Foods That Fight Inflammation

The inflammatory response can look like pain, swelling, bruising, and redness as the inflammatory cells work to trap the offending agents or heal the damaged tissue. However, inflammation can also appear in body systems you cannot see.¹

Acute vs. Chronic Inflammation

There are two types of inflammation that are seen in the body:

Acute Inflammation

This inflammation occurs as a sudden reaction to damage in the body, such as a cut. The body sends inflammation cells to the affected area, and they begin the first stages of the healing process. Symptoms include redness, pain or tenderness, swelling, and heat in the damaged area.¹

Chronic Inflammation

This inflammation occurs after the initial inflammatory cells have done their work and there is no more perceived danger. Your body continues the inflammatory response unnecessarily. Symptoms include abdominal or chest pain, fatigue, fever, joint pain, and rash.¹

What are the Most Common Causes of Inflammation?

Chronic inflammation is most often caused by...

• Autoimmune disorders (ex Lupus)
• Exposure to toxins (ex pollution, industrial chemicals)
• Untreated acute inflammation (infection)

Lifestyle factors can contribute to developing chronic inflammation, such as...

• Excess alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Chronic stress
• Smoking

How is Inflammation Treated?

Inflammation does not always require treatment, especially in cases of acute inflammation. Acute inflammation can typically find relief through rest, ice, and proper wound care. Chronic inflammation can be treated in a few ways that your healthcare provider may recommend, including supplements, spices, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and steroid drugs. Chronic inflammation has been linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer's Disease.¹

Foods that Cause Inflammation

The foods we eat can have an impact on how our body triggers its immune response. Some foods which has a negative effect and have been shown to contribute to inflammation include:

• Margarine, shortening, and lard
• Refined carbohydrates, like white bread, pastries, pasta, and beer
• Fried foods, like french fries
• Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages
• Red meat, like burgers and steaks, and processed meat, like deli meat, hot dogs, and sausage

Minimize unhealthy fats, refined carbs, fried foods, sugary drinks, and red meat to help reduce unnecessary inflammatory responses in the body. While all of these factors work to induce chronic inflammation, sugar is primary driver of inflammation most important to address in your diet.²

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Fortunately, chronic inflammation can be combated by incorporating certain anti-inflammatory foods into your diet. Here are some examples.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are surprisingly one of the best foods you can incorporate into your diet. They are high in Vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene, which is an antioxidant with significant anti-inflammatory properties. Further, lycopene is considered to have important anti-inflammatory properties important to aiding several types of cancer. Cooking tomatoes in olive oil, in itself an anti-inflammatory super food, can help you to unlock more benefits of tomato's lycopene.³

Berries

Berries are a wonderful source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These are all compounds that contribute to reducing and combating inflammation in the body. Some of the best berries to go for are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.³

Nuts

Nuts like walnuts and almonds have been shown to help reduce chronic inflammation in the body, as they are high in monounsaturated fats, which can reduce your cholesterol and help alleve chronic inflammation, as well as omega 3s and fiber. The best nuts are labeled as plain and "raw", as nuts that have added oils may not be as beneficial.⁴

Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest fats available to incorporate into your diet. It is also rich in monounsaturated fats. It is a staple of Mediterranean diets, often considered to be the healthiest way of eating, and provides numerous health benefits with a low calorie count. While all olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties and is good for you, extra virgin olive oil provides a more significant concentration of benefits.³

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and swiss chard are significant sources of antioxidants that can help your body to fight inflammation. Incorporating some of these greens into salads or cooking them down into soups or sauces are great ways to work on incorporating them further into your diet.⁴

Fatty Fish

Fatty fishes are excellent sources of protein, long-chain omega 3 fatty acid EPAs, and DHA, which help reduce inflammation. While all fish contain some amount of omega 3s, they are more prevalent in some fish than others. The best sources include salmon, sardines, mackerel, and herring.³

15 Anti-Inflammatory Foods Grocery List

1. Tomatoes
2. Strawberries
3. Blueberries
4. Blackberries
5. Raspberries
6. Walnuts
7. Almonds
8. Olive Oil
9. Kale
10. Spinach
11. Swiss Chard
12. Salmon
13. Sardines
14. Mackerel
15. Herring

The Bottom Line

Inflammation occurs in the body when it senses a foreign agent like bacteria or viruses and when there is tissue damage needing to be healed. Typically, the body's immune response quickly addresses these concerns (acute inflammation). However, sometimes the body over addresses them by continuing the immune response unnecessarily (chronic inflammation). Lifestyle choices, including the foods in your diet, can contribute to worsening or improving chronic inflammation. There are a multitude of anti-inflammatory foods that are easy to incorporate into your diet to address concerns of inflammation, including tomatoes, berries, nuts, olive oil, leafy greens, and fatty fishes.