Foods to avoid
While an MS-friendly diet gives room for plenty of nutrient-dense, delicious options, there are still some classes of food that should be avoided to manage MS symptoms.
Most of these foods are associated with chronic inflammation. They include processed meats, refined carbs, trans fats, and sugar-sweetened beverages, just to name a few.
You should avoid the following meals if you have MS:
- processed meats: such as sausages, bacon, canned meats, and meats that are salted, smoked or cured
- refined carbs: such as white bread, pasta, biscuits, and flour tortillas
- fried foods: such as french fries, fried chicken, mozzarella sticks, and doughnuts
- highly processed foods: such as fast food, potato chips, and convenience and frozen meals
- trans fats: such as margarine, shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils
- sugar-sweetened beverages: such as energy and sports drinks, soda, and sweet tea
- alcohol: limit consumption of all alcoholic beverages as much as possible
If you have celiac disease, then avoid all gluten-based foods, such as foods containing wheat, barley, and rye.
Special diets
Several diets are aimed at slowing the progression and preventing flare-ups of MS. They are the Swank diet and variations of the Wahls diet. These diets are common within the community of individuals with MS.
Swank diet
The Swank diet for MS is a low-fat, low-saturated fat eating pattern that was developed in 1948 (28). Its recommendations are:
- avoid processed foods that contain saturated fat or hydrogenated oils
- Reduce saturated fat to 15 grams per day; consume no more than 20 to 50 grams per day of unsaturated fats
- avoid red meat for 1 year, then limit red meat to 3 ounces per week
- avoid dark meat poultry and limit fatty fish to 50 grams per day
- choose only dairy with 1% fat or less
- avoid egg yolks
- Eat as many fruits and vegetables as you want
- enjoy whole-grain bread, rice, and pasta
- snack on nuts and seeds daily
- consume 1 teaspoon of cod liver oil, and a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement daily
Studies show that Those who adhere to the diet (consuming 20 grams of fat or less) have fewer and less severe MS-related exacerbations than those who didn’t. Individuals with smaller performance status at the start of the observation period or who were in the progressive phase of MS were likely to feel continued decline, even if they complied with the Swank diet.