Benefits from an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

There is a lot of health buzz around the term “inflammation” right now. From new scientific discoveries¹⁾Barney, J. Inflammation discovery could slow aging, prevent age-related diseases. MedicalXPress, July 24, 2023 to celebrities²⁾Patterson C. Gwyneth Paltrow Addresses ‘Backlash’ Over Anti-Inflammatory Diet, Says She Eats ‘More Than Bone Broth’. People.com March 17, 2023 and social media influencers, it seems like everyone is talking about this important bodily process and its potential impact on our health.

“Inflammaging” is a specific term you may also have seen. It’s an age-related increase in persistent, low-grade inflammation in blood and tissue, which is a strong risk factor for many conditions and diseases.³⁾Franceschi, C., Garagnani, P., Parini, P. et al. Inflammaging: a new immune–metabolic viewpoint for age-related diseases. Nat Rev Endocrinol 14, 576–590 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-018-0059-4

So, can an anti-inflammatory diet help reduce inflammation? Let’s take a look.

What is inflammation?

When our body becomes injured or encounters an infection, it activates defense mechanisms to protect itself. It does this by instructing our cells to fight off the invader. This fighting process causes inflammation, which often presents as swelling, redness and pain.⁴⁾Furman, D., Campisi, J., Verdin, E. et al. Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med 25, 1822–1832 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0

In the short term, inflammation is a sign your body is healing, whether from a grazed knee or a cold.

If inflammation persists for a longer time it’s called “chronic”. That can indicate a health problem⁵⁾Schett, G., Neurath, M.F. Resolution of chronic inflammatory disease: universal and tissue-specific concepts. Nat Commun 9, 3261 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05800-6 such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, dementia or other autoimmune disorders.

The signs and symptoms⁶⁾Pahwa R, Goyal A, Jialal I. Chronic Inflammation. 2023 Aug 7. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 29630225. of chronic inflammation may be present from several months to years and include:

1. persistent pain
2. chronic fatigue or insomnia
3. joint stiffness
4. skin problems
5. elevated blood markers (such as C-reactive protein)⁷⁾C-reactive protein (CRP) blood test https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/c-reactive-protein-CRP-blood-test
6. gastrointestinal issues (constipation, diarrhoea, acid reflux)
7. depression, anxiety and mood disorders
8. unintended weight gain or loss
9. frequent colds or flu.

What role does diet play?

The relationship between food and inflammation is well recognized.⁸⁾Dario Giugliano, Antonio Ceriello, Katherine Esposito, The Effects of Diet on Inflammation: Emphasis on the Metabolic Syndrome, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volume 48, Issue 4, 2006, Pages 677-685, ISSN 0735-1097, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2006.03.052. Overall, some food components may activate the immune system by producing pro-inflammatory cytokines (small proteins important in cell signaling) or reducing inflammation by the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines.

A “pro-inflammatory diet” may increase inflammation in the body over the long term.⁹⁾Hockey M. Clear evidence for a link between pro-inflammatory diets and 27 chronic diseases. Here’s how you can eat better. The Conversation. April 22, 2021 Such diets are usually low in fresh produce like fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, and high in commercially baked goods, fried foods, added sugars and red and processed meats.

In contrast, an “anti-inflammatory” diet is associated with less inflammation in the body. There is no single anti-inflammatory diet. Two well-recognized, evidence-backed examples are the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

Anti-inflammatory diets typically include the following elements:

1. high in antioxidants. These compounds help the body fight free radicals or unstable atoms, that in high quantities are linked to illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. The best way to consume antioxidants is by eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Research shows frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables can be just as good as fresh.¹⁰⁾Kuhnle G et.al. Frozen and tinned foods can be just as nutritious as fresh produce – here’s how. The Conversation. March 21, 2021

2. high in “healthy”, unsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fats and omega-3-fatty acids are found in fish, seeds, nuts, and plant-based oils (olive oil and flaxseed oil).

3. high in fiber and prebiotics. Carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and leafy greens are good sources of fiber. Prebiotics promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in our intestines and can come from onions, leeks, asparagus, garlic, bananas, lentils and legumes.

4. low in processed foods. These contain refined carbohydrates (pastries, pies, sugar-sweetened beverages, deep-fried foods and processed meats).

Rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, depression

There is mixed evidence for the role of anti-inflammatory diets in rheumatoid arthritis pain management. A recent 2021 systematic review (where researchers carefully group and examine the available evidence on a topic) found eating an anti-inflammatory diet likely leads to significantly lower pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis when compared with other diets.¹¹⁾Schönenberger KA, Schüpfer AC, Gloy VL, Hasler P, Stanga Z, Kaegi-Braun N, Reber E. Effect of Anti-Inflammatory Diets on Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 24;13(12):4221. doi: 10.3390/nu13124221.

