Core Anti-inflammatory Foods and Supplements

Food / October 28, 2022
anti inflammatory foods

What are the “best” foods and supplements to help control inflammation? Well, read on to find out!

Anti-inflammatory Foods and the Anti-inflammatory Diet

Many nutritionists and healthcare professionals have suspected for many years that the Standard American Diet (or “SAD”) was not a healthy diet. It contained too much red meat, too much salt, too much sugar, too many preservatives and additives, and too much fat. The clinical research indicated that the rise in chronic diseases—especially heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and possibly cancer—was directly (and indirectly) related to this high-fat, high-salt, high-sugar diet filled with processed foods.

One reason for the concern was the growing amount of data that showed diets like the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and Dr. Andrew Weil’s Anti-inflammatory diet could decrease the risk of at least some chronic diseases and tended to result in greater overall health and improvement for people with arthritis(1), cancers(2), cardiovascular disease(3), in autoimmune diseases(4), and diabetes(5). (Dr. Weil’s Anti-inflammatory diet by the way, has been described as a basic Mediterranean diet with added Asian flavors.)

A few points before we dive into anti-inflammatory foods.

  • Be aware of food sensitivities/intolerance. If you are sensitive to tomatoes, for example, tomatoes may be inflammatory for YOU even though tomatoes are considered to be an anti-inflammatory food even as it is classified as a nightshade plant.
    • Anyone can be sensitive to any food. Sometimes, it is a frank sensitivity (e.g., gluten or dairy), but it is also important to be aware of sensitivities to texture, taste, level of bitterness, etc. The easiest way to determine food sensitivities is to do an elimination diet where you avoid the food for 2-6 weeks and keep track of how you feel. If overall, you see improvement, avoid that food in the future. There are plenty of other food choices out there!
  • Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet may be beneficial in reducing fatigue, improving sleep, and reducing some nagging aches and pains. The most common occurrence is to see a reduction in acid reflux, joint pain, and headaches, especially if you combine anti-inflammatory foods with an awareness of your particular food sensitivities.
  • Include a variety of foods in every diet. A simple way to do this is to pick fruits and berries with various colors and peak seasons. Pick vegetables from different groups—for example, include a variety of root vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (e.g., cabbages, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower), marrow (cucumber, squashes), stems (asparagus, celery), and leafy greens.
  • Spice up your foods with spices and herbs—this can alter the taste somewhat and provide an interesting variety of tastes!
  • The anti-inflammatory diet often means starting to learn to cook from “scratch”. If you are not now a cook, move toward the anti-inflammatory diet slowly but surely. You don’t want to give up because you are overwhelmed with new cooking responsibilities!
  • Don’t forget the water!! Staying hydrated is also anti-inflammatory!!

Anti-inflammatory Foods: The Basics

anti inflammation

Basically, the anti-inflammatory diet is a whole-foods diet—it consists of whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruit (as varied as possible and in season when possible), reduced dairy, reduced red meats, lean poultry, pork and chicken, lots of fish, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. It avoids processed foods (like white rice, white breads, white pastries, many cereals, and prepared meals), fatty foods, fast foods, and any foods with added salt and sugar. It also avoids sodas and relies on water, tea, herbal drinks, and fermented drinks.

Anti-inflammatory food list:

Whole foods as close to harvest as possible are on the list unless you are sensitive to that food. Organic is desirable, but not always affordable or available. Buy as many organic foods as you are comfortable with. You may also want to check out the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) list of “dirty dozen” of the foods that (unless organically grown) hold more pesticides and their “clean fifteen” foods that have the least amount of pesticides.

Finally, the LIST!!

