If you suffer from chronic joint pain, you know how debilitating it can be. Waking up with aches that continue throughout the day, affecting even the most ordinary of movements, is a hard way to live. But there are steps you can take to ease your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Most often, joint pain is the result of uric acid crystalizing in your joints. Uric acid is produced by the liver when you ingest excess fructose. It can ultimately land in your joints, causing inflammation and pain.

Fresh fruit is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. I’m certainly not going to tell you that a variety of fruit in your diet isn’t a great idea. But fresh fruit is high in fructose, and your body can only process about 20-25 grams of fructose a day. That equates to about 3 or 4 pieces of fruit (if fruit is your only source of daily fructose, which it probably isn’t). So although eating a diet that includes plenty of fruit is a wise choice, being mindful of your quantities is important. Even good things in moderation!