Inflammation is an essential process that protects your body in case of injury or infection, but when it becomes chronic, lingering for months or years, it releases cells or chemicals that can damage healthy tissues. Inflammation can also undermine your ability to respond to infections.
Some of the signs that you have chronic inflammation include lack of energy, depression or anxiety, joint/muscle pain, gut issues, brain fog. The symptoms can be mild and you may not realise that you have low grade chronic inflammation in your body.
Chronic inflammation has been linked to conditions like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and cognitive decline. It’s not yet clear if inflammation is a direct cause of these conditions or if there are other factors at play.
Foods high in saturated fats: e.g. fatty meat, butter, palm oil. Some foods high in saturated fats, such as yoghurt, cheese and coconut oil, are believed to have properties that may limit or offset the inflammatory effect.
Trans fats: these are the worst type of fat. They are banned in a small number of countries and US states, but not in the UK (however their usage has significantly reduced in recent years). They are used mainly in processed foods and hard margarine, check the label for ‘partially hydrogenated’ fats or oils.
Foods high in refined sugars: sugar-sweetened soda and drinks, cookies, cakes etc.
Red meat: there is considerable evidence linking red meat to inflammation and cancer (although some argue that good quality organic meat from grass fed animals is not pro-inflammatory, but research studies don’t make this distinction).
Processed meat: e.g. sausages, ham, bacon, cold meats. There is good evidence that these foods are linked to diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Refined carbohydrates: white bread, white flour, white rice. They are fine eaten in moderation within a diet rich in whole grains.
Fried foods: cooking foods at high temperatures produces inflammatory compounds.
Ultra-processed foods: they are foods that undergo multiple processing and contain ingredients that have already been processed. Look out for artificial colourings and flavouring, mono and diglycerides of fatty acids (as they can contain trans fats), but also any ingredients that you don’t recognise as food.
What about dairy and gluten? these foods can have an inflammatory effect if you are sensitive to them. You don’t need to eliminate them unless you react to them.
Fatty fish: sardines, anchovies, mackerel, salmon, kippers, herrings.
Food high in fibre: all fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
Nuts
Probiotics: e.g. fermented foods such as live kimchee and sauerkraut, kefir and yoghurt. Choose products without added sugar/artificial ingredients, which may negate the anti inflammatory benefit.
Spices and herbs: including garlic, onion, ginger, saffron, pepper, thyme, oregano and rosemary.
Tea: black tea and green tea, in moderation.
Fruit and veg: most brightly coloured fruit and veg, green leafy veg (spinach, kale, greens, broccoli). Onions and tomatoes. Berries, grapes, plums and cherries. Don’t focus on specific fruit and vegetables, make sure you eat a variety of fruit and vegetables (as wholefoods). Juices and smoothies may be a useful addition to increase your intake of certain nutrients.
Oils: olive oil, walnut oil, flaxseed, canola/rapeseed oil.