Joints play a crucial role in our body, it connects the skeletal structure of the body together. When two or more bones come together, it makes the body more flexible and brings stability. There are different types of joints in the human body, some are fixed, some are slightly movable, and some that can move freely. The biggest joint in the body is the knee joint, connecting the thigh bone and the lower leg together. There are different types of diseases that cause pain, swelling, and soreness in the knee joint. The most common disease that you can see people have is Arthritis, following through meniscus tears, ligament injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, and tendonitis. Torn ligaments, dislocation of the bone, and strains also affect the health of the knee joints. There are many ways by which you can protect and improve the health of your knee joint. One of the methods is having a proper diet. Having a proper diet will also help in improving your knee condition even before getting any knee joint disorder. In this article, we will take a look at foods that support knee joint health and recovery.
Why Knee Joint Health is Important?
The knee joint is the biggest joint in the whole body which connects the thigh and lower leg together. The knee joint comes under the synovial joint category. The main work of the knee joint is to support the weight of the human body and let the legs bend and move freely with almost any movement. The knee joint helps you in almost all the movements made by the leg like walking, running, and jumping. Having pain or any knee disorder can impact your quality of life, making you rely on others even for simple tasks and it can be frustrating.
Foods that Improve Knee Joint Health
Some foods that help in making the knee bone stronger and prevent orthopedic conditions.
Calcium-Rich Dairy
Calcium is the most important mineral in the body for bone strength. There is 99% percent of the calcium in the skeleton. It helps in managing the structure and hardness of the bone, and makes the bones more dense. Dairy products like milk, curd, paneer, cheese, & many more are some of the common sources of calcium. They also contain B12 which increase the bone mass.
For lactose intolerant and vegan individuals, there is an alternative, they can use fortified plant-based milk like soy, almond, or coconut. By trying these alternatives you can get the important minerals and nutrients without compromising anything.
Green Vegetables
The green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, collard greens and turnip greens are a good source of calcium, vitamins A, C, and K, and magnesium. These enhance the bone mineral density and they also have antioxidants which prevent free radicals. Green vegetables also prevent enzymes which cause swelling in the joints. Also, they are rich in fiber, nutrients, and vitamins which also helps in overall health.
Fatty Fish and Fish Oils
Fishes that contain a lot of fats are rich in vitamins D and omega-3 fatty acids that help to reduce the inflammation and decelerate the breakdown of the cartilage. Also, these types of foods can reduce joint pain in winters. Taking fatty fishes such as salmon, mackerel and sardines or supplements such as fish oils 2-4 times per week helps in joint stiffness, tenderness and pain in arthritis.
Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, chia seeds and flaxseeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids (Alpha Linolenic Acid) which have anti-inflammatory properties and are an excellent source of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. This keeps the cartilage, heals muscles and reduces stiffness of the joints.
Fruits and Berries
Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, oranges, grapes, kiwis, and pineapples are some of the fruits and berries which contain vast amounts of Vitamin C.
Whole Grains
The protein in refined grains triggers an inflammatory response in the body. Whole grain reduces the inflammation and joint pain. Examples of whole grains are oats, rye, barley, and whole wheat.
Olive Oil
Oils in our daily life like vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and peanut oil, all increase inflammation inside the body. A better choice is to use a few tablespoons of olive oil for cooking and salad. There is a more processed variety, which is better than the normal olive oil, as it is another source of omega-3 and a healthy heart choice.
Bone Broth
Bone broth contains nutrients like collagen, gelatin, glucosamine, and chondroitin. These nutrients help in maintaining and improving the knee joint health. This also supports cartilage maintenance and repair. In this, glycine reduces the inflammation while hyaluronic acid improves the elasticity and joint lubrication. This gives relief from the pain.
Turmeric and Ginger
Turmeric and ginger contain curcumin and gingerol respectively. Because of this, these spices are used as anti-inflammatory medicine, they also show properties of antioxidants. Turmeric and ginger are also considered natural remedies for knee joint pain. This decreases the stiffness and pain in arthritis.
Dark Chocolate
Chocolate shows anti-inflammatory properties, with cocoa being the main ingredient which also contains antioxidants. Dark chocolates with higher cocoa content, around 70% or more helps in managing the symptoms of arthritis.
