Food for Thought: Health Benefits of Anti-Inflammatory Foods
By: Meg Garrett
Photographed by: Meg Garrett, Times Georgian intern Photographer
Researching your health is imperative to staying healthy and helping your body stay healthy. For those reasons, I implemented several anti-inflammatory foods into my diet that have helped balance my hormones, reduce inflammation, and increase
According to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website, the Inflammation that is known to cause lifelong issues is called Systemic inflammation which is a factor in diseases like:
Obesity
Metabolic syndrome
Prediabetes
Type 2 diabetes heart disease
Chrons disease
Arthritis
Alzheimer’s disease
Here are the lists of foods in chronological order that have been proven to have anti-inflammatory qualities and have been implemented in daily meals for people living with inflammation (in no particular order).
Photographed by: Meg Garrett, Times Georgian intern Photographer
Fruits
While fruits are known for their fiber and flavor, they are also known for their anti-inflammatory qualities. For example, Blackberries and Blueberries are rich in fiber and
According to the research article, Berries as a Treatment for Obesity-Induced Inflammation: Evidence from Preclinical Models on the National Library of Health website.
“Berries contain several bioactive compounds, among which are various types of polyphenolic compounds. These compounds are increasingly being investigated for their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities…Proanthocyanidins are also found in berries and have powerful antioxidant abilities, and have been found to play a beneficial role in vascular relaxation in cardiovascular disease”
According to the article, Blueberries have the most polyphonic makeup compared to other berries like strawberries, raspberries, and strawberries. This is helpful to know because the contents of the berries are what makes them anti-inflammatory and good for revamping your health and immune system. You can start by implementing Black Berries and Blue Berries into your diet to narrow down choices. This will help your metabolism stay in tune with your body, and blackberries can help reduce oxidative stress and general inflammation.
Fish
Fish is a prominent ingredient in the Mediterranean diet, which is known worldwide for its positive results of a longer life. Within fish is a vitamin named Omega-3, which can calm inflammation by reducing the substances like cytokines, which cause inflammation.
To help explain how fish is vital to a good diet, Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health goes into detail,
“What makes omega-3 fats special? They are needed to build cell membranes throughout the body and affect the function of the cell receptors in these membranes...Due to these effects, omega-3 fats can help prevent heart disease and stroke, may help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis, and may play protective roles in cancer and other conditions.”
So, Fish has an abundance of Omega-3s and is essential to your health in general or if you have specific illnesses that need some help in the food department. To start, try incorporating some fresh Salmon or Tuna into either breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Liquids
Green tea is one of the best sources of polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which sounds complicated but it is just a compound within the polyphenols that has potent anti-inflammatory results.
Drinking green tea weekly has been proven to reduce inflammation and lower the risks of heart disease and cancer. In smaller aspects, Adding green tea to your daily routine is an easy and fast way to boost your intake of polyphenols and enhance your body's ability to fight inflammation.
Coffee is also known for its inflammatory fighting compound that is in other foods listed, polyphenols, surprise! This compound is in almost every anti-inflammatory-fighting food that exists but most importantly it serves a very important purpose, the antioxidants in coffee help neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body.
I found on the Johns Hopkins Medical website, that coffee has much more to it,
“Caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about coffee. But coffee also contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease, say nutrition experts from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.”
So next time you drink a coffee, just know it might help more internally than you think and remember the anti-inflammatory benefits!
Vegetables
Leafy greens such as spinach and kale are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that fight inflammation. Just like Berries, leafy greens are rich in polyphenols, which as I explained earlier, are just compounds known for their ability to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
Harvard Health Publishing gives other recommendations for foods that are high in Polyphenols,
“Foods high in polyphenols include onions, turmeric, red grapes, cherries, and plums, as well as dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collard greens.”
Kale Is a great salad base to implement if you aren’t the biggest eater of salad, like me, you can trade lettuce for kale or spinach, which in my opinion, has a better taste to it and not as much water in the leaf itself. But it is about personal preference, but those are two great leafy greens to start with.
Oils (some)
Some Oils are extremely high in antioxidant components and have plenty of health benefits while some do not. Healthy Oils include olive oil and avocado oil. Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, is well-known for its anti-inflammatory components. It contains oleocanthal, a compound with similar effects to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
According to the Cleveland Clinic website,
“NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are medications that reduce inflammation, pain and fever. There are many different types of NSAIDs, including nonprescription and prescription strength. Healthcare providers use them to treat a wide range of symptoms, from headaches and dental pain to arthritis and muscle stiffness.”
Instead of using medications like ibuprofen or Advil, try incorporating a daily dose of Olive oil or Avocado oil into your diet to help with recurring inflammation pains.
Image produced by: The Cleveland Clinic
Nuts (Omega-3s)
Nuts are packed with healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants that help reduce inflammation. Just like the other foods listed above, Almonds are particularly rich in vitamin E, which protects cells from inflammation. Eating a handful of almonds or walnuts regularly has been associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers in the body.
According to the National Library of Health, studies show, “Overall, it appears that some nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, may favorably modify inflammation, and others, such as Brazil nuts, may favorably influence oxidative stress.”
So, Adding almonds to your diet as a snack or in meals can provide anti-inflammatory benefits just like the other foods, they have components that help protect your body from oxidization of your cells. This is the scientific explanation behind why antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods are key to remaining happy and healthy.
To conclude, Anti-inflammatory foods are all around us, constantly being overlooked because of taste, visual appeal, or laziness in preparing food. Besides, these foods would change your overall health for the better if they are implemented into your diet regularly, so try them out, because if you don’t then you will never know.
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Sources
The Nutrition Source
Berries as a Treatment for Obesity-Induced Inflammation: Evidence from Preclinical Models
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7912458/#B18-nutrients-13-00334
9 Reasons Why (the Right Amount of) Coffee Is Good for You
NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)