  • Whole grains like wheat, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, corn, millet, quinoa, oats, rye, and spelt.
    • The bran surrounding a grain is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Removing it in processing deletes essential nutrients.
  • Vegetables—especially leafy green vegetables, tomatoes (actually, a fruit, but many people think of them as a vegetable), cruciferous vegetables, and root vegetables.
    • The food pyramid and food plate are nice beginnings, but 70-80% of my plate is usually vegetables.
  • Fruit, including berries that are high in antioxidants which can also reduce inflammation.
    • A great way to increase your fruit intake is to have a fruit plate instead of dessert!
  • Nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and others.
    • These can be added to stews, soups, and salad, or can be eaten as snacks.
  • Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, halibut, and sardines.
    • These should be the main meal at least 2-3 times a week.
  • Lean poultry, game meat, lean pork, grass-fed beef, or buffalo.
    • Grass-fed beef and buffalo ARE anti-inflammatory as opposed to corn-fed beef or buffalo. Why? Because corn contains high levels of omega-6 fats and red meat tends to contain higher levels of omega-6 fats. Plus, corn feeding is used to “fatten” up cattle—and they get fattened with saturated fats! Grass-fed animals don’t have as much omega-6 fats and they don’t get “fattened up” as much with saturated (unhealthy) fats—which means the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is closer to 1:1→1:4.

Foods to Avoid List:

This is an easy one to remember!

Avoid:

  • Fast foods
  • Fatty or fried foods
  • Processed foods
  • Sugar-heavy foods and beverages
  • Corn fed beef
  • Margarine, lard, shortening, corn oil

Anti-inflammatory Supplements

Some of these are herbs and spices you can use both as supplements and to flavor foods! Some are vitamins, while others are derived from plants, algae, or sea creatures—and some are minerals! All of these are pretty strong anti-inflammatory agents, so go with what works for you!

Anti-inflammatory Herbs

anti inflammatory herbs
  • Curcumin. Curcumin is derived from turmeric, a “cousin” of ginger. Curcumin has been shown to reduce inflammation(6), reduce insulin resistance(7), and improve wound healing(8). Curcumin is one of the main ingredients in curry sauces.
  • Frankincense (aka Boswellia serrata). Yes—THAT frankincense. Frankincense has been shown to decrease inflammation(9) and provide significant pain relief. Frankincense can, by the way, be used topically to provide joint pain relief.
  • Hot (red) peppers contain capsaicin, which in turn contains Substance P, which directly reduces pain. This can also be used topically, directly on a painful, inflamed joint, but it can also be added to foods (to taste!) to reduce inflammation.
  • Ginger can be taken as a supplement or added to foods. Ginger(10) reduces inflammation, and can relieve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and joint pain.
  • Garlic not only tastes great, but it is good for inflammation(11)!
  • Moringa is an “up and comer” in the field—it is anti-inflammatory(12), liver and heart protective, and increases wound healing. As part of its ability to protect the heart and liver, moringa (13) also helps maintain healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Anti-Inflammatory Vitamins and Minerals

anti inflammatory minerals & vitamins

Vitamins C, E, D, and A are anti-inflammatory, as are zinc and selenium.

Other Supplements that are Anti-inflammatory

Well, the first supplement that deserves listing here is seafood-derived omega-3 fats. The omega-3 fats can be derived from either fish or krill—tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans. Both fatty fish and krill have high levels of omega-3 fats and are a great source. Clinical studies have shown that taking fish or krill oil as a supplement can reduce inflammation(14) in a variety of conditions.

Takeaways

Inflammation is a normal process of the immune system and is critical for the removal of pathogens and wound healing. If it is uncontrolled, however, it can cause damage to cells, organs, and tissues AND damage your health. Decreasing inflammation using a healthy anti-inflammatory diet and/or supplements can make a significant difference in your health. Just remember to talk with your own healthcare provider before taking any supplements—these are generally very safe, but may interact with medications in ways you need to be aware of!

