Strawberry drink could reduce arthritis knee pain and inflammation in weeks

Arthritis describes a diverse set of conditions characterised by inflammation in the joints. 

While there’s currently no cure for arthritis, you can ease the pesky symptoms triggered by the condition through a healthy lifestyle. 

Research, published in the journal Nutrients, highlights a fruity drink that could do this with gusto.

The strawberry beverage used in the study was able to significantly reduce knee pain scores and inflammation in patients with osteoarthritis.

Considered the most common type of the inflammatory condition in the UK, osteoarthritis causes your joints to become painful and stiff.

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Looking at 17 adults with the condition, the research team instructed the participants to consume a strawberry drink made out of 50-gram freeze-dried strawberry powder and water.

This tailored drink provided approximately 1500mg of polyphenols and 66mg of anthocyanins which describe bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers.

After 12 weeks of following this regimen, the participants experienced a significant reduction in their knee pain and inflammation markers.

While you probably can’t get your hands on the exact same beverage, Mays Al-Ali, Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher from Healthy Mays, explained that eating berries could also help.

If you wanted to achieve the 50-gram amount of freeze-dried strawberries used in the study, you’d need to eat 300g of raw strawberries, according to the expert.

If you’re not a fan of strawberries, you can also reach for other berries.

Al-Ali said: “Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries have shown promising results in reducing pain and inflammation in arthritis. 

“There is also some evidence on the role of specific fruit polyphenols, such as quercetin and citrus flavonoids in reducing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. 

“These commonly consumed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are a rich source of several polyphenols including anthocyanins, quercetin, and various types of phenolic acids.”