Want to find healthy foods that can fight chronic inflammation in your body? Check out the different types of healthy food to reduce inflammation in your body.
Inflammation is a very common disease that can be troublesome if it is not treated properly. Inflammation is caused by the human body’s immune cells. These immune cells usually destroy any bacteria from outside, but in case of inflammation, they will attack that person’s body instead. These immune cells eventually attack the organs, and they can even attack the brain cells. Stress is known to be a cause of increasing inflammatory compounds.
Every problem has its solution and a way to prevent it. In the case of inflammation, some foods have been proven to be effective against it and fight chronic inflammation.
What Type of Food Causes Inflammation?
There are several types of food that can cause inflammation. These foods should be avoided at any cost if you have inflammation issues. Some of them are,
- Pastries, white bread, and anything with refined carbohydrates
- Fried foods, such as French fries, fried chicken, etc.
- Sweetened beverages like sodas and carbonated drinks that are loaded with sugar.
- Processed and red meat
- Lard, margarine, and shortening
Food Varieties that Fight Chronic Inflammation
Many food variants fight chronic inflammation very effectively. All of them can be easily maintained with a diet. The food types that will build up your defenses against inflammation are discussed below.
Coffee, Tea, & Dark Chocolate
Coffee, tea, and cocoa beans are full of phytonutrients. Dark chocolates and tea are filled with flavonols, and the coffee is full of chlorogenic acid and diterpenes. However, all of these compounds contain caffeine. Caffeine is known to provide anti-inflammatory benefits to your brain.
Also, check out CBD gummies that can help prevent and fight chronic inflammation in your body.
Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits and veggies are loaded with a range of vitamins, minerals, and many beneficial plant compounds. These prevent and attack chronic inflammation in many ways. Antioxidants are essential for our well-being, and these are filled in carotenoids. Oxidants are also referred to as destructive molecules within the human body. These oxidants are the main troublemakers that destroy our cells, increase chronic inflammation, and result in heart disease. The phytonutrients found in blueberries directly delay the production of inflammatory particles. Fiber assists in reducing body weight, again increasing anti-inflammatory substances.
All of the compounds mentioned above are found easily in fruits and vegetables. But to be more specific, berries, citrus fruit, green leafy vegetables, apples, salads, yellow/green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, and of course, tomatoes.
Herbs & Spices
Just like fruits and vegetables, they are also rich in minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients. In rosemary, there is rosmarinic acid. This acid can be found in thyme and many other herbs. All of these herbs and spices are well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Some particularly beneficial herbs include cinnamon, cumin, garlic, spicy peppers, turmeric, star anise, black pepper, etc. They are excellent anti-inflammation sources.
All of the mentioned herbs and spices should be used in salads, curries, dipping sauce, stews, baked meat, and different dishes.
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil is also known as EVOO, and it is a perfect part of the healthy Mediterranean diet. EVOO was known for its medicinal properties back in the older times of Greece. Extra-virgin olive oil has two hundred additional compounds than virgin oil. All these compounds are beneficial in making an anti-inflammatory body. EVOO is created with ground olive paste, and it is pressed to extract the oil after pressing them. Thus, it is known as “cold-pressed.”
So the extra-virgin olive oil is extracted from pure and cold-pressed olives, and it is very beneficial in reducing inflammation.
Nuts & Seeds
Some nuts such as almonds, cashews, and peanuts are very helpful in reducing inflammation. Also, seed varieties, such as pumpkin, flax, sesame, and sunflower, are filled with high-quality fat and antioxidants. As we all know that antioxidants fight off inflammation. Besides, nuts help in removing bad cholesterol known as LDL. People who eat nuts and seeds regularly lose weight. This is why nut eaters have a great body shape. It happens because nuts are mostly filled with fatty compounds, and the decreased body fat fights off the inflammation more effectively.
All of the seeds and nuts are healthy to eat, but there are specific benefits in some of them. For example, walnut is filled with ALA, a form of omega-3.
Seafood & Omega-3s
Omega-3 is more abundantly found in seafood, which makes it the top food source for omega-3. Researchers claim seafood contains not only one but two types of omega-3s. Omega-3 kills inflammation and is also helpful in preventing it. Scientists are yet not sure why fish consumers tend to be healthier. Some of them just credit the omega-3s in the fish for staying healthy.
For the best outcome, have 3.5 ounces of fish weekly. You should choose those fishes which have high omega-3 but low mercury. Some of those fishes are mackerel from the Atlantic, salmon, sardines, rainbow trout, and arctic char.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are gifted with three components known as the outer bran layer, middle starchy endosperm, and little germ-filled, which has many vitamins and healthy fats. The bran and germ offer the right amount of antioxidants, and the whole gran’s fiber is food for our gut bacteria, which then create antioxidants.
To get the most out of whole grains, you can get brown rice, bulgur wheat, millet, whole rye, barley, etc. All of these should be well-cooked and must be served with good protein food sources.
Legumes
These are occupied with a rich amount of vitamin B, fiber, and minerals. Legumes are rich in phytonutrients. These phytonutrients react as antioxidants. Soy foods are full of anti-inflammatory effects.
Black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, garbanzo, lentils, or any other legumes are excellent sources of nutrition for our bodies.
Conclusion
To reduce the level of chronic inflammation, you need to keep yourself on a healthy diet schedule. Consider having healthy foods that follow the tenets of anti-inflammatory eating. A healthy diet is not only ideal for your health but also can reduce the risk of diseases.