Nutrients that help in Knee Joint Recovery
- Calcium: This is the most important nutrient for bone strengthening and development, it prevents joint instability.
- Sources: Cheese, Yogurt, Tofu, White Beans, Milk, Turnip Greens.
- Vitamin D: This helps the calcium to do its work by helping it to get absorbed in your body and assists in development and muscle strength.
- Sources: Sunlight, Fish, Fortified food products, Mushroom.
- Vitamin C: This is a very important nutrient, not just for your bones but for your whole body. This helps the body in creating collagen, this makes bones, cartilage, and connective tissue.
- Sources: Guava, Kiwi, Broccoli, Citrus Fruits, Brussels Sprouts.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acid: This helps by reducing the inflammation and swelling, it also reduces the joint pain.
- Sources: Fish, Flaxseeds, Olive Oil, Strawberries, Green Beans.
- Protein: This helps in repairing the tissues and strengthening the muscles around the knee joint.
- Sources: Lean Meat, Eggs, Greek Yogurt.
Foods to Avoid for Knee Joint Health & Support
We have already discussed above, different types of foods that are beneficial to the health of your knee joint. However, it is also important to avoid some types of food as long as you have knee problems. The following are the foods or food items you should avoid:
Refined Sugars and Sweets
Refined sugars are now very commonly found in many processed foods, sweets, bakery items, and sweet/sugary beverages. This can lead to increased inflammation in the body due to which your condition of the knee gets weaker. Inflammation happens when there is a spike in blood sugar levels. This sudden spike happens after consuming refined sugar. This can worsen your condition of arthritis.
Processed Foods and Red Meat
Processed foods and red meat are highly saturated and contain advanced glycation end products(AGEs). These compounds trigger inflammation which makes your knee pain condition even worse. AGES are from when the proteins/fats get combined with sugar in the bloodstream, this causes oxidative stress and inflammation.
Dairy Products
As this was mentioned above in the section that improves the knee joint health, it can cause inflammation. Dairy products contain a protein known as casein. This can irritate the tissues around the joints due to which people can feel some discomfort in their knee joints, especially those who have prior knee conditions like arthritis. Well, everyone is affected by dairy products, but those who are affected can try a different alternative diet for knee joint health improvement.
Note: You have to consult with your doctor to intake dairy products.
Refined Grains
We talked about how whole grains are a good source of food which helps in improving the health of the knee joint, but it is not the case with refined grains as they lack the nutrients and fiber which are found in whole grains. These also cause inflammation and increase the risk of chronic diseases. They carry high glycemic index which suddenly spikes the blood sugar level.
Alcohol
Alcohol increases the inflammation inside the body and also prevents the ability of the body to absorb the nutrients. Excessive alcohol consumption increases the pain and swelling in the knees.
Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Fats are essential for health but taking it excessively can cause imbalance in between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 Fatty Acids are generally found in oils like corn and sunflower, it can also be found in many processed foods. If the intake of omega-6 is more than omega-3 in your diet, it can promote inflammation which can result in stiffness in the knee with increasing knee pain.
What can Improve or Manage Knee Joint Health?
Other than following a proper diet, there are also other ways that can increase or manage the knee joint health.
- Weight Management: Knee pain or chronic knee diseases can also occur due to being overweight. This causes stress on the knee as the knee joint lifts the whole body weight. By maintaining your weight you can give reduce the pressure on the knee.
- Staying Hydrated: Staying hydrated helps in knee joint health or knee pain. It maintains the volume and synovial fluid this helps in lubricating the joint, which removes the stiffness
- Engage in Low-Impact Exercises: Regular movement or exercise helps the joints to become smooth and flexible. Some low impact exercises are yoga, cycling, and brisk. These exercises help in building strength around your knee joint muscles also.
Conclusion
Including foods for knee joint health and recovery can help you significantly by improving your mobility, enhancing joint strength, and reducing the inflammation. The food must contain good amounts of nutrition as it is very important for the knee to get sufficient nutrients. It helps in everything from repairing the cartilage to increasing the bone density. Focusing on a proper diet and a healthy lifestyle will improve your knee joint health significantly and even protect it from any sort of knee disease or chronic knee pain.