Food Swaps to Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation plays a role in many diseases, and diet can worsen or improve it. This article highlights simple ways to reduce inflammatory foods. Even small dietary changes can be beneficial for those experiencing symptoms. These changes aren't curative but may help prevent issues and manage symptoms.

The following are considered inflammatory food components.

1. Sugar, especially added sugars

2. Refined Carbohydrates

3. Red and processed meats

4. Fried foods

5. Saturated fats and Omega-6 fatty acids

Reduce Sugar Consumption

1. Swap sodas for water, unsweetened tea, flavored or sparkling waters, without sugar or sweeteners. Since sugar-sweetened beverages account for half of sugar consumption, these changes significantly reduce sugar in the diet.

2. Snack on fruit and nuts rather than cookies or baked goods.

3. Choose healthy dessert options made with fruit, vegetables, dark chocolate, or Greek yogurt.

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4. Reduce ultra-processed foods, which are loaded with added sugars, such as high fructose corn syrup.

5. Make your own salad dressings instead of using commercial ones.

6. Make your own trail mix, granola, and smoothies.

7. Choose plain Greek yogurt and add your own fruit, nuts, and granola instead of ones with additives.

8. Read ingredient labels to ensure that sugars or syrups aren’t in the first 3 ingredients. Look for items with 5 grams of added sugar or fewer and “no added sugar” items in nut butters, pasta sauce, ketchup, and marinades.

Reduce Refined Carbohydrates

Assortment of simple, refined carbohydrates such as white rice, pasta, white bread, crackers, and candies.

1. Swap white bread for whole wheat, sprouted, or whole grain bread.

2. Cook with brown rice rather than white rice.

3. Swap regular pasta for whole wheat pasta or pasta made from vegetables.

4. Choose old-fashioned oatmeal or steel-cut oats rather than instant.

5. Rotate a variety of grains, like quinoa, farro, barley, buckwheat, and more.

6. For baking, use flour made from whole wheat, whole grains, oats, or nuts.

Reduce Processed Meat Consumption

Variety of processed and dried meats.

1. Swap red meat or processed meats for poultry or seafood.

2. Have meatless/vegetarian meals once or twice a week.

3. Use more beans and legumes to provide a hearty texture, without meat.

4. Eat hot dogs, salami, pastrami, dried meats, and lunch meats only rarely.

5. Look for sources of protein other than meat, including eggs, seafood, legumes, soy products, dairy, nuts, seeds, and nut butters.

Avoid Fried Foods (except occasionally)

1. Rather than fried food, choose other cooking methods such as baked, broiled, braised, roasted, boiled, grilled, poached, sautéed, steamed, or sous vide.

Decrease Omega-6 and Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 healthy foods including seafood, avocado, nuts, eggs, flax seeds, and olive oil.

1. When choosing meat, look for grass-fed, or free-range, not grain-fed. Meat from grass-fed animals has a higher omega-3 content.

2. Swap vegetable and seed oils for olive, avocado, and walnut oils.

3. Add nuts and seeds as toppings.

4. Choose fatty fish, rich in omega-3s, such as salmon, sardines, tuna, and trout.

5. Use hummus or mashed avocado on sandwiches rather than mayonnaise.

6. Choose omega-3 fortified eggs.

7. Decrease corn and soybean oils by reducing ultra-processed foods.

8. Decrease fast food and fried foods. Cook at home as much as life allows.

9. Add ground flax, chia, or hemp seeds to smoothies and recipes.

Other Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Incorporate into Your Diet

Berries

Green Tea

Dark, leafy greens

Citrus

Sweet Potatoes

Tomatoes

Peppers

The above swaps will reduce sugar, increase fiber, provide healthy fats, and increase omega-3 fatty acids. Making gradual changes and simple swaps goes a long way in transitioning from a pro-inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory diet!