5 Fruits that Fight Pain and Inflammation

July 2, 2025

If you  are suffering from pain and inflammation these 5 fruits can help you.

  1. Pineapple

Pineapple is enriched with a variety of plant chemicals that are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory such as vitamin C fiber, flavonoids, carotenoids, polyphenols etc., and bromelain a group of enzymes that contribute significantly to the reduction/elimination of inflammation.  Bromelain is found in higher quantities in the pineapple core and juice and is of such medicinal value that it is extracted commercially and used in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions,  mainly inflammation.

Bromelain “ is a natural remedy for easing arthritis symptoms, including joint pain and stiffness”

2. Strawberry

Strawberries are very rich in Vitamin C and a number of  plant- based chemicals, phenolic compounds  such as quercetin, and catechin etc. that are highly ranked among the substances that help fight inflammation and pain. In addition,  researchers found that berries have approximately 4 times the  total amount of phenolics and antioxidant capacity i.e. inflammation fighting capacity as  some other fruits, making them highly effective in fighting inflammation.  Researchers also found that in most cases, the levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity is greater in the pulp of the unripe strawberry than the ripe ones.

Tip: If you have to store strawberries for any length of time, studies show that strawberries retain the most of their biological activities when frozen.

3. Blueberry

Blueberries are loaded with a variety of plant chemicals such as anthocyanin, quercetin, kaempferol and vitamin C etc.  that all help to fight inflammation and pain. These plant chemicals  in blueberries counter inflammation in a number of ways such as reducing the production of the cytokines  and neutralizing free radicals (unstable chemicals)  that both contribute to inflammation.

4. Apple

Apples  an abundance of plant chemicals called polyphenols, such as flavanols that includes quercetin,  phenolic acids and anthocyanins with high antioxidant and ant-inflammatory capacity. Apple ranks highly in antioxidant potential among commonly used foods.

These antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents counter inflammation and pain in a number of ways such as :

  1. Neutralizing the free radicals, unstable chemical substances that contribute to inflammation and pain
  2. Inhibit the cox2 enzyme that contribute to inflammation
  3. Inhibit pro inflammatory cytokines, a type of protein

Apples also contain Vitamin C a known antioxidant, that help with the fight. All of these chemicals work together to help reduce and/or eliminate inflammation.

5. Cherries

The cherry both sweet and tart, is a very nutritious fruit, packed with lots and lots of important nutrients and plant chemicals such as fiber, anthocyanins, quercetins , carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E and others. These plant chemicals work together as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents to inhibit the substances such as free radicals,  cytokines and the Cox 2 enzymes that contribute to inflammation.

Scientific studies show that cherries, regardless to the type or location where they are grown, when consumed not only help the body fight inflammation and pain, but “may reduce the incidence of arthritic attacks”

Ionie Ponde, MS, RD, LDN  

    B Food Savvy                                                       

References:

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