Chronic, low-grade inflammation has become a hallmark of Western lifestyles. It’s often driven by excess belly fat, a poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking and gum disease.
Many scientists now believe inflammation is a common thread in many chronic diseases, and it has been linked with heart attacks and strokes, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and some cancers. Check the lists below to see how you can help your body with a diet rich in the right foods and low in the wrong ones.
Anti-inflammatory foods: the good guys
Vegetables: asparagus, beans, broccoli, carrots, celery, dark green leafy vegetables, fennel, garlic, onion and soybeans.
Fruit: cherries, citrus, pineapple and pomegranates.
Healthy fats and protein: oily fish high in omega-3s (salmon, sardines and mackerel), flaxseeds and flaxseed (linseed) oil, olive oil, walnuts, omega-3 enriched eggs and lean meat.
Grains: whole grains such as oats, brown rice and wholemeal bread.
Herbs, spices and treats: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, rosemary, cayenne pepper, horseradish, wasabi, carob and dark chocolate.
Drinks: green and white tea, and chamomile tea.
Traditional herbs: chicory, chickweed, elderberry, mallow, nettle, cat’s whiskers, gotu kola, Indian ginseng (ashwagandha) and yarrow have long been used in herbal medicine for inflammation. As teas or supplements they can interact with medicines and aren’t suitable in pregnancy, so check with your doctor or pharmacist before using them regularly.
Pro-inflammatory foods: the ones to limit
Refined carbohydrates: white flour, bakery goods, croissants, pastries, pies, muffins, pancakes, crackers, white pasta, noodles, pitta bread and pizza bases, white rice, sugary breakfast cereals and granola.
Sugary foods and drinks: refined sugar, corn syrup, lollies, soft drinks, fruit juice (eat the real fruit instead), ice cream, frozen yoghurt, sherbet and honey in large amounts.
Fried and fast food: fried food, fast food, potato chips, hot chips and buttered or sugared popcorn.
Starches: cornflour and large serves of white potatoes.
It’s not about never eating these foods; whole versions such as brown rice, wholemeal pasta, plain air-popped popcorn and potatoes boiled with their skins on are much better choices than their refined cousins.
Food for thought
The lists are pretty self-explanatory. Some natural foods can contribute to inflammation too, but it’s fair to say most of the problem in Western diets comes from highly processed foods. Fill your plate with colourful plants, oily fish and whole grains, move your body every day, and you’ll be giving your body its best chance.
This article is general information about food and wellbeing, not medical advice. Please talk to your GP or a qualified health professional about any health condition, medication or major change to your diet.
