Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It occurs when cartilage in a joint wears away, which then erodes the bone. It often occurs in the larger joints like the knees and hips, but can affect other joints, particularly the hands and spine.
This process causes inflammation and can lead to pain and discomfort. It predominantly affects people later in life, with obesity a major risk factor of it.
There is no cure for osteoarthritis, so options are limited to the management of pain and relieving symptoms. Diet may be able to help in this regard, reducing the severity of symptoms and pain.
This article will cover everything you need to know about following a diet for osteoarthritis and give you a sample 7 day plan to follow that contains daily meals and a shopping list.
How Can Diet Help Osteoarthritis?
Diet plays an important role in your health and even though osteoarthritis can’t be cured, diet can play a role in a number of ways.
Reduce Inflammation
A healthy diet can help prevent further joint damage. Vitamins A, C and E are important in this role. Certain foods are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, thus helping to improve symptoms.
Reduce Cholesterol
People with osteoarthritis tend to have higher cholesterol. Diet is particularly important when it comes to improving your cholesterol and can help symptoms of this disease, as well as reduce the risk of conditions like heart disease.
Reduce and Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight means more pressure is applied to the joints, worsening the issues even further. A healthy diet can help you bring your weight down to a healthier weight. Unlike crash dieting, a good diet will also ensure you stay full throughout the day so you don’t crash, whilst supplying all the vitamins and minerals you need.
Foods to Eat on an Osteoarthritis Diet
In general, you should try and eat whole foods that are full of nutrients. Eating a good balance of these foods will ensure meet all your nutritional requirements.
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Fatty fish
- Beans and legumes
- Nuts and seeds
- Low-fat dairy
- Olive oil
- Lean protein
Losing Weight on an Osteoarthritis Diet
Reducing and maintaining a healthy weight essential for reducing the risk of osteoarthritis.
It is estimated that 40% of men and 47% of women will develop osteoarthritis in their lifetime, with the incidence increasing to 60% if they have a body mass index greater than 30 (1).
There also seems to be a strong relationship between obesity and inflammation (2).
It’s important that as well as reducing your weight, you are able to find a way of eating that ensures you maintain that weight over the long term. Crash and fad diets can cause yo-yo dieting and mean you are unable to keep within a healthy diet range.
Simple ways to reduce and maintain your weight in a healthy way include:
- Eat more healthy snacks. Foods like nuts, seeds and fruit can help stave off cravings and help you reduce your overall calorie intake.
- Eat more slowly. Chewing more slowly may help you eat fewer calories and increase the production of hormones that are linked to weight loss (3, 4).
- Eat more fiber. Fiber may delay stomach emptying, make the stomach expand and promote the release of satiety hormones (5, 6).
- Eat more protein. Protein is known to boost levels of the hormone peptide YY (a hormone that makes you feel full) and reduce levels of ghrelin (a hormone that makes you feel hungry). (7, 8).
Important Nutrients for People with Osteoarthritis
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important when it comes to making cartilage, helping to protect the bones in the knee joint.
Studies have found that those who consumed vitamin C were associated with a reduced risk of cartilage loss and osteoarthritis due to capacity against oxidative stress (9, 10, 11).
Foods high in vitamin C include:
- citrus fruit, such as oranges and orange juice
- peppers
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- potatoes
- strawberries
- blackcurrants
Calcium
Calcium is important for everyone as it helps us have strong bones and teeth. People who don’t consume enough calcium have a greater risk of developing osteoporosis. This conditions causes bones to become thinner.
One study found that people with high levels of calcium in their serum may exert a protective role in the control of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (12).
Foods high in calcium include:
- Dairy foods like milk, cheese and yogurt
- Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale and broccoli
- Tofu
- Fish like salmon and tuna
Vitamin D
Some experts say that vitamin D can help with osteoarthritis because vitamin D helps the body boost calcium, which is important in protecting joints.
However, clinical observations generall provide little evidence that vitamin D can protect against osteoarthritis and cartilage volume loss. It may be that sufficient intake can help relieve joint pain with those with low levels of vitamin D one study in 2019 concluded (13).
Vitamin D can be obtained through exposure to sunlight and found in foods such as:
- Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon
- Foods fortified with vitamin D, which includes some dairy products and cereals
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Green leafy vegetables
In order to ensure that you are consuming more omega-3 fatty acids:
- Cook with olive oil rather than butter
- Eat oily fish, twice a week, such as salmon, tuna and mackerel
- Eat more nuts and seeds
Foods high in omega-3 fats include:
- Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
Omega-6 fatty acids can be found in:
- Meat and Poultry
- Cereals
- Eggs
- Certain vegetable oils
What’s the Best Osteoarthritis Diet?
The Mediterranean diet is one of the best types of diets to follow. It has been ranked as the number 1 diet since 2018 according to the U.S. News & World Report.
Part of the reason it is highly recommended is not just because of the health benefits, but also how easy to is to follow. Finding an eating style you stick to long-term is important so that you don’t yoyo between diets and fall back into unhealthy eating habits.