However, the 12 studies included in the review had a high risk of bias – likely because people knew they were eating healthy foods – so the confidence in the evidence was low.

Inflammation is strongly implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia¹²⁾McGrattan AM, McGuinness B, McKinley MC, Kee F, Passmore P, Woodside JV, McEvoy CT. Diet and Inflammation in Cognitive Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease. Curr Nutr Rep. 2019 Jun;8(2):53-65. doi: 10.1007/s13668-019-0271-4. and evidence suggests anti-inflammatory diets might help to protect the brain.

A 2016 review showed an anti-inflammatory diet may be protective against cognitive impairment and dementia, but that further large randomized controlled trials are needed.¹³⁾Petersson SD, Philippou E. Mediterranean Diet, Cognitive Function, and Dementia: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. Adv Nutr. 2016 Sep 15;7(5):889-904. doi: 10.3945/an.116.012138. A 2021 study followed 1,059 people for three years and observed their diet. They reported those with a greater pro-inflammatory diet had an increased risk of developing dementia.¹⁴⁾Charisis S, Ntanasi E, Yannakoulia M, Anastasiou CA, Kosmidis MH, Dardiotis E, Gargalionis AN, Patas K, Chatzipanagiotou S, Mourtzinos I, Tzima K, Hadjigeorgiou G, Sakka P, Kapogiannis D, Scarmeas N. Diet Inflammatory Index and Dementia Incidence: A Population-Based Study. Neurology. 2021 Dec 14;97(24):e2381-e2391. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012973.

Inflammation has also been linked with mental health, with people eating a pro-inflammatory diet reporting more symptoms of depression.¹⁵⁾Adjibade M, Lemogne C, Touvier M, Hercberg S, Galan P, Assmann KE, Julia C, Kesse-Guyot E. The Inflammatory Potential of the Diet is Directly Associated with Incident Depressive Symptoms Among French Adults. J Nutr. 2019 Jul 1;149(7):1198-1207. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxz045. Diet is the fundamental element of lifestyle approaches to managing anxiety and mental health.¹⁶⁾Manger S. Lifestyle interventions for mental health. doi: 10.31128/AJGP-06-19-4964

More broadly, a 2021 review paper examined recent research related to anti-inflammatory diets and their effect on reducing inflammation associated with aging. It found compounds commonly found in anti-inflammatory diets could help alleviate the inflammatory process derived from diseases and unhealthy diets.¹⁷⁾Stromsnes K, Correas AG, Lehmann J, Gambini J, Olaso-Gonzalez G. Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Diet: Role in Healthy Aging. Biomedicines. 2021; 9(8):922. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9080922

What about turmeric?

A favorite on social media and vitamin shelves, turmeric is promoted as having anti-inflammatory benefits. These are linked to a specific compound called curcumin, which gives turmeric its distinctive yellow color.¹⁸⁾Amalraj A, Pius A, Gopi S, Gopi S. Biological activities of curcuminoids, other biomolecules from turmeric and their derivatives – A review. J Tradit Complement Med. 2016 Jun 15;7(2):205-233. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2016.05.005.

Research suggests curcumin might act as an anti-inflammatory agent in the body but high-quality clinical trials in humans are lacking.¹⁹⁾Basnet P, Skalko-Basnet N. Curcumin: An Anti-Inflammatory Molecule from a Curry Spice on the Path to Cancer Treatment. Molecules. 2011; 16(6):4567-4598. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules16064567 Most of the existing studies have been conducted in lab settings using cells²⁰⁾Chowdhury, I, Banerjee, S, Driss, A, et al. Curcumin attenuates proangiogenic and proinflammatory factors in human eutopic endometrial stromal cells through the NF-κB signaling pathway. J Cell Physiol. 2019; 234: 6298–6312. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.27360 or in animals.²¹⁾Sarker MR, Franks S, Sumien N, Thangthaeng N, Filipetto F, Forster M. Curcumin Mimics the Neurocognitive and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Caloric Restriction in a Mouse Model of Midlife Obesity. PLoS One. 2015 Oct 16;10(10):e0140431. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140431. So it’s unclear how much curcumin is needed to see anti-inflammatory benefits or how well we absorb it.²²⁾Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health. Foods. 2017 Oct 22;6(10):92. doi: 10.3390/foods6100092.

Overall, adding turmeric to your food may provide your body with some health benefits, but don’t rely on it to prevent or treat disease on its own.

Safe eating

Inflammation is a major factor in the link between diet and many health conditions.

Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is considered safe, likely to support health and to prevent future chronic conditions. If you are looking for tailored dietary advice or an anti-inflammatory meal plan, it’s best to speak with an accredited practicing dietitian.