From ... in Health — Aug 13, 2022

Top Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Supplements

STORY AT-A-GLANCE This article was previously published September 2, 2019, and has been updated with new information.

Chronic infiammation is a hallmark of virtually all disease, including cancer, obesity and heart disease. While infiammation is a perfectly normal and beneficial process that occurs when your body's white blood cells and chemicals protect you from foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses, it leads to trouble when the infiammatory response gets out of hand and continues indefinitely. Your diet plays a significant if not primary role in this chain of events and is the perfect place to start to address it. Certain nutritional supplements can also be helpful as add- ons. Below, I'll review some of the foods, spices and supplements known for their anti- infiammatory power (and the foods known for their infiammatory effects). If you struggle with any chronic health condition, chances are you have infiammation in your body, and would be wise to take a cold hard look at what you're putting into it.

Anti-Infiammatory Food Basics

A key part of an anti-infiammatory diet involves excluding refined vegetable oils, as they are clearly one of the most pernicious and pervasive poisons in the food supply. Simply avoiding all processed foods and most restaurant foods will go a long way toward helping you avoid them. One of the simplest yet perhaps most impactful dietary changes you can make is to eliminate seed oils from your diet. Omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) is, I believe, a primary contributor to nearly all chronic diseases, because when consumed in excessive amounts, LA acts as a metabolic poison that radically limits mitochondrial function and your ability to produce cellular energy. Industrial seed oils or vegetable oils are a primary source of LA, but even food sources hailed for their health benefits contain it, such as olive oil and conventionally raised chicken and pork, both of which are fed LA-rich grains. As for anti-infiammatory foods to eat more of, vegetables are a key staple. Dark leafy greens such as kale, collard greens and Swiss chard contain powerful antioxidants, fiavonoids, carotenoids and vitamin C that can help protect against cellular damage. Ideally, opt for organic locally grown veggies that are in season, and consider eating a fair amount of them raw. Juicing is an excellent way to get more greens into your diet. There's a caveat, though. If you struggle with autoimmune disease or have significant infiammation in your body, consider limiting vegetables with high lectin content, as the lectins may pose a problem. Among the most problematic lectin-containing foods are beans, grains, legumes and members of the nightshade family like eggplants, potatoes and peppers. High-lectin foods can be made safer to eat through proper soaking and cooking, as well as fermenting and sprouting. Using a pressure cooker is particularly beneficial for beans. Oxalates are another plant component that can cause problems, as they not only will increase infiammation but will worsen your mitochondrial function. Those prone to oxalate kidney stones typically need to be on an oxalate-free diet as well. Foods high in oxalates include potatoes (white and sweet), almonds, seeds, dark chocolate, beets, beans and many others. On the other hand, raw berries — especially blueberries — are an anti-infiammatory basic, as most tend to be low in fructose while rating high in antioxidant capacity compared to other fruits and vegetables. The same goes for mushrooms, which are commonly overlooked. Shiitake mushrooms , for example, contain ergothioneine, which inhibits oxidative stress. Mushrooms also contain a number of unique nutrients that you may not get enough of in your diet. One of those nutrients is copper, which is one of the few metallic elements accompanied by amino and fatty acids that are essential to human health. Since your body can't synthesize copper, your diet must supply it regularly. Copper deficiency can be a factor in the development of coronary heart disease. Another excellent anti-infiammatory mushroom is the Reishi, which contains ganoderic acid, a terpene that induces apoptosis (programmed cell death of damaged cells) and enhances the immune system.