Resources:

  1. Vadell AK, Bärebring L, Hulander E, Gjertsson I, Lindqvist HM, Winkvist A. Anti-inflammatory Diet In Rheumatoid Arthritis (ADIRA)—a randomized, controlled crossover trial indicating effects on disease activity. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2020 Jun 1;111(6):1203-13. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/111/6/1203/5735635?crsi=6624964158&cicada_org_src=healthwebmagazine.com&cicada_org_mdm=direct
  2. Hou J, Karin M, Sun B. Targeting cancer-promoting inflammation—have anti-inflammatory therapies come of age?. Nature reviews Clinical oncology. 2021 May;18(5):261-79.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8978805/
  3. Razquin C, Martinez-Gonzalez MA. A traditional mediterranean diet effectively reduces inflammation and improves cardiovascular health. Nutrients. 2019 Aug 9;11(8):1842. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/8/1842/htm
  4. Jadhav P, Jiang Y, Jarr K, Layton C, Ashouri JF, Sinha SR. Efficacy of dietary supplements in inflammatory bowel disease and related autoimmune diseases. Nutrients. 2020 Jul 20;12(7):2156. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/2156/pdf
  5. Kuryłowicz A, Koźniewski K. Anti-inflammatory strategies targeting metaflammation in type 2 diabetes. Molecules. 2020 Jan;25(9):2224. https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/9/2224/pdf?version=1589005177
  6. Burge K, Gunasekaran A, Eckert J, Chaaban H. Curcumin and intestinal inflammatory diseases: molecular mechanisms of protection. International journal of molecular sciences. 2019 Apr 18;20(8):1912. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/8/1912/pdf
  7. Zhang T, He Q, Liu Y, Chen Z, Hu H. Efficacy and safety of curcumin supplement on improvement of insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2021 Aug 25;2021. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2021/4471944/
  8. Barchitta M, Maugeri A, Favara G, Magnano San Lio R, Evola G, Agodi A, Basile G. Nutrition and wound healing: An overview focusing on the beneficial effects of curcumin. International journal of molecular sciences. 2019 Mar 5;20(5):1119. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/5/1119/pdf
  9. Maroon JC, Bost JW, Maroon A. Natural anti-inflammatory agents for pain relief. Surg Neurol Int. 2010 Dec 13;1:80. doi: 10.4103/2152-7806.73804. PMID: 21206541; PMCID: PMC3011108. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3011108/
  10. Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP, Min JE, Yoon YC, Lee EG, Kim M, Kim TJ, Yang YY, Son EY, Yoon SJ, Diem NC, Kim HM, Kwon SW. Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2020 Jan 6;12(1):157. doi: 10.3390/nu12010157. PMID: 31935866; PMCID: PMC7019938. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31935866/
  11. Mirzavandi F, Mollahosseini M, Salehi-Abargouei A, Makiabadi E, Mozaffari-Khosravi H. Effects of garlic supplementation on serum inflammatory markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020 Sep-Oct;14(5):1153-1161. doi: 10.1016/j.dsx.2020.06.031. Epub 2020 Jun 19. PMID: 32673835. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32673835/
  12. Chhikara N, Kaur A, Mann S, Garg MK, Sofi SA, Panghal A. Bioactive compounds, associated health benefits and safety considerations of Moringa oleifera L.: An updated review. Nutrition & Food Science. 2020 May 28;51(2):255-77. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/NFS-03-2020-0087/full/html
  13. Simeon JO, Zubairu SA, Tosin JO. Clinical evaluation of the potential benefits of taking Moringa oleifera on blood triglyceride and cholesterol level in patient taking Tenofovir/Lamivudine/Efavirenz (TLE) combination. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research. 2021 Oct 1;13(10):623-9. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Oyepata-Joseph/publication/355856009_Clinical_evaluation_of_the_potential_benefits_of_taking_Moringa_oleifera_on_blood_triglyceride_and_cholesterol_level_in_patient_taking_TenofovirLamivudineEfavirenz_TLE_combination/links/618162210be8ec17a9610b96/Clinical-evaluation-of-the-potential-benefits-of-taking-Moringa-oleifera-on-blood-triglyceride-and-cholesterol-level-in-patient-taking-Tenofovir-Lamivudine-Efavirenz-TLE-combination.pdf
  14. Simopoulos AP. Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Coll Nutr. 2002 Dec;21(6):495-505. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2002.10719248. PMID:  12480795.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12480795/#:~:text=Animal%20experiments%20and%20clinical%20intervention,of%20inflammatory%20and%20autoimmune%20diseases.