According to the CDC there are currently 50 million Americans who suffer from some form of joint pain such as arthritis or gout. For many people this pain can be minimized by avoiding foods which are inflammatory. Here you will find a list of the top five foods that are inflammatory.

#1 Alcohol

Alcohol may be a pleasant way to relax but it is also a neurotoxin and so is one of the top inflammatory foods. Alcohol is a risk factor for gout which can lead to pain in the joints due to the build up of uric acid. This condition can be very painful and is typically experienced in the feet and knees. Another reason that alcohol is one of the foods that cause joint pain is its role in weight gain. Excess weight can lead to more strain on the joints which in turn causes pain.

#2 Dairy

Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and cream are all foods that cause joint pain. Calcium competes with other minerals contained within the diary products and is improperly absorbed. This calcium is then stored in the soft tissue such as the hair or the skin instead of where it is actually needed in order to avoid pain in the joints. In addition the lactose sugar in dairy products can lead to increase in joint pain.

#3 Sugar

Many nutritionists believe that sugar is the number one culprit among foods that cause joint pain. The average American consumes approximately 100 - 180 pounds of sugar each year according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is perhaps no coincidence that the United States also suffers from one of the highest incidences of joint pain. The body's natural reaction to a high intake of sugar is to flood the body with insulin and stress hormones. As these enter your blood stream they trigger the process which leads to inflammation in joints and subsequent pain.

#4 Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are not only very high in inflammatory sugars, they are also linked to increased osteoarthritis in men. Researchers originally believed that the link was due to weight gain in men caused by drinking excessive soda. However, scientists now believe that the link between increased osteoarthritis pain and soda is much more direct. It is believed that certain ingredients contained within soda such as phosphoric acid, caffeine and coloring may limit the body's ability to absorb calcium which leads to pain. Whatever the cause soft drinks are certainly one of the foods that cause joint pain.

#5 Wheat

Joint pain is one of the most common ways that people discover that they have an intolerance to wheat and other grains containing gluten. Wheat intolerance is caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to proteins contained within wheat. This causes the immune system to produce histamine which protects the body against infection. When histamine finds its way into the soft tissue between the joints it can cause inflammation and pain. Wheat's role as a food that causes pain in joints is one of the main reasons that many people are eliminating it from their diet.