Has anyone noticed the strong link with certain food and the severity of rls. For me the worst foods to eat in the evening are, tomatoes or tomato sauce, oranges, mayonnaise or anthing that contains vinegar
Problem foods to avoid: Has anyone... - Restless Legs Syn...
Problem foods to avoid
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Orangehorses
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I'm sure you'll get lots of replies to this. There are foods that are commonly mentioned as factors in RLS. The one's you mention are a littke unusual.
Shame about the orange. Orange helps you absorb iron, which is vital for RLS.
Orange = vitamin C = ascorbic acid.
Vinegar is acidic.
Mayonnaise and tomato ketchup contain vinegar
Tomatoes have malic acid, citric acid and ascorbic acid in them.
Acid may be the factor in your RLS.
Orangehorses in reply to
Yes it appears that way and what is also odd is that it is the same for my sister
i read an article a few years back about nightshade veggies, at the time i was in agony with RA and RLS so i cut out all tomatoes, peppers and other nightshades and did not eat them for over 2 yrs ........... i have to say that my symptoms all but disappeared or mild compared to what i had been dealing with. Now i have started to reintroduce them slowly, i love tomatoes lol ........... so far i have had a few tomatoes raw and also tinned tomatoes + puree ... and have been fine
i tried some peppers the other day in a spag bol and i was in agony all night with my legs so guessing peppers are out, although i may try different coloured ones to see as i also love peppers.
I would say cut out what you think is causing it for a few weeks/months and if that doesnt help then try re introducing that particular food - you will soon know if it had any affect on your body. the trick is to find what group the food belongs too ie the nightshade family, dairy group, mushrooms (forgot the group name lol), wheat etc and eliminate all that are in that group then re introduce them individually and slowly to see what happens
good luck and i hope you find relief x
I agree about nightshades. I have to avoid them with my osteoarthritis. It really affects that. Potatoes are on that list too! If I get pain in my toes, ankles, legs or knees from the OA it triggers my legs so I would rather avoid them. 
yep i can usually cope with having potatoes twice a week and no more, so have mash once a week and then some potatoes in either stew or in chips form .......... although to be honest i have started eating more lentils and this past month i have only had potatoes once lol - i just havent fancied them! i think my body is telling me not to eat them lol xxx
Thank you for info xx
This is a topic that has come up a few times!😝
There seems to be quite a lot of evidence to support what you are saying.
Alcohol always causes problems for me. Not sure if it is because it turns into sugar in the body. Haven’t had the same problem when I eat something sugary at night, though,
in reply to NellieK
Alcohol alters brain chemistry and is a no no for RLS
Orangehorses in reply to
I must be odd because if I have alcohol I don't get rls. I just fall asleep for the night
in reply to Orangehorses
How much do you drink?
Sorry, joking aside, Alcohol isn't recommended for folks with RLS it can make RLS symptoms worse and prevent you getting to sleep despite making you sleepy.
Contrary to popular belief, it's also not a good sleep aid anyway, for anybody. Although it can initially make you tired, it later wakes you up. Folks with sleep problems should avoid alcohol.
However if it works for you, what the hell.
I'm only envious, I have a stockpile of home made wine and can't really drink any of it.
Orangehorses in reply to
I don't drink at home. I rarely go out (sad life ☹️) but when I do i go for it. Yes I drink too much but I do get a good sleep. I collapse on the bed and whoosh I'm out. But I wake up early gagging for water x
in reply to Orangehorses
Thes are the classic consequences of drinking alcohol. First, it knocks you out, but second it wakes you up again after a short time. Lastly, it dehydrates you.
That's if you don't have RLS.
If you do, then the consequences are far worse.
Sadly, I've got to the point where te longer lasting consequences of drinking far outweigh the very short term pleasure it gives.
Shame, since I have a yearly increasing number of gallons of homemade wine and insufficient freezer space to store the remainig home grown fruit.
You can only eat so much jam! 
Lol, I have my glasses of wine with dinner every night and ice cream before bed! I must be old too - Actually 67.
Steady on lol. Where did I say I was old haha. Well I suppose I am no youngster at 52 😊
Carbohydrates seem to be a trigger for me. I’ve long suspected it, but having been diagnosed with diabetes, carbs came into focus for my sugar levels. If I avoid carbs, my RLS is almost non existent. To the point that I might try reducing or cutting out my prescription of Ropinirole.
That's interesting....for me it's any caffeine or extra sugar....hard as it means I can only drink water..(sparkling?), and vegetable juices...not very exciting 😕
Water, decaff coffee and vegetable juice are all I can tolerate too. It can get very boring.
I don't seem to fit into one food group as there seem to be so many triggers including fresh mint, alcohol, most herbal teas, mushrooms, soya, wheat, spices and lots more
in reply to Sampsie
Basically, anything which has a stimulant effect can worsen RLS, mint, some herbs and spices can have a stimulant effect.
I'm not sure what it is about mushrooms or soya.
Wheat has some gluten in it.
Sampsie in reply to
Yes, any stimulants. Even chamomile, which is supposed to calm you but it really irritates me. It can be very dull, and at times, my love of food wins and then I have a very bad night. My fault entirely.
On another note, after reading your very helpful post on dopamine levels diminishing as the day goes on (I didn't know RLS was a circadian issue and that dopamine levels decreased), I Googled foods that are rich in dopamine. There was another chemical which was mentioned as it is needed to absorb the dopamine (I can't remember what - a bad night and years of no sleep have affected my memory!). Anyway, bananas had them both so I am going to try having a banana at night. Thanks for that.
