This article is about foods that help you reduce inflammation. As chronic inflammation can lead to various diseases and weight gain. Let's look at some of the anti-inflammatory foods:
• Berries: Packed with antioxidants minerals, vitamins and fibre. Anthocyanins in berries have anti-inflammatory effects on our body. They help to reduce the risk of heart disease and also boost our immunity.
• Fatty Fish: A great source of omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA along with being a good source of protein. The best sources of omega 3 rich fishes are salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, etc. The DHA and EPA help to reduce inflammation that is a risk factor for diabetes, metabolic syndromes, heart diseases.
• Broccoli: Cruciferous vegetables have anti-inflammatory effects because of the antioxidant content in them. Broccoli consists of sulforaphane that is an antioxidant that helps to reduce inflammation.
• Avocado: It consists of magnesium, potassium, fibre and healthy fats along with tocopherols and carotenoids. All these compounds help to reduce inflammation.
• Green Tea: The epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in green tea helps to inhibit inflammation and also helps to protect our cells from any damage.
• Peppers: A high vitamin C content along with antioxidants that provides us with a good anti-inflammatory effect. Bell peppers are rich in quercetin which is an antioxidant that helps to reduce oxidative damage.
• Mushrooms: It consists of selenium, copper and all the B Vitamins along with phenols and antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory effects. However, to reap the most of its benefits eat them lightly cooked or raw as too much cooking lowers their anti-inflammatory properties.
• Grapes: It consists of anthocyanin and resveratrol which help to reduce inflammation.
• Turmeric: It has a good curcumin content with great anti-inflammatory properties. If a person consumes 1g of curcumin along with piperine (found in black pepper) it helps to decrease inflammation to a good extent. Piperine helps to boost curcumin absorption in the body.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: It is one of the best and healthiest fats. Oleocanthal is an antioxidant that is found in olive oil that has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Dark Chocolate & Cocoa: The flavonoid compounds (antioxidants) in them help to reduce inflammation.
• In conclusion, antioxidant-rich foods help to fight and reduce inflammation and should be included in your daily diet as even low levels of inflammation can lead to a lot of diseases. So include these foods in your diet that help you reduce the risk of any illness.
References:
• Khan, N., Khymenets, O., Urpí-Sardà, M., Tulipani, S., Garcia-Aloy, M., Monagas, M., Mora-Cubillos, X., Llorach, R., & Andres-Lacueva, C. (2014). Cocoa polyphenols and inflammatory markers of cardiovascular disease. Nutrients, 6(2), 844–880. https://doi.org/
• Calder, P. C., Ahluwalia, N., Brouns, F., Buetler, T., Clement, K., Cunningham, K., Esposito, K., Jönsson, L. S., Kolb, H., Lansink, M., Marcos, A., Margioris, A., Matusheski, N., Nordmann, H., O'Brien, J., Pugliese, G., Rizkalla, S., Schalkwijk, C., Tuomilehto, J., Wärnberg, J., … Winklhofer-Roob, B. M. (2011). Dietary factors and low-grade inflammation in relation to overweight and obesity. The British journal of nutrition, 106 Suppl 3, S5–S78. https://doi.org/10.1017/
• Weylandt, K. H., Chiu, C. Y., Gomolka, B., Waechter, S. F., & Wiedenmann, B. (2012). Omega-3 fatty acids and their lipid mediators: towards an understanding of resolvin and protectin formation. Prostaglandins & other lipid mediators, 97(3-4), 73–82. https://doi.org/
• Spritzler, F. (2019, December 20). The 13 Most Anti-Inflammatory Foods You Can Eat. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/