Foods for Healthy Knee Joints

You have several joints to support and control the movement of your body, and knee joints are so essential – even they are the most complex joints of the body. Since they are the core for the movement of your feet and also so vital to support the body when standing, they are more vulnerable of getting injury. The following are some tips and foods to help keep & improve the health of your knee joints.

What you eat can affect your overall health, including your joints. But you need to clearly understand that there is no single food that can be a magic formula for everything.

In other words, your diet is only one of ways to help keep and improve the health of your joints. Other lifestyle approaches such as regular exercise and practicing other healthy habits are also essential.

Vitamin C

This vitamin is so essential for your overall health. In the case for the health of your joints, your body needs vitamin C to make collagen. And collagen is essential part of your tendons, ligaments, and cartilage.

So, getting adequate intake of vitamin C is important. Red peppers, pineapple, and oranges are rich in vitamin C.

Colored fruits

Pomegranates, blackberries, blueberries, and cherries are some of richly colored foods. They (particularly cherries) contain a substance called anthocyanins, the answer of why these fruits are strength in color.

Researchers found that eating fresh cherries may be linked with the lower risk of inflammation. Even a few studies also found that this fruits may help provide fewer flare-ups of gout.

Whole grains

While white flour may have an effect in increasing the risk of inflammation, whole grains has the opposite effect. Some studies found that whole grain may help reduce inflammation.

So, choose whole grains such as oatmeal instead of white flour! Alternative choices can be barley, brown rice, or quinoa.

Salmon

We all agree that salmon is rich of many essential nutrients, but you might not think that it is also good for your bones and joints. It is not only loaded with omeg-3 fatty acid (great for your overall health, especially for your heart), but it also contains vitamin D and calcium (particularly for canned salmon with bones).

If you don’t like canned salmon, low-fat yogurt or no-fat plain milk can be an alternative choice for your source of calcium – or other oily fish for your source of omega-3 such as sardines and trout.

Kale (Dark-leafy greens)

These veggies are high in nutrients that can be helpful to keep your knee joints healthy. Some of these nutrients are vitamin C, antioxidant beta-carotene, and calcium.

And kale is one of dark-leafy greens that you should prioritize in your diet. Other choices may include collard greens and broccoli.

Walnuts

Walnuts are also great for fighting against inflammation. They also can be good alternative choice for your source of omega-3 fatty acids.

If you don’t like walnuts, canola oil and flaxseed oil also contain omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts.

Turmeric

It has a special substance called curcumin that can help ease knee pains and aches. According to one study, curcumin extract can act like ibuprofen that is commonly used to relieve knee pains.

Other alternative choices are ginger and cinnamon – they also contain essential substances for anti-inflammatory agent.