Kelly Turner
Diet can play an important role in osteoarthritis therapy – if pain-reducing and anti-inflammatory foods are used. This also includes chili and co. Can spices help against arthrosis?
Some spices have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. If they are regularly integrated into the diet, they can relieve pain and improve mobility in osteoarthritis patients. The best spices for osteoarthritis at a glance.
Turmeric for osteoarthritis
Turmeric is at the top of the list of anti-inflammatory spices and, according to studies, can also relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. The key here is the plant compound curcumin, which gives the spice its yellow color.
As researchers from Saarland found out in a study, curcumin has a similar mechanism of action as the drug cortisone: both have a strengthening effect on an anti-inflammatory endogenous protein (GILZ). However, the potency of consuming turmeric is not comparable to that of taking cortisone – so “yellow root” should not be used as a substitute for cortisone.
Important when taking turmeric: the spice is not water-soluble. The body can absorb it better together with fat – pepper also promotes the absorption of anti-inflammatory active ingredients.
Golden milk for arthrosis
A tasty variant of consuming turmeric in such a way that the valuable ingredients can be well absorbed by the body is the so-called golden milk. The fat in the milk and the addition of pepper help the body absorb nutrients. You need the following ingredients for a portion of golden milk:
- 350 milliliters of cow’s milk or plant milk
- A piece of fresh ginger (thumb-sized)
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder or a piece of fresh turmeric
- 1 tbsp agave syrup or honey
- A large pinch of pepper
- A pinch of cinnamon
Depending on your taste coconut oil
The golden milk can be enjoyed warm or cold (with ice cubes in summer): Simply mix the ingredients, stir with a whisk, and heat for 2-3 minutes, depending on taste. If the turmeric doesn’t dissolve well, use the blender to help.
The preparation with a self-made turmeric paste works even better: peel the turmeric and ginger and grate them in 120 milliliters of water; heat the mixture, stirring, until it forms a paste. The paste is then stirred into the milk instead of the turmeric powder.
The best spice mix against arthrosis
A special mixture of spices mixed into food every day can have a soothing effect on arthrosis symptoms – because it consists exclusively of anti-inflammatory spices. You can easily make them yourself; mix equal parts of the following spices:
- nutmeg
- cumin
- coriander
Chili: A good spice for osteoarthritis?
Chili is a natural pain reliever: the ingredient capsaicin contained in the spice has a strong pain-relieving effect. However, this usually only works with arthrosis if the capsaicin is applied locally to the affected joint – as an ointment or plaster.
Ginger: natural pain reliever for osteoarthritis
While ginger is not strictly a spice, it can be used to flavor food – and is a very effective natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. A 2015 study from Denmark confirmed that ginger can significantly reduce pain and restricted mobility in hip or knee osteoarthritis.
Use spices against osteoarthritis daily
The anti-inflammatory spices against arthrosis can only develop their full effect if they are consumed regularly – ideally, they should be an integral part of the daily menu.
