Best Foods in Your Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in your joints. Along with following your prescribed RA treatment plan, you may find added relief by making changes to your diet.

“There’s no one food that helps everyone with rheumatoid arthritis,” says Scott Zashin, MD, a rheumatologist at Presbyterian Hospitals of Dallas and coauthor of Natural Arthritis Treatment. But some people feel that eating or drinking certain things and cooking with specific herbs and spices can help reduce inflammation and ease joint pain.

A variety of studies have shown that the following foods, herbs, and spices may be helpful for managing RA symptoms. You’ll need to experiment to see which, if any, work for you, says Dr. Zashin. And before you make any changes to your diet, be sure to talk to your doctor first to get the green light.