What foods are anti-inflammatory?

Answer 1

Diets rich in vegetables and fruits help prevent unnecessary inflammation.

Top anti-inflammatory foods include:

1. Vegetables. Lightly cooked organic dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (kale, collards, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), carrots, beets, onions, peas, squashes, and washed raw salad greens are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components.
2. Kelp such as kombu contains fucoidan, a type of complex carbohydrate that is anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-oxidative. The high fiber content of kelp also slows fat absorption and promotes weight loss. But whenever possible, get only organic kelps harvested from unpolluted sea. Besides kombu, wakame, arame, and limu moui are also good sources of fucoidan.
3. Fruits. Brightly colored fruits, especially berries, peaches, nectarines, Oranges, pink grapefruit, red grapes, plums, pomegranates, cherries, apples and Pears, provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory flavonoids and carotenoids.
4. Legumes. Legumes are a low-glycemic-index food rich in folate, magnesium, potassium and soluble fiber. Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy nuts and soy milk provide isoflavones that have antioxidant activity and are protective against cancer.
5. Essential fats. Eat five to seven servings per day of omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats from foods like nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, algae, and phytoplankton. Flax seeds are loaded with alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, an essential omega-3 fatty acid with strong anti-inflammatory effects. ALA is also found in walnuts, soy products, wheat germ, vegetables, fruits, and beans. A second natural fatty acid, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), is found in evening primrose, borage, black currant, and hemp. Vitamin E protects against oxidation of these fatty acids.
6. Cooked Mushrooms. Cooked mushrooms such as shiitake, enokidake, maitake, and oyster mushrooms contain compounds that help enhance immune function.
7. Spices. Add spices generously to each meal for their anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric, ginger, hot red peppers, ginseng, and garlic are all great choices. Curcumin, the yellow pigment in the curry spice turmeric is far safer and more effective than drugs in reducing inflamation.
8. Tea. White, green, and oolong teas, which provide catechins, antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation.
9. Dark chocolate. (70 percent cocoa and higher) eaten sparingly, offers antioxidant benefits.