Inflammation is both friend and foe. It's your friend when it's battling bacterial and viral invaders, repairing damaged tissue and removing debris. But when chronic, low-grade inflammation -- which leads to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and stroke -- occurs from eating unhealthy foods, it's definitely foe. Ditch pro-inflammatory foods to reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
Refined Carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates -- white rice, white bread, sugary soft drinks, breakfast cereals, cake, candy and French fries -- send a large amount of rapidly absorbed sugar into your bloodstream, causing blood sugar and insulin levels to rise quickly. Cytokines, or chemicals involved in inflammation, are then released, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Instead, get your carbohydrates from whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Oatmeal, barley, bulgur, brown rice, whole-grain breads and pastas are digested more slowly, smoothing the rise of blood sugar, insulin and cytokines after meals. Vegetables and fruits are also good sources of healthy carbohydrates, and they have the added bonus of phytochemicals -- compounds that are known to fight inflammation. These are also found in teas, dark chocolate and spices.
Omega-6 Fats
Corn oil and other oils high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats -- safflower, sunflower cottonseed and soybean -- cause inflammation when they're not consumed in balance with omega-3 oils, according to "Arthritis Today." The typical American diet provides an overabundance of omega-6 fats but very little omega-3 fats. Snack foods, fried foods and most margarines and spreads are filled with omega-6 oils. Instead, choose foods high in omega-3s, such as salmon, sardines and other fatty fish. Ask your doctor about omega-3 oil supplementation to ensure you're getting enough of its anti-inflammatory benefits.
Saturated Fats
A diet high in saturated fats causes chronic inflammation and increases the risk for diabetes, according to an article by Susan J van Dijk and colleagues about the link between saturated fat, inflammation and metabolic syndrome in the October 2009 issue of "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Saturated fats raise cholesterol. They're found in beef, lamb, pork, veal, tropical oils, poultry fat, cream, milk, butter, cheese and any dairy products made with whole or 2 percent milk. In contrast, a diet high in monounsaturated fats -- healthy fats found in olive and canola oils, almonds, walnuts, salmon, sardines, avocados and olives -- reduce inflammation and the risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, the authors explain.
References
- USDA: How Foods From Plants Protect Us From Disease
- Mayo Clinic Health Letter: Buzzed on 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
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: A Saturated Fatty Acid--Rich Diet Induces an Obesity-Linked Proinflammatory Gene Expression Profile in Adipose Tissue of Subjects at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
- Arthritis Today: Inflammation and Foods That Fight It
- Americah Heart Association: Know Your Fats
