Written By
Laura Higgitt
The magnificent 7 foods for Healthy Joints
If you are looking for a well-researched diet to help keep your joints healthy, then the Mediterranean diet could be for you.
This is not so much a diet but a fresh, colourful, diverse style of eating. Think fruit, vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil, wholegrains, fish and a little red meat and dairy. The Mediterranean diet has been hailed for its anti-inflammatory benefits and has also been found to support people to maintain a healthy weight, which are critical for making sure joints feel healthy and unburdened. Vegan diets may also support joint health by cutting out some of foods which can trigger joint responses in some people. However sugary, fried and processed foods might also trigger inflammation, so it might be worthwhile keeping intakes of these to a minimum, as we’re all recommended to do anyway.
If you are looking to tweak your existing way of eating or try a new diet to support your joints, then these foods are a great place to start:
Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil is brimming with healthy fats, antioxidants and oleic acid. Swap vegetable or sunflower for olive oil in your cooking or drizzled over salads.
Nuts, chia and flax seeds
Walnuts, flaxseeds and chia seeds are some of the richest plant-based sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Chia seeds and almonds, cashew and brazil nuts are high in magnesium which may also help nerve, muscle and cartilage in joints, walnuts are high in antioxidants and almonds are rich in calcium for bones.
Oily fish (salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines)
Oily fish are high in omega 3 fatty acids which may help within the body’s inflammatory systems. . Fish is also one of the few foods containing Vitamin D, which can be low in people who are of the age where joint health becomes really important such as old age, or in those who are very physically active or at risk of joint wear and tear.
Green cruciferous vegetables (Broccoli, brussel sprouts and bok choy)
Cruciferous vegetables are high in the antioxidant Vitamins A, C and K which work within the body’s inflammatory systems in the body. They also contain the antioxidant sulforaphane which is often chosen by those wanting to maintain healthy joints. If plain greens don’t take your fancy try roasting them with olive oil and a sprinkling of chilli.
Orange vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots and squash)
As well as being rich in antioxidants these vegetables get their orange glow from the carotenoids beta-cryptoxanthin which
Little red fruits (cherries, berries and pomegranate)
These sumptuous red and purple fruits contain anthocyanin which is a powerful anti-oxidant and may help to manage the body’s inflammatory processes. These versatile sweet and sour beauties will add nutrients, colour and flavour to any meal.
Fermented foods (Kimchi, Kefir and Kombucha)
Treat your gut to some beneficial bacteria with fermented foods like kimchi (a spicy cabbage), kefir (sour yoghurt) and kombucha (a sparkling drink). These foods These foods are known, in research, to help increase the variety and numbers of gut bacteria that work helpfully with the body’s inflammatory systems.