Understand nutrition

When you're living with arthritis, what you eat can make a real difference. Alongside movement, medication and rest, nutrition plays a big part in supporting your health and wellbeing. It won’t cure arthritis, but eating well can help reduce flare-ups, manage weight, ease symptoms, and boost your energy.

A good place to start is by understanding the basics of nutrition and knowing how to read food labels.

Ideally, your meals should be based around whole foods, things that come from the land, sea, or animals, with minimal processing. These offer the best nutrients in their natural form.

Common whole food groups include:

• Vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains (like oats, brown rice, bread, or pasta)
• Animal foods like meat, chicken, eggs, dairy, and seafood

Most foods fit into three main categories:

• Carbohydrates give you energy for your body and brain. You'll find carbs in grains, fruit, vegetables, breakfast cereals, bread, and pasta
• Proteins help your body grow, repair, and stay strong. These come from meat, chicken, tofu, fish, eggs, and legumes
• Fats support your cells and help your body absorb vitamins. Healthy fats include oils, nuts, seeds, and small amounts of butter

A complete meal includes a mix of all three. This helps you feel satisfied and gives your body what it needs to function well.

We know cooking every meal from scratch isn’t always realistic, especially when you’re tired or dealing with pain. Packaged foods can be convenient, and they can still be part of a balanced diet. The key is knowing how to read the food labels, so you can make informed choices that work for you.

Food labels show you:

• What ingredients are in the product
• How much of each nutrient it contains
• If any health or nutrition claims are being made (e.g. "low in sugar" or "high in calcium")

By learning to read food labels, you can compare options at the supermarket and choose the product that supports your health goals.

Here are some general guidelines for comparing key nutrients:

• Protein – Look for higher amounts to support strength and repair

• Fat – Aim for less than 10g of total fat per 100g.

  -Saturated fat (less healthy): Aim for under 3g per 100g

  -Monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fats (better for you): These are helpful in small amounts

  -Trans fats (harmful in large amounts): Choose products with little or no trans fat

• Sugar – Look for less than 10g per 100g. Watch out for hidden sugars in sauces, cereals, and drinks
• Fibre – More is better! Aim for 5g or more per 100g to support digestion and gut health
• Sodium (salt) – Less is best. Aim for under 400mg per 100g – or even better, under 120mg, especially if you have high blood pressure or heart health concerns

Health Stars are a quick guide to help you identify healthier options within a food category. They appear on the front of packaged products, showing a rating from 0.5 to 5 stars.

The rating considers both the good and not-so-good parts of a food:

• Positive nutrients: fibre, protein, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds
• Less healthy components: sugar, salt (sodium), and saturated fat

When comparing two items in the same food category (like muesli bars or yoghurts), the one with more stars is the better choice.

Important: Don’t compare stars across different food types, a 5-star cereal isn’t healthier overall than a 3-star yoghurt. It’s only more nutritious within its own category.

Some fresh or minimally processed foods, like fruit or meat, may not have Health Star Ratings. And since using the system is still voluntary, not every packaged product will display it.