Recent research has shown that many common foods may be the culprit for chronic internal inflammation in the body. Next time you go to the grocery store take this list of 10 foods that help fight inflammation.
Do you wish that you had more energy during the day and less pain? Chronic inflammation is a condition that might be draining you of your energy and increasing your pain levels.
Doctors have linked chronic inflammation to some of the most common diseases of aging including cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.
It is evident inflammation can be damaging, so what can be done to fight it? The good news is that eating certain foods will help your body naturally reduce unnecessary inflammatory responses, which will help you prevent disease, increase energy, and experience less pain.
Here are the top ten foods that fight inflammation.
Oranges
You might know that oranges are a great source of vitamin C, but did you also know that they can help your body reduce unnecessary chronic inflammation?
This is because they are rich in carotenoids and flavonoids.
Carotinoids provide the orange with the bright orange hue that it is named after. Other foods with this bright orange coloring also have carotenoids, and will help the body fight inflammation.
Examples include carrots, orange bell peppers, and peaches.
To get the most anti-inflammatory benefits from an orange, eat it raw. Oranges are delicious on their own or can be chopped into a fruit salad or mixed in with a green salad.
Tomato
Tomatoes can help the body fight inflammation and have been researched extensively for their role in cancer prevention.
What makes the lycopene in tomatoes so great?
Lycopene helps the body by inhibiting the inflammatory response. Lycopene is a red toned carotenoid, and many other bright red foods like watermelon and papaya have it as well.
Sardines
According to experts from Harvard, fatty fishes such as Tuna, Salmon, Salmon, and Mackerel can fight inflammation in the body.
The fats in cold water fish contain marine omega three fatty acids, which interrupt the inflammatory response.
Research shows that marine fatty acids lower inflammation by changing the way cells produce cytokines and T cells in response to perceived intruders.
Sardines are an excellent source of omega-3’s because smaller fish have lower mercury levels than larger fish.
Though an anti-inflammatory diet is important to your health, so is avoiding mercury poisoning! Mercury can be harmful to your health.
When you begin including fish in your diet in order to get those healthy marine fatty-acids, be sure to keep track of your weekly mercury intake and stay within recommended limits.
Cumin
The spice cumin contains a nutrient curcumin, which has proven anti-inflammatory qualities.
Studies have shown that curcumin can reduce instances of inflammation in cases of edema, ulcerative colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Osteoarthritis.
Cumin is a spice commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, but it has infused western culture as well.
This is particularly the case lately as more and more health experts give praise to this herb.
Sprinkle cumin on a bowl of rice, spinach, and tofu for a simple addition to your meal that will give lots of anti-inflammatory benefits.
Cumin can also be taken as a supplement in the form of a capsule, or mixed into drinks and smoothies.
Spinach
Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, and bok choy are rich in anti-oxidants, and vitamin K.
Research has shown that vegetables high in vitamin K have lowered the markers of inflammation significantly.
Eat spinach raw to get the most nutrients out of every serving.
Spinach can be tossed with other lettuces, avocado, dried cranberries, almonds and mandarin oranges to make a super anti-inflammatory salad!
Almonds
Nuts like almonds, walnuts, and cashews are high in monosaturated fats which have anti-inflammatory abilities.
Nuts are high in calories and fat, so they should be consumed moderately as a part of your balanced diet. Raw, unsalted nuts deliver the most anti-inflammatory benefits.
Raw nut butter is a great option for consuming almonds that makes it easy to include monounsaturated fat in your meals.
Spread two tablespoons of almond butter on your next apple-slice snack, and reap the anti-inflammatory benefits.
Strawberries
Strawberries and other colorful berries are an excellent source of antioxidants, red carotenoids, and vitamin c.
The anti-oxidants in strawberries may help fight inflammation because of their ability to reduce the number of potentially harmful, inflammation-triggering free radicals in the body.
Add organic, raw strawberry slices to your next bowl of oatmeal, or have them tossed with blackberries and blueberries for a sweet and healthy dessert.
Beans
Beans have a high volume of fiber per serving. Fiber is known for helping the body by sweeping out the intestinal tract and promoting weight loss. You may not know it, but fiber also helps the body prevent inflammation.
This is because it lowers the levels of C-reactive protein that the liver produces.
C-reactive protein is correlated with inflammation in the body. Since beans are low-fat and budget-friendly, they are a great option for an anti-inflammatory diet.
Cherries
Research confirms that cherries help the body fight chronic inflammation. One study showed that the consumption of 45 cherries a day, for 28 days in a row led to a significant decrease in 8 markers of chronic inflammation.
Another study discovered the fact that cherries contain anthocyanins, antioxidants, and bioflavonoids, which together provide the same anti-inflammatory affects as Advil, but without the side effects.
Olive Oil
Studies have shown that olive oil can produce some of the same effects in the body that ibuprofen produces.
It can stop the production of COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes, both of which trigger the inflammation response.
Since experts recommend cutting margarine from the diet entirely when you are trying to beat inflammation, olive oil can step in as the perfect substitute.
Inflammation is a natural response that the body puts together in response to perceived threats. This natural response can become problematic when it is chronic and unnecessary.
Instead of protecting the body, it can lead to diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Food provides us with an excellent way to fight chronic inflammation. Add powerful, anti-inflammatory foods to your diet to lower your inflammation levels.
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