Inflammation is a natural process that plays a key role in your body’s immune response—but it has a dark side, too. While acute (short-term) inflammation is integral to fighting infection and healing wounds, chronic inflammation—a low-grade variety that lasts for several months to years—is downright harmful. Like the proverbial trickle of water that erodes a boulder over millennia, it moves slowly but has a devastating impact.
Chronic inflammation drives significant “longer-term health complications,” Vincci Tsui, RD, a certified intuitive eating counselor based in Canada, tells SELF. In fact, it’s “associated with most chronic diseases,” Desiree Nielsen, RD, a recipe developer with a focus on plant-based nutrition, says—including big bads like cancer, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and neurodegenerative disorders from Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s. Together, inflammation-related maladies rank as the most significant cause of death in the world, contributing to more than 50% of all deaths, according to a 2019 article published in the scientific journal Nature.
Thankfully, there’s plenty you can do to prevent or counter chronic inflammation. Just a few basic lifestyle changes can make a big difference, since factors like high stress, irregular sleep, and inactivity are all known triggers—not to mention poor nutrition. Here’s everything you need to know about how your diet affects the development and progression of chronic inflammation, and what foods can help beat it back.
How your eating habits influence your chronic inflammation risk
When it comes to fighting chronic inflammation, your diet can be a friend or foe: some types of food encourage chronic inflammation, while others discourage it. Notably, “people who follow more of a plant-based eating pattern tend to have less,” Tsui says.
Whether a specific food proves pro- or anti-inflammatory comes down to four main considerations, according to Nielsen. Here’s a brief rundown of each.
- How it impacts your blood sugar: “Chronically high blood sugars can increase chronic inflammation over time,” Nielsen says. While blood sugar naturally rises and falls in response to a snack or meal, foods plentiful in refined carbs and added sugars can cause more drastic fluctuations, producing a “roller coaster of high highs and low lows” that spells bad news.
- What fat type it contains: While nutrition lumps “fats” into a single category, the inflammatory footprint (or lack thereof) really depends on “the type of fat we consume,” Nielsen says. Harmful saturated fats—found in animal products like red meat, beef tallow, and full-fat dairy—are “associated with increased chronic inflammation.” Meanwhile, healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) are tied to reduced inflammation.
- Whether it has anti-inflammatory nutrient contents: “Many nutrients have been shown to support anti-inflammatory pathways in the body,” Nielsen says—from fiber, to vitamins (like C and E), to minerals (like zinc and selenium), to a class of antioxidant plant compounds known as polyphenols. Flavonoids, a major family of polyphenols, exhibit particularly potent antioxidant activity and, in turn, are super effective at staving off inflammation-inducing oxidative stress, “so flavonoid-rich foods are a major category that you want to consume more of if you are interested in an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern.”
- How it affects your gut microbiome: Quick refresh in case you need it: Your gut microbiome refers to the community of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. While some of those microorganisms can improve your digestion and make you feel better overall, others can have the opposite effect—and your diet plays a big role in mediating that balance. Certain foods (refined carbs and added sugars again, plus red meat, fried foods, artificial sweeteners, and more) spur on harmful bacteria that are “more pro-inflammatory,” Nielsen says. On the other hand, healthier choices (fiber and probiotics, say) “drive the growth of beneficial bacteria” that do the reverse.
The best foods to fight inflammation
Generally, limiting highly processed products, saturated fats, trans fats, and refined sugar—and prioritizing a diverse array of nutrient-rich items instead—is the most effective way to stave off chronic inflammation through diet. Considering that a plant-based diet is tied to lower inflammation, “leaning more toward plant-based foods” never hurts, Tsui says—but there are exceptions. Without further ado, here are seven of the top options.
1. Turmeric (but not the supplements)
Turmeric—the Indian and Middle Eastern spice known for its bright yellow color and distinctive earthy flavor—is among the most well-studied anti-inflammatory foods, according to Nielsen: It’s “quite evidence-based,” she says. For these anti-inflammatory benefits, we have polyphenols to thank, especially curcumin, turmeric’s active ingredient. While turmeric is best known as a staple in curries (and perhaps, now, lattes and wellness bevs), you can also add the spice to soups, smoothies, and other dishes, Nielsen says: Shoot for “half a teaspoon to a teaspoon of turmeric over the course of the day.” Keep in mind that this advice only applies to actual turmeric: you’ll want to avoid turmeric supplements (like those that come in pill form), as the dose is so concentrated that it can cause liver damage.
