Today I am going to tell you what are my favorite anti-inflammatory foods —Delicious, fresh, loaded with the vibrant energy of the sun, the earth, and mother nature.
Foods that have only one ingredient will give you vitality and energy, helping us eliminate toxins and combat the adverse effects of free radicals and inflammation.
Dear wives, moms, and grandmothers, not knowing about nutrition at the time we live is not an option. You will learn today everything about the top anti-inflammatory foods that will help you boost your health.
Life has evolved and with it, food.
The food industry is continually bombarding us with new chemicals that make their products more addictive. And generally, these new ingredients are detrimental to our well-being and health.
Most of the time, the health of our family is in our hands. And since, in general, we are in charge of cooking and feeding our loved ones, it is better if we know what we are putting on our tables.
Why do we need to learn about anti-inflammatory foods and lifestyle?
“The doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease”—Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931)”
A poor diet can have a profound negative impact not only on our health but also on our finances and the general well-being of our entire family.
We don’t need to wait to get sick to start taking care of ourselves, loving our bodies, and respecting our well-being. Having radiant physical and mental health is our right and natural state as a human being.
What is inflammation, and why should we worry about it?
Inflammation is a natural process of our body. It is what happens when our organism is healing.
For example, if you burn yourself while cooking, that area will become red, swollen, and hurt. The body will send higher blood flow and, with it, proteins and antibodies to repair the damaged area while fighting any possible infection.
Many factors inflame us: A sedentary lifestyle, smoking, an inflammatory diet, sleep disorders, continued stress, and exposure to toxins and environmental pollution.
The biggest problem is that chronic inflammation can lead us to suffer horrible diseases that will significantly deteriorate our health. Among them are autoimmune diseases, which are increasingly common among the population, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, diseases of the nervous system, depression, and cancer.
Thus, it is good to adopt lifestyles that help us combat and control this silent condition.
Anti-inflammatory foods and their benefits
Introducing anti-inflammatory foods in our diet is a habit that can help us a lot.
These foods are rich in antioxidants and other nutrients such as Omega 3 fatty acids (which is one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatories) that will optimize our health.
Eating anti-inflammatory foods can help reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, diabetes, asthma, coronary heart disease, hypothyroidism, acid reflux, ulcers, and general digestive and intestinal disorders.
As a result, having an anti-inflammatory diet, combined with other healthy habits, will make us feel with more vitality and energy.
What are those wonderful anti-inflammatory foods?
1- Olives oil
Get used to reading your product labels. Especially this one, so you make sure you get extra virgin olive oil, which is the least processed and contains the most nutrients.
Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats called oleic acid.
It reduces inflammation and can even have beneficial effects on genes related to cancer.
Olive oil contains highly anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Thanks to this, it can help you prevent heart disease, obesity, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
It also has antibacterial properties.
Seeds and nuts, potent anti-inflammatory foods
2- Nuts like almonds and walnuts
Walnuts provide healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It has more significant antioxidant activity than other nuts because it is rich in vitamin E, melatonin, and polyphenols.
It is a super source of Omega-3, magnesium and arginine, an essential amino acid. Thanks to these components, it has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect.
Among its many benefits, we find that it promotes intestinal health, supports weight control, and healthy aging. It supports proper brain function and male reproductive health.
For its part, almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, antioxidants, and vitamin E, making it a powerful anti-inflammatory food.
Besides all these properties, almonds are low in carbs.
Some benefits of almonds include that they help lower blood sugar levels. It reduces blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss.
3- Chia & Flaxseeds
Both chia and flaxseed are full of essential nutrients such as protein, omega-3 fatty acids, folates, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
The main health benefits of Flax seeds and Chia seeds are the high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, and fiber.
Lignans have anti-estrogenic effects that inhibit cell growth in breast tumors.
Check here my recipe for bread rich in Omega 3, where these two are the star ingredients.
Anti-inflammatory fruits
4- Berries
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, goji berries are highly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
They are high in fiber, Vitamin C, folates, Manganese, and Copper.
Also, Berries contain some antioxidants such as ellagic acid and resveratrol, which help decrease skin aging signs related to sun exposure.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory benefits, they improve blood sugar and insulin response, promote good heart health, and protect against cancer.
Berries are undeniably delicious. You can easily add them to your diet since they are perfect as snacks, desserts, and you can put them in your smoothies, homemade ice cream, and salads.
5- Avocados
The avocado is rich in nutrients, as well as delicious. Its creamy texture and flavor make it ideal to combine in different recipes, from the famous guacamole to salads, toasts, smoothies, and desserts.
It contains a wide variety of nutrients that includes 20 different vitamins and minerals. We can find Vitamin C, E, K, B5, B6, Potassium, and Folate.
It also contains, but in fewer quantities magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous, and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).
The majority of the fat in avocado is oleic acid, which reduces inflammation. It’s also rich in antioxidants.
Consuming avocado can help us prevent heart disease risk, obesity, and cancer. It protects our eyes and helps us to absorb nutrients better and also might help relieve Arthritis symptoms.
6- Cherries
Cherries are delicious and highly nutritious. They contain vitamins such as Vitamin C, K and B vitamins, minerals such as Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, Copper, and dietary fiber.
Cherries are abundant in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Especially polyphenols that help fight cellular damage and reduce inflammation.
Polyphenol-rich diets protect us from many chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, mental decline, and cancer.
