Sugary Candy

Simple sugars — found in foods like cookies, fruit juice, soft drinks, and candy — are also refined carbohydrates; they send your blood-sugar levels soaring and set off an inflammatory response in the body, making arthritis and its symptoms worse. If you crave sweets, stick to a piece of fresh, fiber-rich fruit (paired with a handful of nuts or sunflower seeds to blunt blood sugar spikes) or see my list of low–sugar snacks for more options.

Wondering what foods you should be eating? See my list of 7 Foods That Ease Arthritis Pain.