Eating More Fiber May Lower Arthritis Risk, According to New Research

Struggling with joint pain and stiffness? Your eating pattern could have more to do with it than you think. According to a newly published study, eating more fiber may reduce the inflammation that causes rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to develop.

What the Study Found

On January 29, a team of researchers published a study in Nature about how dietary fiber may impact bodily markers of inflammation and RA. The scientists used data collected as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) by the National Center for Health Statistics from 2011 to 2020. That means that while the researchers are from China, the data comes from American respondents—32,451 of them. Of those respondents, 15,114 people were enrolled for the final analysis. 

What did the scientists learn? They saw that the more fiber participants ate, the less likely they were to report a RA diagnosis. They used the dietary inflammatory index (DII) to chart the connection between intake and inflammation. 

Surprisingly, though, solely eating lots of veggies may not be enough to reduce RA risk. The study was inconclusive about whether fruit and vegetable fiber could block RA from emerging. It was specifically cereal fiber from foods like whole grains that appeared to influence respondents’ arthritis status. 

The Bottom Line

According to the study, people who ate the most cereal fiber showed a 25% reduction in RA prevalence, and they didn’t report an amount that was too much when it comes to prevention. Plus, whole grains may offer additional health benefits like more stable energy levels, better heart health and improved digestion. Try opting for whole-wheat products and whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, cornmeal, bulgur, oats or buckwheat whenever you can. We even have a guide for how to cook whole grains to help you get started. 

One great way to up your intake is by starting your day with a delicious dose of fiber. We love overnight oats recipes like this one that tastes just like an Almond Joy. Or check out one of our delicious whole-grain breakfast recipes that range from sweet muffins to savory oat bowls. 

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