From everydayhealth.com
Vegetables are a cornerstone of a healthy diet, especially when you have rheumatoid arthritis. Colourful produce is packed with phytonutrients, antioxidant compounds that may help protect your joints against inflammation.
And summer’s a great time to get your fill, since many seasonal veggies are at their peak of freshness — and thus nutrition. “While eating fruits and vegetables cannot cure RA, it can help improve your symptoms, especially when combined with your other medical treatments,” Barbara Gordon, EdD, RDN, a professor emerita of nutrition and dietetics at Idaho State University in Meridian, Idaho.
Next time you’re at the market, reach for more of these picks. They can help keep your joints and connective tissues healthy — so you feel your best.
1
Bell Peppers
Sweet and colourful, red and orange bell peppers are top sources of antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-cryptoxanthin. And that can be helpful for people with autoimmune conditions like RA. “Shifting to an overall dietary pattern rich in these antioxidants helps manage the hyperactive immune response, ultimately quieting the chronic inflammation that drives joint tenderness and pain,” says Alison Kane, RDN, a dietitian and wellness program manager at Mass General Brigham in Boston.
You may have heard that people with RA should avoid nightshade vegetables like bell peppers (as well as potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes), since they contain compounds that could trigger or worsen joint pain. There’s no solid evidence to back this up, though a controlled trial is currently underway, for the first time, to assess the effect of a diet that eliminates nightshades may have on inflammatory and rheumatologic marker levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Pay attention to your body and do what feels right for you, Kane says.
2
Tomatoes
Nothing says summer like a juicy tomato. But here’s another reason to love them: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant heavily studied for its ability to reduce systemic inflammation. While you’ll find lycopene in fresh tomatoes, you’ll get even more of the nutrient when you cook tomatoes in olive oil, since cooking makes lycopene more bioavailable. (Just-simmered marinara sauce, anyone?)
Lycopene also protects heart health and may support lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure. That’s a big bonus, since RA can increase your risk for heart disease.
3
Zucchini and Summer Squash
These veggies have a high water content — and during the hot summer months, staying adequately hydrated could help make your joints feel more comfortable. Fluids are a must for helping them stay well-lubricated, as well as for flushing out toxins that could worsen inflammation.
On the antioxidant front, zucchini and summer squash also deliver compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin that curb inflammation. Try slicing the veggies into long, thick planks, brushing with avocado oil, and grilling them until crisp-tender, Kane recommends.
4
Cucumbers
Speaking of water-rich veggies to keep your joints lubricated? At 96 percent water, cucumbers are at the very top of the list. So they’re a great snack for hot summer days, especially when paired with protein-rich Greek yogurt, Gordon says. Dipping them in hummus will also give you some extra protein.
And even though they’re mostly H2O, cucumbers also pack some valuable nutrition. They’re a good source of silica, a trace mineral that your body needs to build the healthy connective tissues that make up and support your joints.
5
Dark Leafy Greens
Grab a bunch of Swiss chard or summer spinach next time you stop at the market. These summer greens are a source of iron — a mineral that’s extra important when you have RA. Rheumatoid arthritis may raise your risk for anaemia (a condition often caused by iron deficiency), which is tied to more severe RA and worse inflammation.
To get the most iron from your leafy greens, pair them with a source of vitamin C. “I like to use a citrus-based dressing, such as a homemade lemon vinaigrette, on a dark leafy green spinach or kale salad and toss with chickpeas or lentils for additional iron,” Kane says.
Dark leafy greens also deliver vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps fight inflammation and has been shown to reduce chronic pain severity.
6
Peas and Corn
One more reason to say yes to summer succotash: Peas and corn are both packed with fibre, which is thought to play an important role in lowering inflammation and potentially slowing the progression of RA. “Fibre feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which in turn reduces the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body,” Gordon says.
And like their fellow green and yellow veggies — zucchini and summer squash — peas and corn also offer up antioxidant compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin.
7
Beets
Rich, deep hues are often a sign that a vegetable or fruit is loaded with antioxidant compounds. And beets, with their dark magenta pigment, are no exception. They’re one of the best ways to get betalains, a group of antioxidants with anti-inflammatory activity that some experts suspect could support the treatment of inflammatory health conditions. You’ll get a healthy dose of vitamins C and E, too.
And since fresh beets are so abundant in the summer, they’re worth choosing over canned beets when you have RA. “During the canning process, some of the antioxidants are lost. About half the vitamin C is destroyed, and much of the betalains end up in the canning liquid rather than the beets themselves,” Gordon says.
8
Onions
While you can find onions year-round, they actually hit their peak during the summer. And you’ll want to add the aromatic veggies to your menu. Onions are a top source of flavonoid antioxidants like quercetin, which have been shown to block inflammatory compounds that are related to RA. They’ll offer heart-health protection too, since they can help lower levels of bad cholesterol.
If you’re used to sautéeing onions, try quick-pickling them in a rice wine vinegar with a dash of sugar for a fresh summer flavour. “They add a bright, tangy pop to summer tacos, grain bowls, or grilled turkey burgers,” Kane says.
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