10 Foods That Fight Inflammation

culled from:prevention.com




Inflammation is like salt. A pinch is a good thing, but get a tad too much and it ruins everything. Acute inflammation, your body’s response to a cut or pathogens entering the body, protects your body from harm. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, has been linked to everything from acne and allergies, to intestinal issues, neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, and joint pain, says Mark Hyman, MD, chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine and the author of the 10-Day Detox Diet.
You’d have to live in a bubble to avoid all its sources: saturated fats, sugar, stress, infections, and environmental toxins, but you can create balance by eating a diet rich in foods that fight inflammation-triggering free radicals and toxins. Anything that springs up from the ground can only help, but you’ll especially want to keep these 10 powerhouse foods in heavy rotation.


 

Berries are bright, shiny, and famously chock-full of free radical–fighting antioxidants, but as you stock up on the blue-and-red beauties, keep in mind that their wrinkly relative, the raisin, can also keep inflammation in check. “Snacking on raisins, and other fruit in general, tends to reduce a marker of inflammation known as TNF-alpha,” says Jim Painter, PhD, RD, a professor at Eastern Illinois University.




Beans in general are great sources of anti-inflammatory botanical compounds known as phytonutrients, but soy has been singled out by researchers for its ability to reduce the inflammation marker C-reactive protein, says Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, RD, author of The SuperfoodsRx Diet. This is great news for your heart—high levels of C-reactive protein have been linked to coronary artery disease. Another bean benefit: the protein-rich, satisfying legumes are good candidates to displace pro-inflammatory meat in meals.

 

Salmon may be pricier than most four-legged meat options, but it’s a notoriously good source of omega-3 fatty acids. It also bests plant-based sources of the nutrient, which your body can’t process as well. But you don’t need to make it the main event at every meal. In fact, all you really need to do is aim to minimize your ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. "Just a fifth of a teaspoon of fish oil to a teaspoon of omega-3 fatty acids a day is the amount you need to bring your fat consumption into balance," Painter says. (Try these tasty salmon recipes to get a healthy omega-3 dose.)




Don’t ignore your spice cabinet when whipping up a healthy meal. "Many herbs and spices are rich in antioxidant phytonutrients," says Christine Rosenbloom, PhD, RD, nutrition professor emerita, Georgia State University. Crushed and dried rosemary, thyme, turmeric, oregano, and cinnamon are all inflammatory, but you’ll only get a sprinkling of each at best. Basil, on the other hand, can be eaten fresh. (Check out these 25 healing herbs you can eat every day.)

 

This spicy root has gained a following for its nausea-calming powers, but it has another trick up its sleeve—inflammation crushing. Studies have linked the root to lowered post-exercise inflammation and a drop in joint pain caused by the chronic inflammatory conditions osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While researchers haven’t pinpointed its anti-inflammatory effects to a single component, it’s likely one of the culprits is the plant’s active compound gingerol, Bazilian says.


Nutrient-packed sweet potatoes are great news for your heart, skin, and immune heath, but bad news for inflammation markers. "Foods high in the vitamins C and E and the carotenoids, alpha- and beta-carotene, like sweet potatoes, are anti-inflammatory," Rosenbloom says. And they’re not the only orange food you should load up on; pumpkins, cantaloupe, apricots, and carrots are also good sources of carotenoids and vitamins. (Slimming Sweet Potatoes With Brown Sugar-Pecan Topping, anyone?)

 

One fruit that stands out from the pack is the tart cherry. Like berries, the fleshy fruit abounds in anthocyanins (a type of phytonutrient), but it also delivers a uniquely powerful dose of anti-inflammatory compounds. "Tart cherries contain higher levels of both anthocyanins 1 and 2," Bazilian explains. If that sounds a little technical, just think of it this way—you’re getting a double whammy of inflammation-fighting ingredients. (That's not all tart cherries do: see how tart cherry juice can help you sleep 90 extra minutes a night.)



If you’re still skeptical of hot-right-now kale, consider this your ticket to getting on the bandwagon. Along with fellow cruciferous vegetables arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and wasabi, kale is rich in sulfur, which forces your liver to put it through two detox cycles, instead of one. That may sound like a pain, but it’s actually beneficial: The second run-through stimulates your body to churn out more phase II enzymes, which break down toxins in the same way your digestive enzymes break down food. “Phase II enzymes help clean your body out by reducing the toxic load,” says Painter.

 

You’d be hard-pressed to find a nut without anti-inflammatory benefits, but walnuts have managed to earn the spotlight in this category. "Walnuts have the highest concentration of plant-based omega-3s, more than 10 antioxidant phytonutrients, and polyphenols that also play a role in reducing inflammation," Bazilian says.


You can even battle inflammation between meals by sipping on green, white, and black teas, Rosenbloom says. They’re steeped in free radical-fighting catechins, a polyphenolic compound found in the leaves of the Camellia sinesis plant. The more antioxidants you’re taking in, the better. "It’s best to adopt a diet rich in foods that are anti-inflammatory instead of concentrating on one or two superfoods," she says.