You’ve heard the term “you are what you eat”, right? Well, as it turns out that old saying is actually true. If you have psoriatic arthritis, it will be important to pay close attention to the foods you are putting in your body.
“There’s no doubt that pain can be exacerbated by eating the wrong foods,” says Mark Young, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the director of the Oasis Center for Pain, Acupuncture, and Nutritional Medicine in Nottingham, Maryland. “By the same token, it can be made much better by eating the right foods. The ‘You are what you eat’ adage is correct in all aspects of disease prevention and management.”
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Which foods are good for psoriatic arthritis?
1. Heart-healthy foods
In addition to selecting foods with anti-inflammatory properties, it’s important for people with psoriatic arthritis to select heart-healthy foods because people with psoriatic disease have an increased cardiovascular risk.
In fact, 31 percent of people with psoriasis had metabolic syndrome, which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, compared with people without psoriasis, according to a study published in May 2021 in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
“Some of the diet approaches for psoriatic arthritis could help with heart function as well,” Young adds.
Whatsmore, a heart-healthy diet can help people with psoriatic arthritis combat obesity, which affects many people with the disease. This is crucial because excess weight can exacerbate joint pain and make medications less effective.
Essentially, a heart-healthy diet will help control psoriatic arthritis symptoms, control blood pressure and protect heart health.
2. Omega-3 Fats and Flavonoid-Rich Foods
“Foods replete with omega-3 fatty acids can be helpful to ease discomfort,” Young notes.
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Seafood, such as tuna, mackerel, or wild salmon are all great omega-3-rich options and Young advises choosing them over supplements.
“The natural form is always better than fish oil. With fish oil, you don’t know about the quality and source,” he says.
Olive oil, which is a healthy fat rich in omega-3 fatty acids, is also great for fighting inflammation. However, before you go out and purchase a bottle, it’s important to note that all olive oil is not created equal.
“I would urge people to only buy olive oil that comes in a tinted glass bottle because that preserves the omega-3 acids and prevents oxidation of the ingredients,” Young says.
Foods containing vitamin D — such as eggs, fortified breads, and yogurt are also recommended.
Bioflavonoids, which can be found in red wine, blueberries, strawberries, and certain varieties of green tea also contain anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Spices and fermented foods
Spices, such as tumeric are also great at eliminating inflammation. “Turmeric is amazing,” says Young. He suggests sprinkling it lightly as a seasoning on fish.
Additionally, the probiotics found in fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut contain “good” bacteria, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
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Food inspiration
To get you started on implementing these tips into your daily diet, Young shared some of his favorite foods with Everyday Health:
Breakfast
- Low-sodium oatmeal sprinkled with omega-3-rich flax seeds
- A tall glass of purified water with a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange and an orange slice. “Adding citrus,” Young says, “makes water more pleasurable to drink.” Plus the vitamin C in citrus enhances the absorption of other nutrients. “For example, if you have an egg along with orange juice, the vitamin C in the juice will help you absorb the iron in the egg a lot better,” according to Young.
Lunch
- Avocado toast with a tomato slice on Ezekiel sprouted bread. “This bread is healthier because it’s made from sprouted grains, not processed flour that could increase your blood sugar levels,” Young explains.
- Low-fat Greek yogurt or kefir, a type of yogurt with probiotic bacterial strains that aid in digestion and reduce inflammation. “Kefir is tart and tangy, high in protein, and contains lots of vitamin D,” Young notes.“Some have a high amount of sugar, some low, so check the label. It’s also helpful to find one with a multitude of [healthy bacteria] cultures.”
Dinner
- Tofu or tempeh, cut into cubes and sautéed in olive oil with fresh garlic, ginger, tamari, turmeric, and a bit of the Middle Eastern spice mix za’atar
- Roasted or baked turkey or chicken, or fish. “At home we do mostly roasting or baking,” says Young. “When you roast or bake as opposed to frying, the likelihood of denaturing the oil is less, and you also don’t use as much oil. The vitamins also tend to concentrate in the food when you roast or bake, versus in a fry pan where they’re released and end up in the oil that goes down your drain.”
- Roasted vegetables like sweet potato, cauliflower, green beans, and carrots
Snacks
- Dark chocolate. “I like low-sugar chocolate nibs, which are like tiny dots of chocolate,” Young adds. “Chocolate has anti-inflammatory qualities.”
- Low-calorie iced yogurt or fudge bars
- Watermelon. “It’s heathy and it’s satiating,” says Young.
Drinks
- High-quality green tea. “Not all green teas are created equal,” Young shares. “Some have higher caffeine, some less. Our son likes Japanese green tea; ceremonial-grade matcha is another one we like.”
- Red wine. “A small amount can be impactful in terms of reducing pain and inflammation,” says Young. “Red wine contains flavonoids, which are healthy antioxidants.”
To round your diet out, Young suggests steering clear of eating a lot of red meat and cheese and foods that are high in cholesterol, sugar and saturated fats,
“You also want to avoid refined grains that can cause inflammation — for example, white rice, sweetened cereals, buns, white bread, pancakes,” he says.