Fermented and Cultured Foods

Traditionally fermented and cultured foods are other anti-infiammatory staples that work their "magic" by optimizing your gut fiora. A majority of infiammatory diseases start in your gut as the result of an imbalanced microbiome. Fermented foods such as kefir, natto, kimchee, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, olives and other fermented vegetables will help reseed your gut with beneficial bacteria. Ideally, you'll want to eat a wide variety of them as each contains a different set of beneficial bacteria (probiotics). Fermented foods can also help your body rid itself of harmful toxins. Kimchi, for example, has been shown to break down pesticides that promote infiammation. As reported in a study in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos degraded rapidly during kimchi fermentation and was 83.3% degraded by Day 3. By Day 9, it was degraded completely. If you don't like fermented vegetables, consider yogurt made from raw organic milk from grass fed cows. Yogurt has been shown to reduce infiammation by improving the integrity of your intestinal lining, thereby preventing toxins in your gut from crossing into your bloodstream.

Other Potent Anti-Infiammatory Foods

Marine-based omega-3 fats found in fatty cold-water fish that are low in environmental toxins — such as wild Alaskan salmon, sardines and anchovies — are also important anti-infiammatories and are particularly important for brain and heart health. In fact, your omega-3 level is a powerful predictor of mortality. If you don't enjoy these types of fish, you could consider using krill oil instead. Research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology in 2012 confirmed that

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dietary supplementation with krill oil effectively reduced infiammation and oxidative stress. As with vitamin D, it's advisable to check your omega-3 index on a regular basis to ensure optimization. Ideally, you'll want to maintain an omega-3 index of 8%. (GrassrootsHealth offers a convenient, cost-effective test to measure both your vitamin D and omega-3 levels.) Many teas also offer anti-infiammatory benefits that can be enjoyed by most. Matcha tea is the most nutrient-rich green tea and comes in the form of a stone-ground unfermented powder. The best Matcha comes from Japan. It's an excellent source of antioxidants, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a catechin with anti-infiammatory activity. Tulsi is another tea loaded with anti- infiammatory antioxidants and other micronutrients that help protect against damage caused by chemical pollutants, heavy metals and physical stress.

Anti-Infiammatory Herbs and Spices

Ounce for ounce, herbs and spices are among the most potent anti-infiammatory ingredients available and making sure you're eating a wide variety of them on a regular basis can go a long way toward preventing chronic illness. According to a novel study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, published in 2012, "cloves, ginger, rosemary and turmeric were able to significantly reduce oxidized LDL-induced expression of TNF- α " or tumor necrosis factor, a cytokine involved in systemic infiammation. Ginger lowered three different infiammatory biomarkers, suggesting its superior anti- infiammatory action, but rosemary and turmeric also "showed protective capacity by both oxidative protection and infiammation measures." The interesting thing about this study is that they used "real world" dosages, meaning amounts you would normally use in your daily cooking, not megadoses you might find in

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a concentrated supplement. For example, those in the oregano group ate just half a teaspoon of oregano daily for seven days. Garlic is another kitchen staple that has been treasured for its medicinal properties for centuries. Garlic exerts its benefits on multiple levels, offering antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antioxidant properties. Most recently, a 2019 review and meta-analysis concluded garlic effectively lowered several infiammatory biomarkers, including C- reactive protein, TNF- α and interleukin-6. It's thought that much of garlic's therapeutic effect comes from its sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin. Research has revealed that as allicin digests in your body it produces sulfenic acid, a compound that reacts faster with dangerous free radicals than any other known compound. An earlier study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods found a direct correlation between the antioxidant phenol content of spice and herb extracts and their ability to inhibit glycation and block the formation of AGE compounds (advanced glycation end products), making them potent preventers of heart disease and premature aging. Here, cloves were ranked as the most potent of 24 common herbs and spices found in your spice rack. The following were found to be the top 10 most potent anti- infiammatory herbs and spices: Cloves Cinnamon Jamaican allspice Apple pie spice mixture Oregano Pumpkin pie spice mixture Marjoram Sage Thyme Gourmet Italian spice

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Curcumin — A Powerful Anti-Infiammatory With Poor Absorption

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, also has a solid foundation in science with numerous studies vouching for its anti-infiammatory effects. As noted in a 2017 review in the journal Foods:

"[Curcumin] aids in the management of oxidative and infiammatory conditions,metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. It may also help inthe management of exercise-induced infiammation and muscle soreness, thusenhancing recovery and performance in active people.In addition, a relatively low dose of the complex can provide health benefits forpeople that do not have diagnosed health conditions. Most of these benefitscan be attributed to its antioxidant and anti-infiammatory effects."

