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Foods to eat for healthy joints

Whether your joints are getting in the way of day-to-day life, you're keeping them strong for sport and fitness, or are just thinking about age-related problems, your diet is an effective yet often overlooked element of joint care.

Perhaps you're already taking over-the-counter or prescription medicines for your knees, hands, hips, or other joints. These can bring a lot of relief, but it's worth bearing in mind that long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) can sometimes cause gastrointestinal side effects.

Adjusting your diet can help ease pain in much the same way, or if you use both strategies, this could bring you even greater relief.

Michael Mosley's 5 supermarket rules

Commenting on his 2024 TV series Undercover Doctor: The Secrets Of Your Big Shop, the late Dr Michael Mosley said that, in today's world, people often reach for a pill to cure their ailments. However, he believed that many health issues can be addressed by the foods we put in our shopping baskets.

How to shop for healthy joints

The above five rules are a great basis for healthier supermarket shopping. Use these and focus your planned meals around anti-inflammatory foods to help reduce and prevent joint stiffness and pain. These specific foods are some of the most tried and tested.

Fermented food and drink

What: Fermented foods, also called probiotic foods, include kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, and Greek yoghurt. The process of fermentation means they are naturally high in live 'good' bacteria.

How: There is mounting evidence that fermented foods can significantly reduce internal swelling in your body. This is known as inflammation, and it can cause swollen and painful joints - what we call artrit. According to Dr Mosley, the good bacteria in these foods reduces inflammation by supporting your gut and immune system.

Oily fish

What: Oily fish includes salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, pilchards, and trout. These contain omega-3 fatty acids.

How: Omega-3 fatty acids - the healthy fats - in oily fish can have an anti-inflammatory effect, meaning they can reduce internal swelling and pain around your joints. Studies show a link between eating these healthy fats and having a lower chance of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Olivolja

What: Cooking and frying with olive oil is a healthier, more nutritious alternative to other vegetable oils.

How: The antioxidants and oleic acid found in olive oil can help fight inflammation. This has been shown to help people with painful and stiff joints.

Cruciferous vegetables

What: Cruciferous vegetables are so-called because their four-petaled flowers resemble a cross. Examples include broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, bok choy, rocket, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens.

How: While a diet rich in all vegetables and fruits will help keep your joints healthy, this group of veg is particularly useful because they contain phytochemicals like sulforaphane, which are anti-inflammatory.

Turmeric

What: Turmeric is a bright yellow-orange spice traditionally used to add flavour and colour to Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, and Indian dishes.

How: The main pain-relieving ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which acts as an anti-inflammatory on joints.

Green tea

What: Green tea is a popular hot drink made from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. It contains much of this plant's health-boosting nutrients.

How: Green and matcha tea , a type of green tea, provide lots of antioxidants. These natural compounds help fight unstable atoms in your body that damage cells and accelerating ageing, which can cause several conditions, including arthritis.

What to avoid in the supermarket

Just as there are foods that fight inflammation around your joints, there are others that trigger it.

Try to avoid or limit the following sugary och ultra-processed foods (UPFs), as they can damage your immune system, causing inflammation in your joints and other parts of your body. These foods can also lead to weight gain, which can exert extra pressure and damage on your joints, while excess fat tissue can send signals to your immune cells to produce inflammation.

• Fried foods - such as battered foods and chips.

• Refined carbs - such as white bread and biscuits.

• Saturated fats - such as cream and butter.

• Processed red meats - such as sausages and bacon.

• Refined sugary food and drinks - such as fizzy drinks and many breakfast cereals.

• Alkohol - such as beer and spirits.