Introduction
If you suffer from chronic inflammation, you may be wondering what you can do to reduce it. Dietitians say that certain eating habits can make your inflammation worse, so it’s important to be aware of what you’re eating and how it affects your body. Eating the wrong foods can increase inflammation, while eating the right foods can help reduce it. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the eating habits that make your inflammation worse, as well as some tips on what to eat instead. We’ll also provide some general advice on how to make healthier eating choices. By following these tips, you can help reduce your inflammation and improve your overall health.
Eating Habits That Make Your Inflammation Worse, Say Dietitians
Inflammation is a natural response to injury or infection, but when it becomes chronic, it can lead to a variety of health problems. Dietitians say that certain eating habits can make inflammation worse, so it’s important to be aware of them and make changes to your diet if necessary.
Avoid These Foods
Dietitians recommend avoiding foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, and sugar. These include red and processed meats, fried foods, and sugary snacks and drinks. Eating too much of these foods can increase inflammation in the body.
Choose Healthy Fats
Instead of saturated and trans fats, dietitians recommend choosing healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. These foods contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help reduce inflammation.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants and other nutrients that can help reduce inflammation. Dietitians recommend eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every day to get the most benefit.
Limit Refined Grains
Refined grains like white bread, white rice, and pasta are stripped of their fiber and other nutrients. Eating too much of these foods can increase inflammation, so dietitians recommend limiting them and choosing whole grains instead.
Eat More Fish
Fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation. Dietitians recommend eating at least two servings of fish per week to get the most benefit.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is important for overall health, and it can also help reduce inflammation. Dietitians recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water per day to stay hydrated.
Conclusion
Eating habits can have a big impact on inflammation levels in the body. Dietitians recommend avoiding foods that are high in saturated and trans fats, choosing healthy fats, eating more fruits and vegetables, limiting refined grains, eating more fish, and staying hydrated. Making these changes to your diet can help reduce inflammation and improve your overall health.
Chronic inflammation is a common problem among Americans. While factors like genetics, preexisting conditions, and lack of movement can contribute to your risk, one of the biggest culprits is the food we eat on a regular basis.
“Inflammation is a fundamental component of the body’s natural healing process, but chronic inflammation is something else entirely. It’s when these natural immune system responses persist over time, and as research has found, this can lead to other health issues such as joint pain, heart disease, brain fog, and even cancer,” says registered dietitian Ronald Smith, RD.
To learn more about how to lower chronic inflammation in your body, we talked to a few dietitians about the eating habits making your inflammation worse, so you can cut them out. Continue reading to find out what changes you can make to your daily diet, and for more healthy eating tips make sure to check out The 5 Best Spices for Inflammation.
Eating too many trans and saturated fats can lead to unwanted inflammation, especially if consumed on a regular basis over time.
“Foods high in saturated fat, can increase inflammation, and some of the worst offenders are fried foods and processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, and hot dogs,” says Smith.
Opting for healthier fats that contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation. This includes using oils like olive or flaxseed oil, and consuming foods like salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds.
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To reduce inflammation, you’ll want to consider limiting your amount of refined carbohydrates. “These include white bread, crackers, pasta, and many baked goods,” says Smith.
Because refined carbs are high in sugar and low in nutrients, they can cause inflammation and spikes in blood sugar. And according to the Cleveland Clinic, these blood sugar spikes can lead to more inflammation over time.
A report from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating high-fiber whole grains can help reduce inflammation, so choosing something like whole-grain bread instead of white bread can help.
If you’re worried about inflammation, avoiding pre-packaged foods that are highly processed is a good place to start.
“Many of these foods will contain added sugars, which themselves are inflammatory. And because they are highly processed, they lack many of the naturally occurring antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that reduce inflammation in the body,” says registered dietitian Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD.
Research has suggested that consuming too much added sugar in your diet can lead to greater inflammatory responses.
You’ll find added sugar in a number of foods, many of which you may not realize have sugar in them, such as condiments like ketchup, granola bars, peanut butter, salad dressing, some types of dried fruit, muffins, fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt, and cereal.
Sugary foods are a major source of inflammation, and according to Smith, sugar-sweetened drinks are even riskier.
“Sodas and other sugar-sweetened drinks provide calories with little nutritional benefit, and over time, too many empty calories from these beverages can lead to weight gain, which is a major risk factor for chronic inflammation.”
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