Knee Pain? Eating These Foods Can Heal You

Gourmandize Staff, 08/18/2017

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This one nutrient can be the key to curing aches, pains and stiffness.

Troublesome knees? Knee osteoarthritis can be painful and debilitating. You might be able to eat the pain away.

Recent research published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases indicates that people with a fiber-rich diet are less likely to experience knee arthritis. The researchers analyzed data taken from two separate studies: the Osteoarthritis Initiative (which included 5,000 participants) and the Framingham Offspring cohort (which included 1,200 participants).

Researchers found that the more fiber people ate, the less they experienced knee arthritis. In the OI study, those who ate the most fiber daily (averaging 20 grams) were 30% less likely to report symptoms, while in the Framingham study they were 61% less likely. While the research doesn't say whether it's fiber that causes the reduction in knee pain, it does however show a strong correlation between fiber intake and reduced knee pain.

Fiber has also been proven to improve satiety and help prevent overeating — and by extension, obesity. Being overweight has strong links with knee pain, as extra weight can put more strain on the knee and wear down the cartilage. Fiber can also reduce inflammation, keeping muscles and joints healthy and making movements more fluid and less painful.

The average American consumes 15 grams of fiber daily, but the recommended level is 25-30 grams. Some good sources of dietary fiber include:

Whole grains
Beans
Vegetables

By far the simplest way to get more fiber is oatmeal. It's cheap, easy, and the breakfast of champions. Here are 25 outstanding recipes to get you started!