Hi Sampsie, Google FODMAP foods and you'll find out which group of chemicals in mushrooms and some of the others. It might explain your reactions. I have reacted to very different foods and it was only when I read about FODMAPs that it made sense. Also, if I remember correctly, some Soy milk is not good but others are ok. It depends what they are made from, the whole soy bean or soy protein. It's a real mystery once you start delving into foods but I do believe it's helped me.
Thanks Restelesstoz. Another member also suggested FODMAP. I am a bit resistant as I have other health issues and it's finding the energy to cook everything from scratch, as well as being super organised with shopping deliveries and menu planning. But it certainly makes sense to take a look. If only I had a personal assistant come cook/butler!
Any soy affects me - tofu, soy sauce, milk, soy products. All except for edamame - the bean in its original state.
I'm glad it has helped you. Thank you.
I need to leave out all sugar and quick release carbs. I don't notice if I have a bar of chocolate, say, when I've otherwise been careful with my diet, but if I go on eating sweets/bread/potatoes/cakes/puddings etc. (hard to resist) over several days, my legs will gradually get worse and worse until they're awful. Then I pull myself together, cut out the carbs again and after a day or two things start to improve.
I have SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) so tried the FODMAP diet but found it too cumbersome to persevere with. But low carb seems to be by far the most important factor for controlling my restless legs - and probably my SIBO too.
Ice cream for me. Probably the sugars. I’m dairy free but have the same problem with dairy free ice cream so it’s not the dairy.
Ice cream is the worst. And many sauces eg. Sweet chili sauce. MSG.
These foods only seem to bother me if eaten in the evening.
Yes that is my problem only in the evening. I have to decide carefully what to eat
I used to drink Diet Mtn Dew and or Sugar Free Red Bull in the morning and both activated my legs at night. (some RLS, mostly PLMD which jerks me when I relax and dose off) At first I thought it was the caffeine but now I've determined it is the artificial sweeteners or other chemicals. I can drink unlimited amounts of caffeine via tea and it doesn't impact my legs at night.
Caveat-if I drink caffeine in the afternoon or evening it does mess with my sleep but not because of RLS/PLMD. I stop caffeine at lunch .
Sometimes when I travel is more convenient to get my caffeine via a diet drink. I may get away with it one day, but two or three and my legs are mess at night,.
Tomatoes make me hurt at any time of day they really don't like me lol
That's interesting. The foods you mentioned might be food intolerances. Too high salicylates might be present for some people with sensitivites in orange juice and tomatoes. Vinegar if it is malt in mayonnaise might be another acid affecting your RLS, or barley malt may be a common intolerance affecting your system. Try cutting them out and you might find a difference.
Orangehorses in reply to
Oh I definitely would find a difference. Trouble is I like salads and can't leave out mayo. I also can't eat chips without vinegar, although I have been trying to cut back on the vinegar. Such a problem as there are hidden vinegars in sauces too. Medication now helps a great deal, if I take it at the right time
in reply to Orangehorses
You can make a. Salad dressing with honey lemon and olive oil. Mix a tablespoon of lemon with the same of olive oil add runny honey to taste. I make a mayonnaise with cream olive oil sugar salt and lemon . I am dairy intolerant with lactose but a little double cream is lower in lactose than yogurt milk and soft cheeses. I now chop parsley over cooked potatoes and may be add some of my mayonnaise . There are food groups which have common triggers tomatoes are members of the nightshade family and cousins of peppers potato ground cherry tomatoes paprika cayenne pepper. livestrong.com gives a list of nightshade vegetables and fruit. Vinegar contains acetic acid and lemon citric acid. If you put some lemon on your lips and they swell up you have an allergy. When mixed with oil flour as in a cake the acid might not affect your digestion but you still can have a food intolerance to citric acid. Had my intolerances tested in uk .kids have had tests too and two have citric acid allergy with swelling round lips and face on contact with music fruit lemon and oranges.
Foods? Interesting. I never heard any one mention time. Bulk and eating past 6:00PM may be more of a culprit then what you eat??That goes for fluids and what you do to keep hydrated without fluid bulk and time.1 cup of coffee and occasional A. M. Himalyan pink salt water, Apple cider Vineger before noon meal for digestive tract, Cottage cheese snack with flax seed oil in the after noon do more for you if cancer is in your family. Before ruling out foods, I go with bulk of foods and liquids and timing so those things don't bother you regardless of Physical condition.
No it is down to what I eat. If I have tomatoes of any kind, they are the worst thing. So bad I almost get cramp in my legs due to having to stretch them. My foot shakes on its own accord. It is horrendous. So now I avoid them. Oranges also pretty bad. Anything acidic causes my RLS. I have always ate something after 6pm due to my shifts at work. I suppose we are all different but with plenty of experience you get to know what has caused it. Heat also sets mine off whereas I believe the cold can set other peoples
Main offenders for rls for me before bed are anything sweet and eating too much after 5 pm. i have a dr script for cannabis thc 20 percent for pain ....woke up last night with bad rls ...2 good vape hits of bud, bingo! no more rls...whatever works uh.
The usual recommended to avoid would be caffeine, alcohol and for me sugar (which is also why carbs might present a problem as they convert to sugar). Also if I want to stay up all night I would have pizza and beer. Most pizza brings on bloating which brings on rls (for me-many causes for rls-is why it is so difficult to finding a cure).
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