What is the best anti-inflammatory diet?

25 Jul What is the best anti-inflammatory diet?

We will all suffer with inflammation at some point, but did you know your diet can contribute significantly to this. There are times and in amounts where inflammation in our body is crucial to our survival. However, chronic inflammation can be linked to illnesses like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Eating an anti-inflammatory diet can support the body in keeping inflammation in check. This involves both eating in a way that supports reducing inflammation in the body, while avoiding other components that promote inflammation.

Some ways you can do this include:

Fresh or frozen vegetables and fruit

Aim for a wide variety of types and colours of fruits and vegetables. Each will have slightly different nutrient profiles, so having a range gives you the benefit of as many of these nutrients as possible!

Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants and polyphenols, which play an important anti-inflammatory role. Their high fibre content also supports gut health, whereby poor gut health has has been shown to be linked to chronic inflammation.

Healthy Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in foods like fish, flaxseed, walnuts and chia seeds, play a key role in supporting anti-inflammatory responses in the body. When we have enough of these types of foods, our cell membranes will be made up of more of them too, which helps them produce anti-inflammatory compounds and support a healthier immune response.

Aim to consume fish like tuna or salmon at least twice per week to help reduce inflammation.

Limit saturated and trans fats

A diet rich in these types of fats can promote an increase in LDL cholesterol, which increases inflammation and puts the body at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Saturated and trans-fat can be found in full fat dairy, fattier cuts of meat, pastry and deep fried foods.

Reduce high levels of added sugar

Swapping out products with high levels of added sugar can be another worthwhile way to reduce inflammation levels in the body. Examples of these include soft drinks, cookies, cakes, lollies, some breakfast cereals or chocolate.

Mindful of lifestyle factors

The other lifestyle factors that can either promote or reduce inflammation are worth considering. Some key considerations that can promote inflammation include:

  • Lack of sleep
  • Chronic stress
  • Physical inactivity
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol consumption (amount, type and frequency)
  • Inadequate water intake
  • Overweight or obesity

It may be more achievable to see where small changes can be made with these instead of compete lifestyle overhauls. This may include finding an extra 30 minutes of sleep, walking an 10 minutes each day if you’re not doing anything yet or starting to include daily relaxation practices, such as deep breathing.

Mediterranean Diet

This way of eating and living naturally promotes and encourages many of the suggestions already made, which has also been shared in a previous blog (https://www.sportsfitphysioandhealth.com.au/news/mediterranean_diet/). While it does include the consumption of red wine, the overall benefits of the diet would still be worthwhile.

Alex Stone

Dietitian/Nutritionist

Resources:

https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-017-0296-0

https://www.thelifestyledietitian.com.au/blog/food-reduce-inflammation-anti-ageing