Whether you’ve been newly diagnosed with an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis or you’ve been living with it for a while, figuring out what foods might be triggering your flare-ups is something worth trying. It can help keep inflammation down and help you go longer between autoimmune attacks. Some of the foods to avoid that are known to affect the immune system in people with autoimmune diseases include:

• Nightshade vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants
• Grains like wheat, rice, oats, rye, barley, and foods made from grains such as breakfast cereals, bread, pasta. (The AIP diet removes gluten which is believed to cause inflammation in susceptible individuals).
• Legumes like lentils, peas, beans, peanuts, and foods made from them such as tofu, peanut butter, mock meats
• Eggs
• Dairy products like milk, cream, cheese, butter
• Processed vegetable oils
• Refined sugars
• Nuts and seeds
• Beverages like coffee and alcohol
• Food additives including artificial sweeteners, food colors, thickeners, etc.

Why are potatoes bad for autoimmune disease?

An autoimmune protocol diet can be challenging to follow and can affect your lifestyle (for example, what you eat in social situations). It requires the elimination (and subsequent reintroduction one at a time) of common foods that are dietary staples for many people, such as potatoes and tomatoes. In particular, nightshade vegetables like potatoes are frequently blamed for causing flare-ups of autoimmune diseases. Research has shown that these vegetables contain substances called alkaloids like solanine in green potatoes that can trigger the immune system and cause inflammation in people with autoimmune disease. Besides irritating the gut, they are also believed to cause joint inflammation and flare-ups of rheumatoid arthritis. But, according to the arthritis foundation, the belief that eating nightshade vegetables worsens arthritis is a myth. They claim people with arthritis may benefit from the high nutrition content in nightshades.

What foods help autoimmune conditions? 

Certain foods are believed to reduce inflammation and help people with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, and others. Foods to eat if you have an autoimmune disease include:

• All vegetables except nightshade vegetables. Vegetables from the squash family (butternut, pumpkin, zucchini) are recommended to control inflammation because they contain omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
• Tubers such as yams, sweet potatoes, taro, Jerusalem artichokes
• Fresh fruit
• Seafood, poultry, and other minimally processed meats
• Fermented and probiotic foods, especially non-dairy fermented foods like kombucha, kimchi, pickles, and sauerkraut. If you cannot eat probiotic-rich foods, a probiotic supplement may help.
• Vegetable oils that are minimally processed such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil
• Herbs and spices not derived from seeds
• Balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar (no-added-sugar vinegars)
• Natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup
• Bone broth
• Green tea and black tea (in moderation)

Lesson Summary

Whether you've been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease or have been living with one, identifying foods that may trigger flare-ups is essential in managing inflammation and reducing autoimmune attacks. To help minimize the impact of autoimmune diseases on the immune system, it is advisable to avoid certain foods:

• Nightshade vegetables: potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants
• Grains: wheat, rice, oats, rye, barley, and products made from grains
• Legumes: lentils, peas, beans, and products made from them
• Eggs
• Dairy products: milk, cream, cheese, butter
• Processed vegetable oils
• Refined sugars
• Nuts and seeds
• Beverages: coffee and alcohol
• Food additives: artificial sweeteners, food colors, thickeners, etc.

Many individuals believe that nightshade vegetables are detrimental to autoimmune diseases due to various substances like solanine in green potatoes. Despite the belief that nightshade vegetables can cause joint inflammation, the arthritis foundation suggests that the nutritional content of nightshades can benefit those with arthritis.

To help manage autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or celiac disease, certain foods are known to reduce inflammation and support overall health:

• All vegetables except nightshades
• Vegetables from the squash family (butternut, pumpkin, zucchini)
• Tubers: yams, sweet potatoes, taro, Jerusalem artichokes
• Fresh fruit
• Seafood, poultry, and minimally processed meats
• Fermented and probiotic foods
• Vegetable oils: olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil
• Herbs and spices not derived from seeds
• Vinegars: balsamic, red wine, apple cider (no-added-sugar)
• Natural sweeteners: honey, maple syrup
• Bone broth
• Green tea and black tea (in moderation)