While it’s OK to enjoy your favorite foods in moderation, a salty snack or a sweet treat may cause inflammation if you eat too much of them.
Can the food you eat also cause inflammation?
“There are some foods that are going to make it worse and some foods that are going to make it better so it’s kind of your body’s way of saying ‘hey this is too much,’ or ‘this is actually beneficial,’” said Anna Heronimous, a registered dietitian and sports nutrition specialist with Avera Sports.
What are some foods that can cause inflammation?
“A lot of your processed food, so if you’re tending to eat out a lot, several times a week, that’s going to cause some inflammation. High-sugar drinks, so if you grab a pop once a week. And some of our refined grains, so if you’re eating a lot of donuts in the morning or if you do a lot of white rice, white pasta, and you’re never eating any whole grains, those are going to be a little bit more refined. It’s not like if you have these every once in a while you’re going to have a lot of inflammation but if it’s things that you’re choosing on the daily, then that’s when I would look into it,” said Heronimous.
What can you eat to reduce inflammation?
“There are going to be foods like our antioxidants so adding berries to your Greek yogurt in the morning, nuts and seeds, maybe even grabbing a trail mix for an afternoon snack or throwing some chia seeds into an energy bite would help with inflammation. Those healthy fats, you have to think, am I going to get salmon in once a week, can I roast my vegetables with some olive oil versus a canola oil,” said Heronimous.
Can inflammation lead to chronic disease?
“It can lead to diabetes, it can lead to heart disease, it can lead to arthritis, so we definitely want to make sure if we can incorporate more of those healthier fats, healthier nuts and seeds into our diet, that can really help reduce it,” said Heronimous.
