods to avoid, it's worth giving a few reasons for shunning them. Here are two reasons to avoid certain foods.
To avoid aggravating inflammation or pain
Osteoarthritis is not a curable disease at the moment. However, it is possible to relieve the pain of osteoarthritis and improve the patient's quality of life. Diet can contribute in its own way.
Certain foods should be avoided, as they are accused of promoting inflammation in the joints. Hence the need to avoid them if you wish to limit the pain of osteoarthritis. Foods that can induce inflammation are those rich in sugars and saturated or trans-fatty acids.
To avoid weight gain
If you're overweight, losing weight helps reduce joint pain. On the other hand, excess weight can be responsible for accentuating pain. Being overweight can make osteoarthritis worse. In the case of osteoarthritis, you should avoid all foods that could lead to excess weight gain.
Try to lose weight to reduce pain. Excess fat has a biological effect on joints. Weight loss reduces pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the hand or knee. It is essential to select the right foods from each group.
In the meat category
Meat is an essential source of nutrition. Not all meats are suitable for sick people. Find out which ones you shouldn't eat.
Avoid red meats
Meat provides the body with essential nutrients such as protein. That's why you shouldn't deprive yourself of them. Red meat provides iron. Iron is essential for blood formation. However, when suffering from osteoarthritis, eating red meat tends to increase metabolic waste.
Excessive consumption of red meat is therefore prohibited. In fact, metabolic waste amplifies joint pain. Red meat comes from the muscle tissue of beef, lamb, goat, etc.
Don't eat fatty meats
Fatty meats contain saturated fats. They are not recommended for osteoarthritis. What's more, these fats cause weight gain. Excess weight is bad for joints. You can replace this meat with fatty fish or white meat.
Or eat lean meat from the white parts of poultry. Chicken breast comes to mind. Combine these foods with foodstuffs that combat joint inflammation.
In the lipid category
Eat moderate amounts, and avoid certain vegetable oils.
Two types of oil to avoid
Oils have their place in a healthy, balanced diet. They are also ideal for cooking. For osteoarthritis sufferers, we advise against sunflower and peanut oil in particular. Why is this?
In fact, these vegetable oils contain pro-inflammatory elements. This means they are likely to promote inflammation. These are omega-6 and omega-9. However, these oils contain a small proportion of omega-3. The latter effectively fights inflammation. All these reasons work against sunflower and peanut oil.
On the other hand, consumption of other vegetable oils is encouraged. These include rapeseed, olive and linseed oils. It's also important to vary sources, respect their use and avoid overindulgence.
Butter and margarines
Butter contains vitamins A, B, D and E. Margarines are lower in calories than butter and oils. However, these fats should be avoided because of their saturated fatty acid content.
Butters (sweet, semi-salted, low-fat) and margarines are among the richest foods. They are best avoided in cases of osteoarthritis. Finally, avoid high-calorie foods such as fried foods, mayonnaise and cold meats.
In the sweet food group
Avoid fast sugars, foods with a high glycemic index and sweetened soft drinks.
Fast sugars
Specialists refer to white sugar, refined sugars, pastries, ice creams and the like. These sugars are not essential for nutritional balance. You can therefore do without them without any negative impact on your health.
On the contrary, you'll improve your situation if you give up these foods, which weaken the immune system and disrupt energy cycles. Beware of processed foods containing high doses of simple sugars. One example is glucose syrup.
Foods with a high glycemic index
The glycemic index measures a food's influence on insulin levels. The sweeter the food, the higher its glycemic index. Such foods encourage blood sugar spikes. So be aware of the glycemic index of foods before you eat them. Ban fruit with too much sugar from your diet.
Soft drinks
Consuming soft drinks such as soda can aggravate osteoarthritis pain. Not to mention the fact that soda is high in calories (110 kcal per 100 g). Stay away from sugary soft drinks. Soda is especially harmful to patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee.
Moreover, alcoholic beverages do not have a good reputation when it comes to osteoarthritis. There's also the fact that they contain sugar. Sugar leads to the formation of fat. Drink plenty of water every day. Daily water consumption should be between 1.5 and 2.5 liters.
And what about dairy products?
Dairy products can support latent inflammation, but that doesn't mean you should banish them from your diet. Consume dairy products with moderation and circumspection. Opt for yoghurts and fromage frais from animals that eat grass.
