Inflammation. It can be as acute as appendicitis or as chronic as acne, but it’s basically a general term for when any part of the body becomes tender, hot, swollen and achy.
While inflammation is often just the body’s natural response to illness or injury, there is emerging evidence that the foods we eat can make us inflamed, too. According to researchers, “Western diets” full of sugar, refined starches, saturated fats and trans fats promote inflammation.
But hey! Foods may help fight inflammation, too. If you want to stamp out some of those fires, here are some delicious foods to work into your diet.
Note: Illness and injury can’t be healed by diet alone. If you have chronic or acute pain, visit your GP.
Turmeric.
We LOVE turmeric. Not only is it divinely delicious, the active ingredient curcumin is known to decrease inflammation. The spice has even shown impressive potential to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
As turmeric is fat-soluble, you should eat it with fats to get the most absorption. Like we needed an excuse!
Omega-3 fats.
Omega-3 fatty acids are powerful anti-inflammatories, so much so that scientists are trying to figure out ways to incorporate them in modern medicine. However, Western diets have much higher levels of omega-6, which is linked to promoting inflammation. Uh-oh.
To redress the balance, eat foods high in omega-3: oily fish, chia seeds, walnuts and eggs.
Tomatoes.
Tomatoes contain high levels of lycopene, a potent antioxidant (also what gives tomatoes their red colour). There’s even emerging evidence that this pigment could prevent coronary heart disease down the track.
Randomly, one study found that after tomatoes were cooked in olive oil, they increased lycopene by 82 per cent! Hey, if it’s healthier… *adds another healthy slosh of EVOO onto the bruschetta*.
Baked Pollock with Ginger, Tomatoes & Nuts
Extra virgin olive oil.
Speaking of EVOO, this stuff is pretty special. It’s ripe with antioxidants, including a very exciting one called oleocanthal that’s been shown to inhibit the progression of inflammatory degenerative joint disease.
In a good EVOO, you should be able to taste the oleocanthal – it burns the back of your throat. Check out our checklist on buying the healthiest EVOO here.
Olive Oil, Rosemary + Yoghurt Cake
Dark berries.
We do eat fruit, and a lot of the time it’s berries. Why? Well, apart from their low fructose content, they are jam-packed with antioxidants. Resveratrol, for example, has been shown to protect against metabolic disease and neurological deterioration.
Some of the vitamins in fruit are best absorbed with fat… guess we’ll just have to bring out the home-made chocolate!
What foods have you found help fight inflammation?
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