Besides, cherries are rich in melatonin, which improves our sleep quality. And we know that if we are sleeping well, we have a better chance of good health.
7- Citrus fruits
Oranges, lemons, pomelos, grapefruits, mandarins, and limes are all citrus fruits. These are excellent sources of Vitamin C, which is essential for a great immune system function and the health of our skin and bones.
Citrus fruits are also rich in B vitamins, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, and copper. They also contain flavonoids, carotenoids, and essential oils that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Thanks to these antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, citrus fruits help prevent cancer, heart diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Drinking or eating citrus fruits may help prevent kidney stones since they are rich in potassium citrate, a mineral which deficiency can cause this ailment.
Eating the whole fruit is the best way to consume citrus since the juices contain a high amount of fructose, which is counterproductive for your liver and general health.
Lemon is the exception, as it contains almost no sugar.
A curious fact about lemon is that its peel contains 5 to 10 times more nutrients than its juice.
The white part is loaded with multiple nutrients, including bioflavonoids, vitamins, and minerals.
So, don’t throw it away. One way to use it is by freezing the lemon and grating it on salads or desserts. You can also use the peel to make tea. I like to put the whole lemon in my extractor when I make my green juices so that I can get the peel’s benefits.
Powerful anti-inflammatory vegetables
8- Green leafy vegetables such as spinach
Consuming a varied diet rich in dark green vegetables brings many benefits and is a fundamental step in maintaining optimal health.
Microgreens, wheatgrass, watercress, chard, beet greens, spinach, and chicory are vegetables that provide us with a large amount of dietary fiber and high-quality micro and macronutrients. Among them, we can find proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins A, C, B, K, folates, magnesium, calcium, iron, and potassium.
And also, antioxidants, such as chlorophyll, which is a potent anti-inflammatory.
The benefits of consuming vegetables rich in chlorophyll include stimulating the immune system, eliminating fungi in the body, and detoxifying your blood.
They clean your intestines, help get rid of bad smells, energize the body, and help prevent cancer.
9- Cruciferous
The cruciferous family includes arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, radish, turnips, and mustard greens, among others.
Recently, the popularity of these plants has increased since they seem to have anti-cancer properties.
The component responsible for this benefit is called glucosinolates (sulfur-containing chemicals), which it’s also what gives this type of vegetable its peculiar aroma and taste.
They are also packed with phytonutrients, which are plant-based compounds that can help reduce inflammation.
Rizhomes and roots with anti-inflammatory properties
10- Turmeric
Turmeric has natural compounds called curcuminoids that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
It’s so powerful that its action matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen.
Thanks to these components, Turmeric can prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
For its absorption, it is better to combine it with black pepper and some fatty acid. Because piperine, a natural compound in black pepper, helps absorb curcumin by 2000%. And also because curcumin is fat-soluble.
11- Ginger
Ginger and Turmeric are both rhizomes from the Zingiberaceae family.
Ginger is beneficial as anti-inflammatory thanks to the compounds called gingerols.
It helps prevent nausea, menstrual cramps, muscle pain, and even cancer. It has a beneficial impact on osteoarthritis, brain function, chronic indigestion, and blood sugar levels.
Check here if you want to know more about ginger health benefits.
12- Garlic
Garlic contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. It has been used since ancient times to cure and treat different diseases.
It is known to combat the common cold, reduce blood pressure, and risk of cardiovascular disease.
The sulfur compounds in garlic have high depuratives and antibiotic benefits.
It’s super easy to add it raw or cooked to your meals. Don’t hesitate to use it because it can benefit your health immensely.
Effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory foods
13- Dark chocolate & Cocoa
Eating chocolate is not just a fancy craving. Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, prebiotics, probiotics, and nutrients.
Its consumption improves our mood, helps fight inflammation, improves insulin resistance, reduces our risk of heart disease and stroke, and supports collagen production. So many benefits!
Ok, let’s have some chocolate!
But always remember that chocolate that contains 85% cocoa or more is the best. Look at this detail the next time you go to buy chocolate. The lower the percentage of chocolate, the lower the health benefits it contains. Generally, a smaller portion of cacao will mean more sugars, milk, and other unhealthy ingredients.
If you are one of those who crave chocolate during your periods, choose dark chocolate. It will lower your stress level while boosting your mood by increasing your endorphins. Dark chocolate contains omega-3s and magnesium, which will significantly help with menstrual cramps and reducing pain.
14- Matcha
We all already know the impressive properties of green tea as anti-inflammatory. But do you know matcha?
Matcha is a powder from the leaves of green tea, so you are consuming not only the infusion but also the entire plant.
As a result, its concentration of antioxidants and nutrients is higher. To give you an idea: A single cup may be equivalent to about 3 cups of regular green tea.
The most abundant antioxidant in matcha is catechins, which have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on our bodies.
Do not consume more than two cups per day and always try to get the organic one, since you are consuming the whole leaf of tea; it has more risk of containing pesticides and other contaminants.
You can add it to your desserts and smoothies.
Summary
This article was an extensive one, but I didn’t want to miss mentioning any of these anti-inflammatory foods’ properties.
They are not only delicious but nutritious and can help us fight chronic inflammation.
I hope you found it useful and informative.
If you want to know more about this topic, you can click here to find out about the worst inflammatory foods that you should avoid for optimal health.
