If you are searching for healthy food options, which can help you fight body inflammation, you are in the right place right now. We are here to present you an ultimate guide to what is the cause of inflammation and what are the top food picks for improving your health. 15 anti-inflammatory foods are enlisted in this article you must add to your daily intake to make your body feel detoxified, cleansed, and revitalized at the same time. Have a read to get informed about what foods are your body systems’ best friends, being the anti-inflammatory powerhouses!
Is your body at risk of inflammation?
To answer the above question, you need to get a clear conception of IS THE CAUSE OF INFLAMMATION? The inflammation is caused due to the cell damage introduced in the body by gathering free radicals. These free radicals are the silent killers of your functional cells as they are highly reactive and unstable molecules. Suppose you are addicted to consuming a massive amount of deep-fried food items, junk food, sugary eatables & beverages, tobacco & alcohol. In that case, you can most probably be high on C- reactive protein (CRP) & homocysteine, which are considered to be the best markers of chronic inflammation found anywhere in the body.
Symptoms indicating inflammation:
An inflamed body’s common symptoms appear when your body lacks the most significant antioxidants, and the oxidative stress is increased. These inflammatory responses may induce many diseases such as arthritis, hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer. The main symptoms of inflammation may include:
● Intermittent fever
● Muscle fatigue and stiffness
● Frequent headaches/ body aches
● Tiredness and loss of energy
● A gradual loss of your normal appetite
● Weight loss
● Anemia ( due to dying RBCs)
If some of the above conditions bother you, get yourself examined as soon as possible, and switch to a healthier diet plan. Listen to what your body calls for!
What sort of diet qualifies to be anti-inflammatory?
Are you curious about what type of food you can categorize into an anti-inflammatory diet? Let us help you!
This doesn’t involve complex statements; rather, they can be explained as a group of foods proven to assist in fighting against body-wide inflammation. Many of the fruits, green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and a variety of lean meat can be suggested to reduce the damage done by inflammation and stop the induction of new inflammatory mechanisms. This is because these anti-inflammatory foods are rich in the greatest antioxidants. These anti-inflammatory powerhouses possess this property due to the enrichment of some super-healthy essential elements such as:
● Omega 3- fatty acids
● Multivitamins
● Dietary fiber
● Antioxidants
The above dietary components reportedly help in:
● Boosting up the body metabolism
● Cutting down unhealthy saturated fats
● Detoxifying the metabolic wastes and residues
● Strengthening the GIT
● Excreting out the harsh chemicals
● Removing the free radicals
A BUNCH OF THESE FOODS WOULD BE A WISE PICK!
Out of a million available options to satisfy your taste buds, we have chosen a couple of natural and beneficial options. These are a treat not only to your taste buds but to your immunity too. These anti-inflammatory powerhouses will gradually involve your body systems in a progressing and consistent healing process. Let’s enlist some of the most recommended food options for combating the inflammation:
Fifteen foods that fight inflammation
1. Pineapple
Pineapple is topping this list of 15 anti-inflammatory foods, because it has a key biological component Bromelain, an immuno-modulatory enzyme that usually improves the process of protein digestion, strengthens your heart, and eliminates the risk of your blood platelets from sticking up to the walls of your blood vessels. Other benefits of pineapple include a noticeable amount of inflammation-fighting agents such as :
● Vitamin C
● Vitamin B1
● Potassium
● Manganese
● Antioxidants
● Phytonutrients
All of these are registered to mark a healing impact on your heart, circulation, metabolism, and general health mechanisms.
2. Cherries
The nutrients that make cherries stand out in this list are the anthocyanins, which boost up this tangy fruit’s antioxidant property. This is also responsible for the hues of dark blue, which all of us love about cherries. They possess :
● Vitamin. A
● Folic acid
● Potassium
● Dietary fiber
So going ahead to have a handful of this fruit or having them in the form of a fresh icy granita will not only calm your palate but the greatest antioxidants found in it will freshen your whole body as well.
3. Olive Oil
Out of 15 anti-inflammatory foods, intaking anti-inflammatory fats is one of the easiest options to consume a healthy and healing diet. One of the best omega 3 foods, Olive oil, is proven to be the star of the show when it comes to getting yourself a good amount of:
● Essential fatty acids (omega 3s)
● Vitamin E
● Vitamin K
Globally recognized researchers say that you need to know the cause of inflammation if you seek help to get rid of it. The accumulation of bad cholesterol mostly triggers inflammation. Poaching your portion of lean meat with olive oil can aid in lowering your LDL/ bad cholesterol levels and boosting your immunity. Olive oil is also listed in the best omega-3 foods. However, please take it in a controlled amount in your anti-inflammatory diet to avoid unexpected weight gain.
4. Green vegetables
Fresh, leafy, and cruciferous green vegetables are among the best foods you can indulge in for having a guilt-free healthy, and anti-inflammatory diet.
Consume the following vegetables in your anti-inflammatory diet daily to induce a fast detoxifying and healing process in your body:
● Broccoli
● Celery
● Swiss chard
● Spinach
● Cabbage
● Mint
● Zucchini
You will be surprised to see how filling they are. You will develop a habit of eating in recommended portions as well. These greens are having extremely high levels of antioxidants, thus getting you rid of the oxidative stress. Also, this component of your anti-inflammatory diet will guarantee to provide you with the greatest antioxidants, restore your cellular health and functioning, protect your brain, and clean your GIT, owing to the abundance of:
● Multivitamins
● Anti-inflammatory flavonoids
● Minerals (potassium, iron, zinc)
5. Walnuts
Walnuts are here in this list as they are among the best omega-3 foods, and their anti-inflammatory properties leave other dry fruits, seeds, and nuts behind. They have great proven benefits in terms of:
● Reduction of bad cholesterol
● Provision of the omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, copper, and manganese ( walnuts are among the best omega-3 foods)
● Regulation of blood pressure
● Sharpening of your intellect by uplifting your brain function
Perk up your anti-inflammatory diet by reaching for some raw & unsalted walnuts in a snack break and adding a little crunch of instant energy to your tiresome day.
