How to Reduce Swelling With These Fruits

Swelling of the body, often referred to as edema, is most common in the hands, arms, feet, ankles and legs, according to Mayo Clinic. While swelling may be a sign of certain underlying medical conditions, a doctor should be consulted if swelling continues over a long period of time. Some anti-oxidant rich fruits can help with mild swelling caused by things such as sitting in one place for too long or eating too many salty foods.

Add canned or fresh tomatoes to one meal every day. Tomatoes can be added to salads, sandwiches, made into pasta sauce or used in soups as a base. As an added benefit, tomatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals.

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Put fresh blueberries in breakfast cereal or oatmeal, eat them as a snack or dessert, or make healthy fruit shakes with frozen berries. Fresh or frozen blueberries without added sugar contain 80 calories per cup, making them a low-calorie food with very little fat content. One serving of blueberries also contains 14 mg of vitamin C, according to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Replace sugar-filled desserts and snacks with foods sweetened with cherries, raspberries, apples, peaches or plums, all of which are high in antioxidants. Fruit-sweetened and fruit-based desserts are widely distributed in most markets as well as health food and gourmet stores. Fruit-based and fruit-sweetened desserts generally are lower in calories and fat content than those prepared with refined sugar, which can make swelling worse.

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Snack on fresh strawberries, blackberries or red grapes during the day instead of reaching for processed foods such as processed potato chips or crackers. For a bit more protein and to help suppress hunger, mix fresh berries with a little Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt.

Tips

Along with eating certain fruits to reduce swelling, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends cutting out potential allergens such as milk, cheese, soy, corn, gluten, white bread, pasta and foods that contain chemical additives.

Vegetables also can help to reduce swelling. A few of these vegetables include squash, bell peppers, beets, asparagus, spinach, kale, pumpkin, leeks and onions.