Top 15 Anti-Inflammatory Foods You Should Be Eating Every Day

There are basically two types of inflammations:- Short-term inflammation and Chronic inflammation. 

Short-term inflammation, otherwise known as acute inflammation, is a natural response of your body’s immune system. It is the body’s response to outside threats like stress, infection, or toxic chemicals.

When the immune system senses that the body is threatened by one of these dangers, it activates proteins to protect cells and tissues. When our bodies are healthy, acute inflammation literally protects our body from further damage.

However, things get bad when inflammation becomes chronic – when the immune cells start to overreact, and start attacking our own body. This can be the result of systemic viruses or bacteria, an autoimmune disorder, sugary and fatty foods, or the way you handle stress.

Chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious ailments, like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, obesity and gastrointestinal disorders. The link between chronic inflammation and the increased risk of such diseases are well documented. As one study puts it, “A substantial body of evidence supports the conclusion that chronic inflammation can predispose an individual to cancer, as demonstrated by the association between chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and the increased risk of colon carcinoma.”

A large part of chronic inflammation comes from the foods we eat. “There are foods that exaggerate inflammation because they themselves are irritants,” says Julie Daniluk R.H.N, author of Meals That Heal Inflammation.

So not only do we need to start consuming more foods that reduce a chronic inflammatory response, but we want to reduce our consumption of foods that cause inflammation, too.

Foods That Cause Inflammation

Here are the ten worst offenders contributing to chronic inflammation in the body:

– Refined sugar

– Vegetable oil (corn, canola, soybean and safflower oil)

– Dairy products

– Wheat, rye and barley

– Fried foods

– Refined flour

– Red meat

– Processed corn

– Artificial chemicals and additives

– Trans fats

Foods That Reduce Inflammation

Believe it or not, a lot of the foods that reduce inflammation in the body are plant-based. These foods are best consumed raw so that the body can utilize the enzymes and nutrients without them being altered by heat.

Besides their abilities to reduce inflammations, they also supply us with loads of essential vitamins and minerals to boost our immune health.

Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods 

Here are ten anti-inflammatory foods you should be eating every day:

1. Turmeric

We’re all aware of the ability of turmeric to fight inflammation in the body. The active component of turmeric, called curcumin, is such a strong anti-inflammatory, that it has even matched the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs. It targets multiple steps in the inflammatory pathways that activate the pain response in different parts of the body.

2. Ginger

Similar to turmeric, ginger is another great herb that can be used for anti-inflammatory purposes. One study found that consuming just a small amount of ginger each day is as effective at reducing pain symptoms and inflammation as the painkillers given by general practitioners today.

3. Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, collard greens and swiss chard are full of nutrients that can help ward off symptoms of inflammation. They contain powerful antioxidants that help ward off cellular damage and tissue injury.

4. Blueberries

Blueberries have a very high antioxidant capacity – one that is higher than most fruit and vegetables. The phytonutrients in blueberries provide anti-inflammatory protection against many diseases like cancer and dementia. They help to mediate and modulate the balances in a few different pro-inflammatory cytokines.

5. Avocado

Adding avocado to your salad, or any other meal is a plus when it comes to absorbing more nutrients from your meal. In fact, the addition of avocado can increase the absorption of carotenoids, a group of beneficial antioxidants, by 700-1700 percent. These carotenoids function as important antioxidants to fight inflammation, protect the body from free radical damage and strengthen the immune system.

6. Seaweed

Seaweeds like kelp, nori, wakame, dulse, arame, and kombu are excellent sources of an anti-inflammatory complex carbohydrate called fucoidan. Studies on this carbohydrate have found its ability to control liver and lung cancer and to promote collagen synthesis.

7. Shiitake mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms, along with other mushrooms like maitake and oyster, have huge benefits for the immune system. They’ve been studied so much that they’ve been found to help in the treatment of diseases (which are largely inflammation-based) like allergic asthma, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, inflammation, autoimmune joint inflammation, atherosclerosis, hyperglycaemia, thrombosis, HIV, listeriosis, tuberculosis and cancer.

8. Pineapple and Papaya

These two fruits contain two very specific enzymes known to combat inflammation. Pineapple is rich in the anti-inflammatory digestive enzyme, bromelain, while papaya is loaded with the digestive protein, papain. Both of these enzymes have demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory effects.

9. Broccoli

This highly nutritious vegetable contains anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer phytonutrients like sulforaphane, which helps the body get rid of carcinogenic compounds. It also contains a chemical compound called 3,3’-diindolylmethane (DIM), which can actually stop the growth of certain cancer cells and help boost the immune system.

10. Cherries

Research has shown that tart cherries help reduce the likelihood of experiencing a gout attack, a condition where recurrent episodes of inflammatory arthritis attack the big toe, the most commonly affected area. Cherries can also help reduce inflammatory markers and oxidative muscle damage that often follows a heavy bought of strenuous exercise.

11. Fatty fish 

Fatty fish are a great source of protein and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Although all types of fish contain some omega-3 fatty acids, these fatty fish are among the best sources:

• salmon
• sardines
• herring
• mackerel
• anchovies

EPA and DHA help reduce inflammation,

12. Tomatoes 

Tomatoes are high in vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene, an antioxidant with impressive anti-inflammatory properties.

Lycopene may be particularly beneficial for reducing pro-inflammatory compounds related to several types of cancer

13. Garlic

Garlic contains diallyl disulfide an anti-inflammatory compound that limits the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

14. Green tea 

Research has found that drinking green tea is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and other conditions. Many of its benefits are due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, especially a substance called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).

15. Extra virgin olive oil 

Research suggests that following a Mediterranean diet and supplementing with extra virgin olive oil can significantly decrease inflammatory markers. The effect of oleocanthal, an antioxidant found in olive oil, has been compared to anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.

Source: 

1. https://livelovefruit.com/top-10-anti-inflammatory-foods-for-chronic-pain/

2. https://livelovefruit.com/foods-that-cause-inflammation-weight-gain-10-ways-to-fight-it/