2. Plant oils (oils derived from fruits, seeds, nuts, and legumes)
There’s a reason more and more people are adopting some version of the olive oil-heavy Mediterranean diet, according to Tsui: Consuming plant oils—not only olive oil, but others like avocado oil as well—“is associated with lower inflammation for two reasons,” Nielsen says. One: They have a healthy fat profile, as they are higher in healthy unsaturated fats and lower in harmful saturated fat than comparable animal products like lard, butter, and tallow. Two: They’re high in polyphenols (especially extra-virgin olive oil), so you get that “anti-inflammatory nutrient [content] as well,” Nielsen says.
And in case you were wondering, seed oils—the online wellness community’s sworn enemy—aren’t excluded from Nielsen’s directive. Despite the widespread hate they receive, the idea that seed oils are inherently harmful isn’t backed up by contemporary science, according to Nielsen: Even though seed oils are highly processed, their benefits for healthy cooking outweigh their risks, primarily because of their healthy unsaturated fats. Specifically, seed oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which are less beneficial than omega-3s but still beneficial nonetheless—and some, like canola oil, flaxseed oil, and soybean oil, are a decent source of omega-3s as well. “When we swap things like butter and other high-saturated-fat oils for those omega-6-rich plant oils, inflammation goes down,” Nielsen says. Just be mindful that tropical oils like palm oil and coconut oil are the exception to this rule, as they do tend to be high in the saturated stuff.
3. Nuts
Nuts feature in all of the anti-inflammatory dietary indices because they are loaded with fiber, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory minerals like selenium, “so adding a couple of tablespoons of nuts to your everyday diet is fantastic,” Nielsen says. Personally, she prefers to eat them raw to help preserve the quality of the resident oils. Try them crushed on top of your morning oatmeal, mixed with dried fruit to create a trail mix blend, or tossed with salad greens, she advises.
4. Seeds
Similar to nuts, seeds are rich in fiber, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory minerals, according to Nielsen. Both pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds offer a wide range of said minerals, including zinc, copper, and magnesium, for example. Some seeds, like chia seeds, hemp hearts, and ground flax, are also rife with omega-3 fatty acids. Nielsen favors hemp hearts for their versatility: “It’s really easy to add them to almost anything,” she says, because of their small size and neutral, “grassy” flavor. (FWIW, walnuts are also notable for their omega-3 content!)
5. Literally all fruit
Not only is fruit packed with fiber, it’s also filled with antioxidants (including polyphenols). Thanks to these core components, pretty much all types are beneficial for inflammation, so it’s hard to go wrong here—but if you need a specific rec, Nielsen points to citrus, a “great source” of flavonoids. (Plus, citrus is also awash in vitamin C, another anti-inflammatory nutrient, Tsui adds.)
Low-glycemic fruits like berries, apples, and pears might be better for blood sugar control in people who have related health issues like type 2 diabetes, as they will cause a less dramatic increase, according to Nielsen. Pairing fruit with protein and fat is “the other dietitian hack” for minimizing a spike, she adds. You could spread some butter on a piece of fruit as a snack, or eat a few pieces for dessert after a balanced dinner, for example. Whatever fruit you choose, and whatever approach you take, Nielsen recommends aiming for two to three servings of fruit a day, though the exact amount might depend on your overall energy needs.
6. Cold-water fatty fish
This category includes classic canned species like herring, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies—what Tsui jokingly terms “the tiny, stinky fish.” Unlike meat and most other animal products, these fish are not only low in saturated fat, according to Nielsen, but also high in polyunsaturated fats—most famously, omega-3s. Nielsen’s recommendation: “Have fatty fish twice a week, because that’s really all you need, according to the research. You don’t have to consume it every day.” If you’re not a fan of those “tiny, stinky fish” (they tend to be divisive, after all!), Tsui suggests salmon as an alternative. “I find that it is easier for a lot of people to incorporate,” she says.
7. Fermented foods
Eating fermented foods like Greek yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut “can actually influence inflammatory markers” in a big way, Nielsen says, since they directly boost the gut microbiome by introducing “good” bacteria (hello, probiotics!). Try to eat one to two servings of fermented foods daily as part of your “overall anti-inflammatory dietary strategy,” she advises.
To end, we’ll leave you with this: Don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees. While it’s easy to hone in on any one food with anti-inflammatory properties, remember that the inflammatory impact of your diet is “less about specific foods and more about the eating pattern” as a whole, Tsui says.
“Like I always say, ‘Pattern over plate,’” Nielsen says. “If you consume mostly ultraprocessed foods with almost no fiber and tons of added sugar, a teaspoon of turmeric isn’t going to do anything for you.” Ultimately, “these things have more power when they are accumulated over the course of our diet”—eaten consistently, rather than as a one-off.
Related:
- 6 Foods to Eat for Better Sleep
- 9 Foods for Constipation That Will Help You Poop
- The 5 Best Foods to Eat for Better Mental Health
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