It is ranked so highly because of both how easy it is to follow as well as the scientific research backing its use. This makes it a great choice if you’re looking for a healthy diet that you’ll actually stick to. Some of the studies backing it’s use across a range of health markers include:
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular events, coronary heart disease, (17, 18)
- Reduced risk of coronary heart disease (19, 20)
- Reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes (21)
- Risk of breast cancer (22)
- Reduced obesity (23)
- Better cognitive function (24)
Many credible organisations suggest following a Mediterranean diet for health reasons. These include organisations such as:
- Harvard Medical School
- Mayo Clinic
- American Heart Association
- Arthritis Foundation
- Osteoarthritis Foundation Internal
The Mediterranean diet pyramid below gives a good visual indication of what foods to prioritize.
At the bottom are common staple foods that are to be consumed in large amounts and more frequently. Portion sizes and frequency decline as you go up the pyramid.
The pyramid intentionally does not specify recommended weights of foods or calories. It is only meant to provide an overall look at healthy food choices and the relative proportions.
It does this because good health has been attributed to variation within the overall dietary pattern. The more variety you get within the specified relative allowances per category – the better.
Osteoarthritis Diet Meal Plan
Osteoarthritis Diet Sample Menu
In the meal plan are recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Cannellini Bean Salad | Quick Moussaka |
| Tuesday | Tomato and Watermelon Salad | Edgy Veggie Wraps | Spicy Tomato Baked Eggs |
| Wednesday | Blueberry Oats Bowl | Carrot, Orange and Avocado Salad | Salmon with Potatoes and Corn Salad |
| Thursday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Mixed Bean Salad | Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup |
| Friday | Tomato and Watermelon Salad | Panzanella Salad | Med Chicken, Quinoa and Greek Salad |
| Saturday | Blueberry Oats Bowl | Quinoa and Stir Fried Veg | Grilled Vegetables with Bean Mash |
| Sunday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Moroccan Chickpea Soup | Spicy Mediterranean Beet Salad |
Snacks are recommended between meal times. Some good snacks include:
- A handful of nuts or seeds
- A piece of fruit
- Carrots or baby carrots
- Berries or grapes
Day 1: Monday
Breakfast: Banana Yogurt Pots
Nutrition
- Calories – 236
- Protein – 14g
- Carbs – 32g
- Fat – 7g
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 225g /⅞ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 bananas, sliced into chunks
- 15g / 2 tbsp walnuts, toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Place some of the yogurt into the bottom of a glass. Add a layer of banana, then yogurt and repeat. Once the glass is full, scatter with the nuts.
Lunch: Cannellini Bean Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 302
- Protein – 20g
- Carbs – 54g
- Fat – 0g
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 600g / 3 cups cannellini beans
- 70g / ⅜ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- small bunch basil, torn
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the beans and mix with the tomatoes, onion and vinegar. Season, then add basil just before serving.
Dinner: Moussaka
Nutrition
- Calories – 577
- Protein – 27g
- Carbs – 46g
- Fat – 27g
Prep time + cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 250g / 9 oz lean beef mince
- 200g can / 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 200g can / 1 cup chickpeas
- 100g pack / ⅔ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Mint (fresh preferable)
- Brown bread, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry until soft. Add the mince and fry for 3-4 minutes until browned.
- Tip the tomatoes into the pan and stir in the tomato purée and cinnamon, then season. Leave the mince to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chickpeas halfway through.
- Sprinkle the feta and mint over the mince. Serve with toasted bread.
Day 2: Tuesday
Breakfast: Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 177
- Protein – 5g
- Carbs – 13g
- Fat – 13g
Prep time + cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp chopped mint
- 120g / ⅝ cups tomatoes, chopped
- ½ watermelon, cut into chunks
- 50g / ⅔ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- For the dressing, Mix the oil, vinegar, chilli flakes and mint and then season.
- Put the tomatoes and watermelon into a bowl. Pour over the dressing, add the feta, then serve.
Lunch: Edgy Veggie Wraps
Nutrition
- Calories – 310
- Protein – 11g
- Carbs – 39g
- Fat – 11g
Prep time + cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 100g / ½ cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 6 Kalamata olives
- 2 large wholemeal tortilla wraps
- 50g / ¼ cups feta cheese
- 2 tbsp hummus
Instructions
- Chop the tomatoes, cut the cucumber into sticks, split the olives and remove the stones.
- Heat the tortillas.
- Spread the houmous over the wrap. Put the vegetable mix in the middle and roll up.
Dinner: Spicy Tomato Baked Eggs
Nutrition
- Calories – 417
- Protein – 19g
- Carbs – 45g
- Fat – 17g
Prep time + cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 red onions, chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded & chopped
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- small bunch coriander, stalks and leaves chopped separately
- 800g can / 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 4 eggs
- brown bread, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan with a lid, then cook the onions, chilli, garlic and coriander stalks for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the tomatoes, then simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Using the back of a large spoon, make 4 dips in the sauce, then crack an egg into each one. Put a lid on the pan, then cook over a low heat for 6-8 mins, until the eggs are done to your liking. Scatter with the coriander leaves and serve with bread.