Vilka livsmedel är bra för artrit?

Granskad av Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGPSenast uppdaterad av Lynn StephenSenast uppdaterad 17 sept 2025

Uppfyller patientens redaktionella riktlinjer

Ladda ner
Ladda ner
Artikel-PDF har laddats ner
Dela
Dela
Artikel länk kopierad till urklipp
Language
Language
Diskussion
Ask Patient
Ljudversion
Lägg till i föredragna källor på Google

Vad vi äter kan hjälpa till att lindra symtomen på många hälsotillstånd, inklusive artrit. Även om det inte finns någon mirakeldiet för artrit, kan vissa livsmedel hjälpa till att bekämpa inflammation och stödja din ledhälsa, såsom fet fisk, frukt, grönsaker och nötter.

Why does your diet affect arthritis?

Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint. Although there are many types, the two most common are artros och reumatoid artrit.

Artros

This tends to affect people over the age of 40, but it can occur at any age as a result of an injury. It affects the smooth cartilage lining of the joint, which causes stiffness and pain and makes movement more difficult.

This lining can become thinner, putting more pressure on other areas of the joint, including the tendons and ligaments. Severe loss of cartilage can lead to bone rubbing on bone and change the shape of the joint too, causing pain.

Reumatoid artrit

This is less common than osteoarthritis and typically starts when a person is between 30 and 50 years old. In rheumatoid arthritis, the body's immunsystem targets affected joints, which leads to pain and svullnad. The outer covering of the joint is affected first, but the problem can spread and cause the bone and cartilage to break down too.

Martin Lau, Arthritis Action's dietitian and services development manager, says the relationship between diet and arthritis is complex. There are many reasons why what you eat can help with the symptoms.

Firstly, body weight can directly affect arthritis.

"Carrying more body weight is not good for any musculoskeletal condition such as artrit," Lau says. "A landmark study found one pound of weight-loss lessens four pounds of pressure on the knees, per step."

One of the key symptoms of arthritis is persistent pain, but what we eat has the potential to ease the discomfort. In 2018, a systematic review of 72 studies examined the role of nutrition and persistent pain and found that it may be possible to reduce long-term pain with a healthy diet¹.

Lau recommends a diet that includes colourful fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, and essential fatty acids, omega 3 and omega 6, such as those found in salmon.

"We should also avoid dehydration throughout the day, and limit ultra-processed food," he says.

Staying hydrated can help ease pain caused by inflammation in the joints. Around 80% of cartilage tissue - a connective tissue that protects your joints and bones - is made up of water. Drinking plenty of water helps nutrients travel within the tissue, which maintains healthy cartilage.

Best foods for arthritis

Oily fish

Oily fish, including salmon, sardines, mackerel, and trout, contain long-chain omega-3 fats, which are important for overall health and can reduce inflammation and disease activity in people with rheumatoid arthritis. It's recommended that you have two portions of oily fish a week.

Nuts and seeds

Many nötter and seeds contain polyunsaturated fats - so-called healthy fats - as well as protein, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain linoleic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid with anti-inflammatory properties. Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts are all healthy options, but make sure you choose unsalted types.

Fruits and vegetables

Broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, and cauliflower all contain sulforaphane, a compound which studies indicate may act as an anti-inflammatory and help slow down cartilage damage in osteoarthritis.

Sweet potatoes, oranges, carrots, and red peppers contain beta-cryptoxanthin, a chemical with antioxidant properties that helps to fight inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

Olivolja

Research suggests that the oleic acid and antioxidants in olive oil can help reduce inflammation. The antioxidants in olivolja may work in a similar way to the drug ibuprofen - an anti-inflammatory pain reliever.

Studies have also shown that olive oil significantly reduces joint pain, stiffness, and hand muscle grip in people with arthritis. Cooking food in olive oil rather than vegetable oil is a simple switch that may help boost your health. You can also add a teaspoon of olive oil to salads, sauces, or vegetables to boost your intake.

Whole grain foods

Whole grain foods, including whole grain bread and pasta, are rich in nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants, and have anti-inflammatory benefits.

Foods to avoid with arthritis

Sweets

It's important to avoid sugary foods, which may worsen symptoms of arthritis, such as pain and stiffness. A study involving 217 people with rheumatoid arthritis found that socker-sweetened fizzy drinks and desserts were the most frequently reported to worsen symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis².

Red meat

Eating a lot of red and processed meats has been linked to a higher chance of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and studies show that red meat may also worsen the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Highly processed foods

Ultra-processed items such as fast food, breakfast cereal, and baked goods are typically high in refined grains, added sugar, preservatives, and other potentially inflammatory ingredients, all of which may worsen arthritis symptoms.

Alkohol

As alkohol may worsen arthritis symptoms, anyone with inflammatory arthritis should restrict or avoid it. Drinking alcohol can increase uric acid levels - a waste product found in blood - which can increase the likelihood of inflammatory joint conditions, including osteoarthritis and gout.

Lau adds that it is important to think about your overall diet, rather than individual foods.

“The aim shouldn’t be to just eat one type of food or diet," he says. "But instead to eat a well-balanced diet and keep to a healthy weight.".

References

Patientval för Artrit

Ben, leder och muskler

Artrit

Arthritis means inflammation in a joint (like your knee, hip, elbow or fingers). It is a common problem and generally affects older people, although there are some rare conditions that cause arthritis in children and teenagers. There are lots of types of arthritis. Some give you short-term aches in the joints and then resolve completely, others can cause long-term problems and permanently affect how your joints move. This leaflet will explain a bit about how joints work and then go through the main causes of arthritis in easy-to-read language.

av Dr Toni Hazell, FRCGP

Ben, leder och muskler

Vad är skillnaden mellan artros och reumatoid artrit?

De vanligaste typerna av artrit är artros och reumatoid artrit. Den förstnämnda orsakas av slitage på dina leder, medan den sistnämnda är en autoimmun sjukdom som påverkar annars friska leder. Hur kan du skilja dem åt?

av Amberley Davis

Artikelhistorik

Informationen på denna sida är granskad av kvalificerade kliniker.

Artikeln finns också på Engelska, Tyska, Spanska, Franska, Italienska, Portugisiska, Hindi, Hebreiska, Arabiska, och Svenska.

Nästa granskning: 17 sept 2028
17 sept 2025 | Senaste versionen
Senast uppdaterad av
Lynn Stephen
Granskad av
Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP
25 Apr 2023 | Ursprungligen publicerad
Författad av:
Lydia Smith

Delta i konversationen

Dela dina tankar eller erfarenheter med andra i vår patientgemenskaper.

Relaterade diskussioner

Visa fler diskussioner

Ansvarsfriskrivning: The views expressed in the community do not represent medical advice. For any health concerns, consult your GP or healthcare provider.