Arthritis: Best breakfast recipes for people with arthritis

What you eat can make a lot of difference in managing the symptoms of arthritis. The debilitating joint condition could affect your mobility and also your ability to do daily chores with ease. Arthritis symptoms especially trouble in the morning upon waking up and also at night when one goes to bed. Regular exercise can strengthen joints and bones, combat fatigue and reduces arthritis pain. Diet too plays an important role in controlling the signs and symptoms of arthritis and eating a well-balanced diet with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients can control inflammation. (Also read: Arthritis: 5 lifestyle changes to help relieve pain and swelling)

Omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, sardines, flaxseeds and walnuts, work to decrease inflammation in the body by suppressing the production of cytokines and enzymes that erode the cartilage. Indian spices like turmeric, ginger help in decreasing the intensity of joint pain because of their anti-inflammatory effect.

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day and when you have arthritis be mindful to eat a nutritious one. Manpreet Kaur Paul, Executive Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Faridabad shares 6 nutritious recipes for people with arthritis/

1. Nutritious sprouted Methi Salad

Ingredients:

Sprouted methi seeds- 1 cup

Black pepper- 1 tsp

Salt – according to taste

Crushed garlic- 1 tbsp

Mustard oil- 2 tbsp

Yellow and red bell peppers- 1/4th cup

Method:

– In a pan add mustard oil, heat it and then add bell peppers and crushed garlic to it. Sauté the bell peppers but do not overcook them.

– Now add salt, black pepper and sprouted methi and cook this only for a minute.

– Remove from flame and your healthy sprouted methi salad is ready to eat.

Benefits:

– Regular consumption of fenugreek/methi can help control degenerative disorders and beat arthritis.

– The healthy fatty acids present in methi seeds are responsible for reducing inflammation in the joints.

2. Flaxseed dosa:

Ingredients:

Flax seed powder- ½ cup roasted

Rice powder- 1 cup

Curry leaves- 2-3 sprigs

Black pepper powder- 2 tsp

Salt – according to taste

Green chilli – 2

Water – 2 cups

Method:

– In a mixer, combine all the ingredients together and grind it to a thin dosa like batter.

– Heat the dosa pan and grease it with oil.

– Pour the batter on the pan and spread it evenly in round shape and make sure it is cooked evenly on both sides.

– Flaxseed dosa is ready to be served. Flaxseeds are a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats.

3. Palak Chutney

Ingredients:

Spinach leaves- a bunch (roughly chopped)

Oil- 3 tsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Channa dal- 1 tsp

Cumin- ½ tsp

Green chilles-2

Ginger- 1 inch

Coconut powder- 3/4th cup

Tamarind – 1 tsp

Salt- according to taste

Water- ½ cup

Method:

– Add oil in a non-stick pan and heat it on low flame. Then add urad dal, channa dal and cumin. Sauté on low flame till they are golden brown. Now add 2 green chilies, ginger and sauté well.

– To this, add the roughly chopped spinach and sauté it on low flame. Keep stirring till the spinach leaves shrink and change their colour. Do not overcook.

– Now, in a mixer transfer the cooled spinach, add coconut powder, some tamarind, salt and some water. Blend till you get a smooth mixture.

– The palak chutney is ready to be served.

Benefits:

– Spinach contains plenty of antioxidants that can help relieve inflammation.

– It is especially rich in antioxidant kaempferol, which is shown to decrease the effects of inflammatory agents associated with arthritis.

4. Nutty Cherry halwa

Ingredients:

Desi ghee- 3 tsp

Sooji (semolina) – 1 cup

Boiled cherries- ½ cup

Jaggery powder- 3tsp

Almonds- a handful

Water- according to consistency

Method:

– In a heated pan, add ghee and then add sooji. Roast it on low flame. After 7-8 minutes, sooji starts to give an aromatic flavour and turns golden brown in colour.

– Now add the boiled cherries to the above mixture and roast the cherries along with sooji. Add jaggery powder to it and mix well.

– You may add water to the above mixture according to the desired consistency of the halwa and keep stirring it continuously so that no lumps are formed. Adding a few almonds to the halwa will increase its nutritional value.

– Cherry halwa is ready to be served hot.

Benefits:

– Many researches have proved that the antioxidants present in cherry can help reduce the pain and inflammation caused due to arthritis.

– Cherry juice can help to reduce the level of uric acid in the body and increase the production of anthocyanins, thus reducing inflammation. Consumption of cherries also helps to prevent bone loss due to inflammation and bone stiffness.

5. Walnut porridge

Ingredients:

Walnuts – ½ cup

Broken wheat – 1 cup

Soya milk – 1.5 cup

Honey- 1 tsp

Cinnamon powder- a pinch

Method:

– In a medium sized saucepan, add soya milk and broken wheat. Bring it to a boil and then add the chopped walnuts.

– Simmer it for around 5-7 minutes by stirring continuously.

– Now add honey and some cinnamon powder to naturally sweeten the porridge.

Serve hot.

Benefits:

– Walnuts contain the highest omega 3 content in them. Including these in our daily diet can reduce the occurrence of arthritis in the population.

– Walnuts are packed with essential minerals like magnesium, calcium, zin, etc which are required for optimal bone health thus making the bones stronger.

6. Almond Chia Bars:

Ingredients:

Rolled oats- 1.5 cups

Almonds- ½ cup (roasted and chopped)

Chia seeds – 1/4th cup

Turmeric powder- 1 tbsp

Butter- 1 cup

Honey- ½ cup

Method:

– In a large bowl, mix together oats, chia seeds, chopped almonds and turmeric powder.

– In another bowl, mix together butter and honey and microwave it for around 30 seconds till the butter is smooth and completely mixed with honey. Pour this mixture over the oats and mix it well and make sure the oats and the other ingredients are not dry and are covered with butter and honey completely.

– Refrigerate the above mixture for around 1 hour and when it is completely set, you may cut it in the form of rectangular or square bars.

– You can enjoy these bars along with milk in your daily breakfast.

Benefits:

– Chia seeds are a high-quality source of omega-3 fatty acids. Caffeic acid, present in chia seeds, can aid the body combat inflammation.

– Minerals like magnesium and phosphorus found in chia seeds are important for bone health. Inclusion in the daily diet, can reduce the occurrence of arthritis/joint pain in people.

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