A drawback of turmeric is its poor absorbability and rapid elimination. As noted in this Foods review, taken by itself turmeric typically does not impart the health benefits with which this spice is associated. Certain components or additives can significantly boost its bioavailability though. One is piperine, the active ingredient in black pepper, which has been shown to increase the bioavailability of curcumin by 2,000%. This is why you'll typically find piperine as an ingredient in most curcumin supplements. A typical dosage of a standardized curcumin supplement is 400 to 600 milligrams three times a day.

Anti-Infiammatory Ingredients Can Provide Natural Pain Relief

Another interesting paper in the journal Surgical Neurology International, "Natural Anti- Infiammatory Agents for Pain Relief," highlights several foods and spices already mentioned, specifically omega-3, green tea and turmeric. In addition to those, it also discusses the anti-infiammatory potential of: White willow bark

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Maritime pine bark (pycnogenol) Resveratrol Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) Chili pepper (capsaicin) Interestingly, a 2013 animal study found capsaicin "produced anti-infiammatory effects that were comparable to diclofenac," a nonsteroidal anti-infiammatory drug commonly prescribed to patients with mild to moderate arthritis.

Frankincense

The Surgical Neurology International paper also addresses the use of Frankincense extract (Boswellia serrata resin), noting it "possesses anti-infiammatory, anti-arthritic, and analgesic properties" and is an inhibitor of leukotriene biosynthesis. As such, it's valuable in the treatment of infiammatory diseases driven by leukotrienes, such as degenerative and infiammatory joint disorders. According to this paper, Frankincense:

"… reduces the total white blood cell count in joint fiuid, and it also inhibitsleukocyte elastase, which is released in rheumatoid arthritis. In one recentstudy, a statistically significant improvement in arthritis of the knee was shownafter 8 weeks of treatment with 333 mg B. serrata extract taken three times aday …A combination of Boswellia and curcumin showed superior eficacy andtolerability compared with nonsteroidal diclofenac for treating activeosteoarthritis. Boswellia typically is given as an extract standardized to contain30-40% boswellic acids (300-500 mg two or three times/day)."

An earlier study published in Scientific Reports in 2015 confirmed Frankincense and myrrh are both capable of suppressing infiammation by inhibiting the expression of infiammatory cytokines.

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The Importance of Vitamin D

Some anti-infiammatory supplements have already been mentioned, such as curcumin, Cat's claw, Frankincense and capsaicin. Other supplements with well-documented anti- infiammatory effects include vitamin D, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e) and zinc. As reported by Science Daily, vitamin D inhibits infiammation by reducing infiammatory proteins:

"… [R]esearchers examined the specific mechanisms by which vitamin D mightact on immune and infiammatory pathways. They incubated human whiteblood cells with varying levels of vitamin D, then exposed them tolipopolysaccharide (LPS), a molecule associated with bacterial cell walls that isknown to promote intense infiammatory responses.Cells incubated with no vitamin D and in solution containing 15 ng/ml of vitaminD produced high levels of cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha, major actors in theinfiammatory response. Cells incubated in 30 ng/ml vitamin D and aboveshowed significantly reduced response to the LPS. The highest levels ofinfiammatory inhibition occurred at 50 ng/ml.Through a complex series of experiments, the researchers identified a newlocation where the vitamin-D receptor appears to bind directly to DNA andactivate a gene known as MKP-1. MKP-1 interferes with the infiammatorycascade triggered by LPS, which includes a molecule known as p38, and resultsin higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha.'This newly identified DNA-binding site for the vitamin-D receptor, and thespecific pathways inhibited by higher levels of vitamin D provide a plausiblemechanism for many of the benefits that have been associated with vitamin D,'said Dr. Goleva.'The fact that we showed a dose-dependent and varying response to levelscommonly found in humans also adds weight to the argument for vitamin D'srole in immune and infiammatory conditions.'"

