Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Foods that Cause Inflammation

A robust immune system is an important defense against viruses and other invaders.

But sometimes, our immune response can be a problem. Less immediate threats can trigger a smoldering type of low-grade inflammation, which over time leads to tissue damage and disease. Interestingly, much of this inflammatory response is within our control through lifestyle choices—including our diet.

Let’s explore some of the foods that cause inflammation, as well as some helpful anti-inflammatory foods.

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is the battle our body wages to ward off perceived threats. There are multiple lines of defense, including white blood cells that can literally devour intruders, antibodies that bind and entangle them, and a whole host of chemicals that the body produces while in the heat of the battle—so-called inflammatory markers.

More pronounced forms of inflammation are visible and may be accompanied by pain and swelling, such as when the body fights to heal an infected wound.

But the low-level inflammation triggered by a poor-quality diet is different. It churns up the body’s defenses more subtly and insidiously—in fact, diet-related inflammation is often imperceptible until it has produced serious harm.

What does food have to do with inflammation?

Unhealthy foods can set off our immune system in two ways:

• Long-term exposure to excessive amounts of added sugar and saturated fat can activate a cascade of specialized reactions, triggering an internal alarm and inflammatory response.

• A second mechanism of action involves food acting directly on our genes. An emerging field called epigenetics has found that while our genes are inherited, their function can be influenced by environmental factors. Adverse food choices can turn on the genes that trigger inflammation, while anti-inflammatory foods can turn off those genes.

How can low-grade inflammation cause disease?

Inflammatory cells can insert themselves into tissues and, over time, weaken them. For example, heart attacks are known to be triggered, in part, by inflammation. Until recently, heart attacks were thought to arise from gradual narrowing of arteries caused by cholesterol deposits. We now know that, in addition to cholesterol buildup, a heart attack is often preceded by inflammatory cells burrowing into an artery, making it susceptible to a volcanic-like eruption.

How is the impact of diet on inflammation determined?

When the body’s inflammatory response is ignited, a variety of chemicals are released into the bloodstream. To determine the degree of inflammation, doctors may order a blood test that measures the levels of these inflammatory markers in the blood.

One of the more common blood tests to assess overall inflammation is high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, or hs-CRP. Foods that raise the level of inflammatory markers like hs-CRP are regarded as pro-inflammatory, while those associated with reduced levels are considered anti-inflammatory. The degree to which foods promote inflammation is determined by comparing diet histories with the level of inflammatory markers like hs-CRP.

Which foods promote inflammation?

Substances known to promote inflammation include high levels of added sugar, starches that are quickly converted into sugar (like white bread), and saturated fat. Just about all highly processed foods, including most fast food, packaged snacks, and fried foods, are pro-inflammatory. Diets that include high intake of meat and dairy can also be pro-inflammatory.

What is an anti-inflammatory diet?

Although there are many variations of an anti-inflammatory diet, a common denominator is that they emphasize high intake of vegetables and fruit. Vegetables and fruit are rich in specialized phytochemicals (literally, “plant” chemicals) that have a unique ability to turn down the thermostat on harmful levels of chronic inflammation. Nuts and whole grains are also rich in phytochemicals and, unless individuals have special sensitivities to these items, they exert a similar anti-inflammatory effect.

The best part is that while a healthy diet helps to suppress chronic inflammation, the same phytochemicals found in vegetables and fruit also strengthen the body’s ability to turbo-charge an immune response to more serious threats, like those from infections.

How could the concept of anti-inflammatory foods affect our diet choices?

As research on the impact of diet and health continues to expand, we’ve learned that food is not just a collection of substances that merely raise or lower blood sugar and cholesterol. Now, with our understanding of how diet can exert a profound effect on the biology of our immune system, one that can even reach to the level of our genes, we have more reason than ever to double down on a plant-forward diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, and whole grains.

References:

Dietary Patterns Associated with Biomarkers of Inflammation

Associations of Dietary Intake on Biological Markers of Inflammation

Strengthening the Immune Response with Anti-Inflammatory Foods