Top 5 Inflammatory Foods To Avoid

Foods That Can Trigger Inflammation In The Body

Inflammation is a ‘hot’ topic- quite literally as the word itself means warmth. Although inflammation serves a vital role in the body’s defense and repair systems, chronic inflammation can cause more harm than good.

We now know that certain foods can trigger inflammation in the body and increase risk for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and colon cancer- the colon cancer link was a study published in JAMA Oncology where researchers followed the diets of more than 121,000 people for 26 years.

The foods we eat have a huge impact on our health. Our bodies need the nutrients to function properly. We also need to limit the inflammation-causing foods, as much as we can, to avoid health problems.

While not endorsing any specific diet, the list of inflammatory foods to avoid includes 5 major foods/food groups.

1. SUGAR – no surprise that sugar occupies the top spot. This includes the obvious ones such as candy, sodas, processed foods, anything with high fructose corn syrup, as well as added sugars where you would not expect to find it, such as canned tomato sauce for example. Eating a diet high in sugar can directly lead to the elevation of inflammatory markers in our bloodstream.
2. TRANS FAT – what are trans fats? Basically, it is previously unsaturated fat with hydrogen mixed in to make it more stable and these include margarine, lard, and fried or fast foods, unfortunately, even the delicious French fries. This does not mean of course, that we never enjoy French fries, but just that we don’t eat them every day, or every week. Instead, save for a special treat. Your taste buds will adapt and more importantly, the C Reactive protein in your blood, which is a non-specific marker of inflammation, will not be elevated
3. REFINED CARBOHYDRATES – these are carbs with all the good stuff taken out – such as bran, wheat germ, and fiber. This is all the white stuff- white bread, white rice, white pasta. These foods have a high glycemic index, which means they make your blood sugar spike quickly and provide almost no nutritional benefits. Good substitutes would be brown rice, whole wheat bread, etc.
4. RED MEATS AND PROCESSED MEATS – this includes that deliciously juicy steak that you were dreaming of- this includes AGEs or advanced glycation end products, which are compounds that are directly linked to inflammation, and unfortunately to cancer. Processed meats include hot dogs, bologna, etc. as these are preserved with nitrates, and are on the level one carcinogen list. Besides, does the thought of eating packaged meat that has been sitting around in preservatives sound even the least bit appealing? Not to most of us.
5. VEGETABLE AND SEED OILS – In excess, oils are pro-inflammatory. They contain too much omega-6 fatty acids. This in excess is of course inflammation-causing. Besides using limited amounts of oils for sautéing food, some creative ways are to use broth instead for flavor and use an air fryer.

So there you have it- the top 5 food groups to reduce consumption of and protect your body from harmful inflammation that can lead to adverse health consequences.

As always, this article is not meant to give medical advice. Please consult with your primary care physicians for specific questions related to your health