Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2023 - 8

POWERFUL PLATES: HARNESS NUTRITION
TO HELP PEOPLE WITH ARTHRITIS
These results could be attributed to the diet containing
more foods with anti-inflammatory properties, as well as
antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress at the cellular
level. Many of the foods in the Mediterranean diet-like fish
and olive oil-have been independently linked to beneficial
effects.
Research is still somewhat limited. However, the
Mediterranean diet has been associated with numerous
other health benefits (like improved heart health and
reduced risk of cognitive impairment), so it's wise to weave
some of its components into your menu.
POLYPHENOL-RICH FOODS
Polyphenols include more than 8,000 natural compounds
found in plant foods. These beneficial compounds have many
roles in the body, including acting as an antioxidant and
potentially reducing inflammation, which could be valuable
for arthritis.
For example, resveratrol is a polyphenol found in the skin
of grapes and certain berries (you often hear about it in
red wine). One study found that adding resveratrol to
conventional treatment reduced disease activity in those
with rheumatoid arthritis, compared to only conventional
treatment. Of course, it's unclear if this would extrapolate to
food-based sources as well, since this study was done using
supplements.
Another potent polyphenol is oleocanthal, found in olive oil.
In-vitro studies and animal studies suggest this may prevent
cartilage damage in arthritis through antioxidant and antiinflammatory
effects, though further research is needed. In
addition, it may inhibit a certain enzyme pathway associated
with pain, which can lead to reduced perception of pain.
Interestingly, a meta-analysis looked at supplementation of
polyphenols in patients with osteoarthritis, and found that
polyphenols helped with pain relief more than placebos.
In fact, there were no differences in treatment efficacy
outcomes between polyphenols and NSAIDs (medicine like
ibuprofen)! However, combining the two led to even better
results.
There is little overall research on this topic, and much of it is
on supplementation rather than food sources. Still, it seems
plausible that polyphenols in foods could be valuable-plus,
they have numerous additional health benefits (like reduced
risk of other diseases).
ADDING RESVERATROL
to conventional treatment
reduced disease activity
in those with rheumatoid
arthritis, compared to only
conventional treatment.
It's easy to add more polyphenol-rich foods to your menu.
Here are just a few examples:
* Berries
* Spices
* Cocoa (cocoa powder, cacao nibs, dark chocolate)
* Cherries
* Apples
* Pomegranate
* Grapes
* Beans
* Nuts
* Tea and coffee
* Olive oil
Think about how you might combine these foods into one
power-packed dish. For example, could you offer a chocolate
cherry smoothie for dessert? A cinnamon-spiced apple
oatmeal topped with pecans at breakfast? Or maybe a fruity
quinoa salad with berries and pomegranate tossed in an
olive oil dressing at dinner?
8 NUTRITION & F OOD SER VICE EDGE | JULY-AUGUST 2023
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2023
