9 Foods That Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is your body’s way of saying something isn’t quite right; it’s the redness, heat, swelling, and pain you feel after getting hurt or catching a nasty cold. When you’re healthy, acute inflammation is actually a good thing. It heals cuts, fights off infections, and helps you bounce back.

The opposite, chronic inflammation, is what you don’t want. It’s not as obvious as acute inflammation, but being low-grade makes it even more potentially harmful. It hangs around too long, causing trouble, and can lead to serious problems like obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and even heart disease.

Here's the good news: what you eat can seriously change your inflammation for the better. Everyday dietary modifications can help you cool down inflammation and keep your body happy. By changing your eating habits, you can cut down inflammation and feel better overall.

Foods That Reduce Inflammation

The word "diet" often refers to temporary calorie restriction or trendy superfoods promising rapid weight loss. Yet, in a health-focused context, following a specific diet also means sustained lifestyle changes aimed at managing long-term health.

Traditional Mediterranean, DASH, Okinawan, Nordic, and Mexican diets share common anti-inflammatory foundations. They’re all rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean proteins like fish, with limited red meat consumption.

If you want to try and lower inflammation naturally, we recommend the following nine key foods to help reduce overall inflammation:

Fatty Fish

Salmon, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies are known for their substantial amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), vital for lowering inflammatory markers. These fatty acids are metabolized into resolvins and protectins, anti-inflammatory compounds reducing inflammation-driven diseases.

Studies show eating fatty fish regularly can significantly decrease your risks for cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and kidney diseases. A diet high in fatty fish also reduces inflammatory markers like CRP and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Leafy Green Vegetables

Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens are nutrient powerhouses rich in vitamins A, C, K, and fiber. Studies show antioxidants in leafy greens combat oxidative stress by neutralizing harmful free radicals, while dietary fiber significantly improves gut health by promoting beneficial bacteria, directly reducing inflammation markers like IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α).

Berries

Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries burst with anthocyanins, some of nature’s most potent anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Clinical trials have shown anthocyanins’ potential when it comes to improving immune function, reducing inflammation markers, and lowering the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and cognitive decline by mitigating oxidative stress and inflammatory damage.

Nuts and Seeds

Walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds provide healthy fats, fiber, and magnesium, crucial for regulating inflammation. A meta-analysis revealed nut consumption decreases inflammatory biomarkers like CRP and IL-6. Moreover, nuts and seeds stabilize blood sugar, enhance brain function, and significantly improve cardiovascular health by positively influencing cholesterol profiles.

Olive Oil

You can’t read anything about the Mediterranean diet and not see the words “olive” and “oil,” and with good reason.

Central to the Mediterranean diet, extra virgin olive oil is abundant in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, particularly oleocanthal. This compound possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties, with some experts citing it as comparable to ibuprofen.

Numerous studies associate regular olive oil consumption with reduced oxidative stress, lower inflammatory cytokine levels, improved endothelial function, and decreased incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Turmeric and Ginger

Turmeric's primary compound, curcumin, is the very compound responsible for possibly all of this spice’s anti-inflammatory effects, especially when it’s pertaining to inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Clinical research confirms curcumin significantly reduces inflammatory markers, including CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α. Ginger similarly reduces inflammation, with studies demonstrating improved symptoms in arthritis, muscle pain, and digestive disorders.

Green Tea

Green tea is rich in catechins, notably epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG is the active compound known to help reduce inflammation levels. Research findings say regular green tea consumption decreases oxidative stress, enhances metabolic health, supports cardiovascular function, and significantly reduces inflammation markers such as CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes provide lycopene, a powerful antioxidant recognized for combating inflammation. Research highlights that lycopene reduces inflammatory markers associated with cardiovascular diseases and various cancers.

Cooking tomatoes in olive oil notably increases lycopene absorption, amplifying anti-inflammatory effects and providing substantial health benefits.

Fermented Foods

Yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and miso enhance gut health by introducing probiotics , beneficial gut bacteria essential for maintaining a balanced microbiome. Studies indicate probiotics significantly lower systemic inflammation, improve immune function, and decrease symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders, allergies, and inflammatory diseases.

Gut Health’s Role in Inflammation

Your gut health has a big say in inflammation. In fact, you might say everything happens in the gut first before the body, and it’s all to do with your gut microbiome. Keeping your gut microbiome balanced is key to reducing inflammation.

Probiotic-packed foods like yogurt and kimchi, along with prebiotic fibers found in asparagus, bananas, and chicory, keep your gut bacteria healthy and active. You can also try probiotic supplements like Balance ONE if you feel like your diet’s a bit lacking. A healthier gut environment directly lowers inflammation levels, making you feel better overall.

Balancing Your Diet

Is there no room for other types of foods when you have an anti-inflammatory diet? Of course, but what matters is you strike a balance between an anti-inflammation diet and your cravings.

Controlling inflammation means not only adding good foods but also cutting back on the bad stuff, foods common in Western diets like processed meats, refined sugars, and high-fat dairy. These inflammatory foods ramp up markers like cytokines and insulin, causing more inflammation. High sodium and low potassium from processed foods make things even worse, increasing risks for hypertension and heart issues.

Consider substituting inflammatory choices with healthier alternatives:

• Instead of fried snacks, choose baked sweet potatoes.
• Replace sugary desserts with dark chocolate and berries.
• Swap grilled meats with grilled eggplant or mushrooms.

Takeaway

A diet that puts emphasis on holistic dietary patterns emphasizing whole, nutrient-dense foods combined with lifestyle practices such as physical activity and adequate rest stands the best chance against chronic inflammation.

Long-term adherence to anti-inflammatory diets significantly reduces chronic inflammation, enhancing protection against cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, diabetes, and cognitive decline. Make these dietary changes a regular part of your life, and your body will undoubtedly feel the benefits.