Arthritis and Diet: How Certain Foods can Worsen Joint Inflammation

10. Aspartame

When following a diet to improve arthritis symptoms, an individual may begin by making healthier choices, including cutting out sugary sodas and drinking diet beverages instead. However, this could make arthritis pain worse. Many diet drinks contain aspartame, an artificial sweetener. A few studies suggest aspartame may have anti-inflammatory effects, but a significant portion of the population has aspartame sensitivity. Without knowing, a person with arthritis may be triggering an allergic reaction by drinking diet soda and making their pain worse as a result.