Anti-inflammatory diet: What to know

 However, some people have a medical condition in which the immune system does not work as it should. This malfunction can lead to persistent or recurrent low level inflammation.

 Chronic inflammation occurs with various diseases, such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma. There is evidence that dietary choices may help manage the symptoms.

 An anti-inflammatory diet favors fruits and vegetables, foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, lean protein, healthful fats, and spices. It discourages or limits the consumption of processed foods, red meats, and alcohol.

 The anti-inflammatory diet is not a specific regimen but rather a style of eating. The Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet are examples of anti-inflammatory diets. 

 Some foods contain ingredients that can trigger or worsen inflammation. Sugary or processed foods may do this, while fresh, whole foods are less likely to have this effect.

 An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables. Many plant-based foods are good sources of antioxidants. Some foods, however, can triggerTrusted Source the formation of free radicals. Examples include foods that people fry in repeatedly heated cooking oil.

 Dietary antioxidantsTrusted Source are molecules in food that help remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are the natural byproducts of some bodily processes, including metabolism. However, external factors, such as stress and smoking, can increase the number of free radicals in the body.

 Free radicals can lead to cell damage. This damage increases the risk of inflammation and can contribute to a range of diseases.

 The body creates some antioxidants that help it remove these toxic substances, but dietary antioxidants also help.

 To learn more about antioxidants, click here.

 An anti-inflammatory diet favors foods that are rich in antioxidants over those that increase the production of free radicals.

 Omega-3 fatty acids, which are present in oily fish, may help reduce the levels of inflammatory proteins in the body. Fiber can also have this effect, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

 Which foods are good sources of antioxidants? Find out here.

 Types of anti-inflammatory diet

 Many popular diets already adhere to anti-inflammatory principles.

 For example, both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet include fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, whole grains, and fats that are good for the heart.

 Inflammation appears to play a role in cardiovascular disease, but researchTrusted Source suggests that the Mediterranean diet, with its focus on plant-based foods and healthful oils, can reduce the effects of inflammation on the cardiovascular system. 

  Who can it help?

 An anti-inflammatory diet may serve as a complementary therapy for many conditions that become worse with chronic inflammation.

 The following conditions involve inflammation:

• rheumatoid arthritis
• psoriasis
• asthma
• eosinophilic esophagitis
• Crohn’s disease
• colitis
• inflammatory bowel disease
• lupus
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• metabolic syndrome

 Metabolic syndrome refers to a collection of conditions that tend to occur together, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.

 Scientists believe that inflammation plays a role in all of these. An anti-inflammatory diet may, therefore, help improve the health of a person with metabolic syndrome.

 Eating a diet that is rich in antioxidants may also help reduce the risk of certain cancers.

 Antioxidants help remove free radicals. 

 Foods to eat

 An anti-inflammatory diet should combine a variety of foods that:

• are rich in nutrients
• provide a range of antioxidants
• contain healthful fats

 Foods that may help manage inflammation include:

• oily fish, such as tuna and salmon
• fruits, such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and cherries
• vegetables, including kale, spinach, and broccoli
• beans
• nuts and seeds
• olives and olive oil
• fiber