6. Ginger
Ginger is one of the herbs which are proven to be anti-inflammatory powerhouses. Health benefits of ginger are well-recognized as it is exceptionally high in:
● Zinc
● vitamin C
● folate
Ginger is a well-known immuno-modulator. The Health benefits of ginger assist in healing the inflammatory damage caused due to overactive responses of the immune system. Health experts praise the health benefits of ginger. It is said to:
● Warm-up your body
● Break down the toxin accumulation
● Cleanse the lymphatic system
Because of ginger’s health benefits, it has been used as a folk medicine to treat inflammation in allergy and asthma for centuries now.
7. Salmon
Salmon is the ultimate choice of fatty fish lovers. Being an excellent source of good fatty acids, it has been ranked among the best omega-3 foods. And all of us are well aware of how potent the anti-inflammatory substance Omega-3 is. Regular intake of salmon shows a constant relief in chronic illnesses such as:
● Cardiovascular diseases
● Different types of cancers
● Arthritis
The brain requires a good amount of omega-3 as well. Therefore, foods rich in this healthy fat appear to enhance the brain’s behavioral and cognitive performance. The best omega-3 foods are extremely helpful in keeping the memory intact.
8. CHIA SEEDS
● Reducing oxidative stress and providing some of the greatest antioxidants
The anti-inflammatory powerhouses, chia, have the most balanced proportions of fats inside them. Chia seeds benefits are endless when it comes to:
● Enrichment of a bundle of nutrients such as manganese, sulfur, vitamins ABE, iron, niacin, strontium, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, thiamin, and whatnot.
They also reverse inflammation and protect the heart from strokes.
9. Flax seeds
Showing competence with chia seeds, flax seeds are in the race of being filled with healing components. Shortlisted benefits of flax seeds are mentioned as follows:
● Slowing down the aging process
● Balancing the hormones
● Preventing the cellular death
A unique fiber-related polyphenol lignan, found in flaxseeds, provides the body with many antioxidants. They are also rich in fiber.
10. Beets
The vibrant signature red color of these roots are given to them by one of the greatest antioxidants, betalain. This enzyme is the inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase enzymes, which are known to originate and trigger inflammations.
Beets provide nutrients like:
● Minerals (manganese, potassium, and iron)
● Detoxifying components
They are undoubtedly helpful in removing harmful agents from your body and also provide a noticeable fiber content.
11. Bok Choy
Commonly known by the name of Chinese cabbage, this unique vegetable surprisingly falls in this list with the great levels of almost 70 antioxidant phenolic substances. Isn’t it shocking?
A small portion of the bok choy can fulfill your antioxidant requirements for the whole day. Health advantages of bok choy also include lowering the risk of developing cancers in:
● Lungs
● Prostate glands
● Colon.
12. Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the most active anti-inflammatory foods introduced to humanity ever. The benefits of turmeric are divine because its most important nutrient, curcumin, primarily recognizes the inflammation and readily stops its progression and prevalence.
Most of you might be unaware of the anti-inflammatory potency of a pinch of turmeric, which is shockingly times higher than aspirin.
Turmeric is:
● A pain reliever
● An energy booster
● A loyal companion of your immune system
13. Bone Broth
The health benefits of bone broth owe to its amazing nutritional value. It contains:
● Calcium
● Potassium
● Silicon
● Magnesium
● Essential regulating minerals
Therefore, it helps in the absorption of healthy nutrients in body cells and strengthens them so that they become able to fight against inflammatory invaders.
Apart from cellular health, bone broth is recommended for giving relief in bones and joint pain.
14. Avocado
The smooth texture of this pretty green fruit is due to the healthy fats it is enriched in. Using avocado as a diet will provide you with:
● Vitamin E
● Monounsaturated fats
● Two powerhouses of anti-inflammatory nature
Eating avocados will improve the overall body functioning, boost energy levels, and flourish your skin like never before.
15. Watermelon
Watermelon possesses fat-soluble properties. Therefore, it can cut down the saturated fats in your body. It also has the anti-inflammatory compound lycopene. We can’t even justify to pen down the vast range of health benefits of watermelon. However, some of them are:
● It keeps you hydrated.
● It reduces oxidative stress.
● It relieves muscle soreness.
● It helps to lower the inflammation.
● It stops macular degeneration.
● It improves your digestion.
Shortly, this juicy treat can give you several essential minerals, a lot of water content, and fiber.
A short message to take away:
The nutritionists believe in You are what you eat!
The essence of this article is to make you comprehend the cause of inflammation, and the importance of healthy eating is. All of the foods listed above promise to bless you with all of the nutrients and the greatest anti-oxidants your body requires. The goodness of nature found in these foods will rejuvenate, nourish, and stabilize your general health. All of these recommendations are the top choices of nutritionists, health experts, medical practitioners, and fitness coaches to add to your diet when you want to get rid of any inflammation in your body. Who wants chemical treatments and unpleasant heavy doses of medicines when you have such delicious food to opt for. Grab on some of these daily & you are good to go!