Inflammation & Nutrition: How the Foods We Eat Impact More than Our Weight
Let’s be honest: when most of us talk about ‘inflammation’ or ‘anti-inflammatory’… do we really know what we’re talking about? I promise you- I did not before doing a fair bit of research (thank goodness for the internet, am I right?). Inflammation is a phrase we use all the time in health and wellness- I’m sure you’ve seen many a pyramid scheme trying to sell you ‘anti-inflammatory’ supplements! As misunderstood as inflammation is, it is an incredibly important term when it comes to understanding just about every aspect of your health; let’s get into the nitty gritty so you can wow those pyramid-schemers with your knowledge next time!
What exactly is inflammation?
Okay, first and foremost: inflammation is a far more complicated process than I can really get into. It can affect our health in more ways than we can count, and if you believe that chronic inflammation is posing a risk to your health, it’s SO important that you speak to your healthcare provider directly.
Simply put, inflammation is the body’s immune reaction to foreign invaders, such as microbes, chemicals, pollen, etc. This can happen in response to allergens, infections such as the flu, or even injuries; for example, the redness and swelling around a cut is the immune system sending white blood cells to protect the area, causing inflammation. This immediate, short-lived immune response is known as acute inflammation and is actually extremely helpful in the healing process. However, chronic inflammation is a completely different- and somewhat dangerous- story.
Chronic inflammation is what happens when this simple cellular response morphs into a much bigger problem. Unfortunately, chronic inflammation can occur whether the body eliminated the foreign invader or not; in addition, low-level inflammation can even occur without the presence of a foreign body. Not only can this inflammatory response cause you to feel general discomfort and pain, but it’s also been linked to a number of diseases that pose a serious risk to our health. For example, inflammation has been linked to atherosclerosis: aka, the plaque build-up inside of arteries that causes most heart attacks and strokes.
Now that the grim truth of inflammation is out of the way, let’s move onto something a little bit more positive: we are completely capable of combatting inflammation in the body… and it’s honestly easier than you might think.
Nutrition and Inflammation
While many of us might look to pharmaceuticals to protect us from inflammation, another solution might be in your fridge, not your medicine cabinet! There is plenty of evidence to show that nutrition plays a significant role in inflammation, with some foods acting as a trigger and others acting as a buffer. Not only do some foods have individual components that can act as either anti-inflammatory or inflammatory, but excessive intake of calories (regardless of the food!) can act as a trigger for inflammation. While we should definitely be mindful about the quality of the foods we’re eating, it’s exceptionally important to pay attention to their effect on inflammation.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Include in your Diet
Generally speaking, most “healthy” foods should be the key components of an anti-inflammatory diet, but it’s also important to include specific foods that are high in antioxidants, as well as polyphenols (micronutrients we get specifically from plants that act as protective compounds!). It’s also essential to note that foods that are rich in healthy fats are noted for their anti-inflammatory properties, so I guess my avocado toast is in the clear (yes, I’m addicted!). While most diets that are focused on eating whole, unprocessed foods have anti-inflammatory effects, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce inflammation, seeing as it is packed with antioxidants and whole foods.
Some great, anti-inflammatory foods to start munching on would be…
Leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, and collards
o Leafy greens can provide you with an abundance of vitamins, specifically antioxidants!
Fatty fish such as salmon and tuna
o The omega-3 fatty acids in these fish can help reduce inflammation, ease joint pain, and help aid in fat loss and muscle growth… why we aren’t eating more smoked salmon?
Nuts like almonds and walnuts
High fiber foods
Beans
Fruits such as blueberries and apples
o Aside from making wonderful pies, these fruits provide an abundance of antioxidants to help reduce the harmful free radicals that can lead to inflammation.
And, thank goodness, coffee.
o Yes- your caffeine addiction is justified (kind of). Coffee is packed full of polyphenols and other inflammatory compounds.
Inflammatory Foods to Avoid
Sadly, many of our favorite guilty pleasures make us feel guilty- and just generally kind of gross- for a reason. Foods that are high in refined carbs, low in fiber, and high in added sugar are well-known for their inflammatory effects, as are just about all processed foods, unhealthy fats and oils, and foods high in sodium. In addition, excessive alcohol intake is also associated with chronic inflammation. To put it simply: if you want to avoid inflammation, you probably want to avoid everything a college student does on a night out!
While it’s totally understandable to chow down on these foods from time to time, some specific foods to avoid/limit to reduce inflammation include…
· Refined carbohydrates such as white bread and baked goods
· Fried foods such as French fries and fried chicken
· Soda and other beverages high in added sugar
· Red meat and processed meat
· Margarine, lard, and shortening
· Processed foods such as chips and crackers
Do High Carb Diets Cause Inflammation?
Unfortunately for those of us who love bread (yes, even whole wheat bread), there is evidence to support the idea that diets that are high in carbohydrates can cause inflammation and aggravate pre-existing inflammation, regardless of the quality of carbohydrate. A number of studies have revealed that diets that are lower in carbohydrates, while being higher in protein and high in healthy fats, correlate with lower amounts of inflammation and lower amounts of body fat. While it is not 100% certain if this results from the lowered amount of refined carbohydrates or the increase in healthy fats in these diets, many have found that lowered carbohydrate intake can reduce overall bodily inflammation. As I always say, carbohydrates can affect different people in many different ways, so as long as they make you feel good and are adding nutritional value to your diet, there is no need to avoid them.
What about Nightshade Plants?
Nightshade plants, which are a family of plants including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and potatoes, are often given a bad name in relation to inflammation; however, many of these plants are actually packed full of nutrients such as antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation- in some people. However, there is data to suggest that nightshade plants can cause inflammatory responses in those with autoimmune diseases such as irritable bowel disease. It is possible that nightshade plants are linked to negative inflammatory responses for those with other autoimmune diseases, but most of the evidence regarding these cases is anecdotal (aka, based off of personal testimony). If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and believe nightshade vegetables may be aggravating said disease, it’s a wonderful idea to talk to your healthcare provider to ensure your nutritional habits are truly benefiting you.
To conclude…
While it’s easy to feel as though inflammation is the big bad boogey man of health and wellness, it’s important to note that not all inflammation is necessarily bad; it’s just a part of staying healthy! Luckily, the choices we make in the kitchen can go a long way in regard to chronic inflammation. It’s incredibly easy to get caught up in ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ labels, but the food we choose to nourish our bodies is so much more than tracked calories. Food can bring us energy, but it can also reduce pain, lessen the severity of many illnesses and diseases, and bring us healing. Nutrition is truly an overlooked medicine, and it’s time we start treating it as such.
Sources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27763627/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22109896/
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/pr4008199
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-inflammation
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/new-insights-about-inflammation
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation