Are tomatoes bad for arthritis?

Can eating too many tomatoes lead to inflammation and arthritis symptoms? Not necessarily. But unfortunately, there’s a persistent myth that tomatoes will make your arthritis symptoms worse.

There’s no evidence that diets where you cut certain foods out, also known as elimination or exclusion diets, helps osteoarthritis symptoms.

They’ve been shown to sometimes help people with rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. But what works for one person, may not work for another. So, it’s worth speaking to your healthcare team before cutting anything out.

If you have any type of arthritis you should try to eat:

• a balanced diet to get the vitamins and nutrients you need
• a more Mediterranean-style diet which includes fish, pulses, nuts, olive oil and plenty of fruit and vegetables
• more omega-3 fatty acids, for example from oily fish.

Although there are no diets or supplements that will cure your arthritis, some people do find that their condition is affected by what they eat and their exercise levels.

Whatever you choose to do, it’s important to strike a balance between medication and lifestyle changes.

As there’s so much health information available, it can be hard to know what to believe.

Here are a few tips that might help you:

• Read beyond the headline - remember that headlines are often written to drive clicks and grab a reader’s attention. As a result, health information is often simplified or written in an alarming way.
• Consider the evidence - are the claims backed up by research data?
• Use a fact-check website, for example, Full Fact.

If you have any questions about what foods to eat or avoid, speak to your healthcare professional.

Is there a link between nightshade vegetables and inflammation?

Some people feel that eating foods from the nightshade family, also known as solanaceous vegetables, may make their arthritis worse. But research has shown that there is no link between inflammation and solanaceous vegetables.

Examples of nightshade vegetables include:

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Potatoes
• Aubergines

It’s possible to have food allergies that are linked to the nightshade family, so if you’re concerned about this, we recommend you speak to a healthcare professional.

Fruits and vegetables are packed with important vitamins and minerals that you need for a balanced diet. So, if you're considering cutting them out, you should speak to a healthcare professional first.