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While I strongly recommend getting your vitamin D from sensible sun exposure, if you cannot maintain a protective level of 60 to 80 ng/ml year-round, a vitamin D3 supplement would be prudent, considering its importance for your overall health.

Zinc and SAM-e

Zinc is a commonly overlooked antioxidant, but research shows it's a potent anti- infiammatory. According to a 2014 review article in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition:

"Zinc supplementation trials in the elderly showed that the incidence ofinfections was decreased by approximately 66% in the zinc group. Zincsupplementation also decreased oxidative stress biomarkers and decreasedinfiammatory cytokines in the elderly.In our studies in the experimental model of zinc deficiency in humans, weshowed that zinc deficiency per se increased the generation of IL-1β and itsmRNA in human mononuclear cells following LPS stimulation.Zinc supplementation upregulated A20, a zinc transcription factor, whichinhibited the activation of NF-κB, resulting in decreased generation ofinfiammatory cytokines."

Similarly, SAM-e is commonly recommended for patients with osteoarthritis, as it has both anti-infiammatory and analgesic (pain relieving) properties. According to Arthritis.org, "Results may be felt in just one week but could take more than a month."

Infiammatory Foods to Avoid

Last but not least, it's important to realize that dietary components can either trigger or prevent infiammation from taking root in your body, so avoiding infiammatory foods is just as important, if not more so, as eating anti-infiammatory ones.

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As a group, processed foods of all kinds tend to be pro-infiammatory, thanks to ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, soy, processed vegetable oils (trans fats) and chemical additives. So, in addition to adding anti-infiammatory foods, herbs, spices and supplements (if needed) to your diet, you'll also want to avoid the following as much as possible: • Refined sugar, processed fructose and grains — If your fasting insulin level is 3 or above, consider dramatically reducing or eliminating grains and sugars until you optimize your insulin level, as insulin resistance is a primary driver of chronic infiammation. As a general guideline, I recommend restricting your total fructose intake to 25 grams per day. If you're insulin or leptin resistant (have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease or are overweight), consider cutting that down to 15 grams per day until your insulin/leptin resistance has normalized • Oxidized cholesterol — Cholesterol that has gone rancid, such as that from overcooked, scrambled eggs • Processed meats • Industrial vegetable and seed oils (a source of oxidized omega-6 fats) such as peanut, corn and soy oil • Foods cooked at high temperatures, especially if cooked with vegetable oil Replacing processed foods with whole, ideally organic foods will automatically address most of these factors, especially if you eat a large portion of your food raw. Equally important is making sure you're regularly reseeding your gut with beneficial bacteria, as mentioned above. To help you get started on a healthier diet, I suggest following my free Optimized Nutrition Plan , which starts at the beginner phase and systematically guides you step- by-step to the advanced level.

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References:

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Bookmarks

Top Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Supplements

Anti-Infiammatory Food Basics

Fermented and Cultured Foods

Other Potent Anti-Infiammatory Foods

Anti-Infiammatory Herbs and Spices

Curcumin — A Powerful Anti-Infiammatory With Poor Absorption

Anti-Infiammatory Ingredients Can Provide Natural Pain Relief

Frankincense

The Importance of Vitamin D

Zinc and SAM-e

Infiammatory Foods to Avoid

Search Results

Bookmarks

Anti-Infiammatory Food Basics

Fermented and Cultured Foods

Other Potent Anti-Infiammatory Foods

Anti-Infiammatory Herbs and Spices

Curcumin — A Powerful Anti-Infiammatory With Poor Absorption

Anti-Infiammatory Ingredients Can Provide Natural Pain Relief

Frankincense

The Importance of Vitamin D

Zinc and SAM-e

Infiammatory Foods to Avoid

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