Eating a diet rich in foods prone to causing inflammation can result in an overloaded immune response system and chronic disease. Symptoms of inflammation can include joint pain, swelling, edema and aggravation of other health problems. The Cleveland Clinic further suggests that flu-like symptoms may also accompany inflammation. Reported symptoms of this nature include fever, chills, fatigue, loss of energy, headaches, loss of appetite and overall muscle stiffness. In addition to omitting pro-inflammatory foods from the diet, it is advised to seek the consultation of a licensed medical professional as these symptoms may be attributable to a life-threatening condition.
Meat
Meat is considered a pro-inflammatory food, especially beef and those cured with nitrates. Red-colored meats such as salami, bologna, sausages and frankfurters also have the addition of curing salts and dangerous preservatives used in processing. The cooking process of meat at home promotes inflammation in techniques such as browning and roasting. The high temperatures release the proteins and sugars together forming damaging advanced glycation end products. The University of California newsroom reports that these glycation end products send insulin levels soaring and interrupt blood flow that fight free radical damage and make the body more susceptible to cancers.
Dairy
Dairy products are also culprits in pro-inflammatory conditions. While some dairy products contain arachidonic acid, an essential fatty acid, the amount needed is minuscule. The University of California San Diego Health System adds that like meat, the sugars produced by animals signal inflammatory processes that increase infectious disease and chronic health conditions such as arthritis and gout. Chronic and acute forms of cancer and heart disease are similarly sourced to these foods.
Processed
Processed foods are generally loaded with trans fats and high rates of saturated fats. These foods are rarely nutritious and often have large amounts of sugar added, a known pro-inflammatory food. Additionally, many grains are processed and refined for convenience in cooking. According to Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, the processing and refinement makes them more nutrient deficient and higher in carbohydrates than if they were left in their whole food state. For example, wheat and corn products lose their nutritional value as they become less and less like they appear in nature. As a general rule of thumb, food that remains closer to its natural state are less inflammatory.
Beverages
Soda pop and heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages are also known inflammatory offenders. They offer little by way of nutrition or nourishment for the body, while the sugars used in their processing are harmful to those that consume them beyond a moderate level. Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide suggests that individuals may benefit from eliminating soda and other sugar-laden drinks, while enjoying low sugar/low fat hot cocoa and a single glass of wine or alcoholic beverage daily to calm the immune system. Alcohol limited to a single serving can lower inflammation, while the opposite is true as consumption increases.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Inflammation, What You Need to Know
- University of California Newsroom: How Eating Red Meat Cancer Spur Cancer Progression
- University of California San Diego Health Systems: Non-Human Sugar in Biotech Drugs Causes Inflammation
- Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide" What You Eat Can Fuel or Cool Inflammation, A Key Driver of Heart Disease, Diabetes and Other Chronic Conditions
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