Top anti-inflammatory foods & how to incorporate them into your diet

Top anti-inflammatory foods & how to incorporate them into your diet

Knowing how inflammation works inside your body makes quite a big difference in your pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. Inflammation, although a natural defense mechanism to heal your body, can cause health issues if it’s allowed to continue without restriction.

Luckily, an anti-inflammatory diet can boost wellness and vitality, and is beneficial for everyone, no matter the age. We’re here to guide you through the most common factors of inflammation, what happens when you have too much inflammation, and the ways to resolve inflammation through a well-balanced diet.

Understanding Inflammation

It’s easy to hear the word “inflammation” and immediately think it’s a negative. But in reality, your body uses inflammation as protection from injury. It plays a very important role in the healing process, fighting infections, and managing normal lifestyle activities.

Inflammation is now seen as a comprehensive process that begins with the body’s initial response and progresses through stages of redness, swelling, heat, pain, and loss of function. It ultimately leads to healing and the restoration of normal appearance and function in the affected tissue or organ. However, when inflammation becomes excessive or appears to have no healing stage, it can lead to significant health concerns.

Acute inflammation is generally the immediate reaction after injury or infection, symptomatically translating into symptoms like redness, warmth, pain, or swelling.

On the other hand, chronic or systemic inflammation is persistent and may be driven by many elements that could include, but are not limited to stress, an unhealthy diet, and possibly the presence of auto-immune or other inflammatory disorders.

If left unregulated, long-term inflammation can be associated with:

  • Tiredness
  • Body aches
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Obesity

Diet plays a crucial role in managing inflammation. Certain foods can either trigger or help resolve inflammation. Let’s review some of the best anti-inflammatory foods

Adding Anti-Inflammatory Foods into Your Diet

To combat and resolve inflammation, consider adding these top anti-inflammatory foods to your diet:

  • Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts contain a variety of ‘good fats’ that help reduce inflammation. They boast a favorable ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, and some of the highest levels of Omega-7 and Omega-9 monounsaturated fats of any nut. These healthy fats help reduce inflammation and promote heart health. They also provide manganese that activates enzymes that are important in reducing inflammation all over the body. Their vitamins and phytochemicals contribute to the immune response and healing process.
  • Seeds: Contain Omega-3 fatty acids, fighting inflammation. Some of the best seeds to eat include chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
  • Fatty Fish: Salmon and mackerel are rich sources of essential Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body. Including these fish in your diet can support overall health and reduce chronic inflammation.
  • Leafy Greens: Spinach and kale are packed with antioxidants, which help combat inflammation by neutralizing harmful free radicals in the body. This process reduces oxidative stress and supports overall health.
  • Fermented Foods: Yogurt and kimchi boost gut health by promoting beneficial bacteria, which can help resolve inflammation and support a healthier immune response.
  • Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries are packed with polyphenols and antioxidants, which help neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body.
  • Olive Oil: Virgin olive oil contains an anti-inflammatory chemical called oleocanthal, which has been shown to possess similar anti-inflammatory properties to ibuprofen.
  • Tomatoes: These contain a high amount of lycopene that reduces inflammation by protecting against DNA damage and lowering oxidative stress.

Tips to Incorporate Anti-Inflammatory Foods into Your Diet

Eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can help improve everything from your skin to your immune system. Here are three tips to seamlessly include these foods in your daily meals:

  • Smoothie Boost: Add a handful of nuts and berries, a scoop of probiotic-rich yogurt or kefir, and a spoonful of chia seeds to your morning smoothie.
  • Salad Upgrade: Prepare a healthy salad with fresh leafy greens dipped in olive oil, with tomatoes and sprinklings of macadamia nuts.
  • Fish Night: Add fish to your diet 2-3 times a week, served with dark leafy greens sauteed with olive or macadamia nut oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Try some of our favorite anti-inflammatory recipes!

        

Three Effective Diets for Reducing Inflammation

An anti-inflammatory diet emphasizes whole, natural foods with a diverse array of ‘good fats,’ vitamins, and minerals. Here are three diets known for their anti-inflammatory effects:

  • DASH Diet: Short for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,” this is a diet that cuts back on sodium levels and includes nutrient-dense foods to promote heart health and help reduce inflammation throughout the body.
  • Mediterranean Diet: This is a diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats-such as olive oil. The Mediterranean diet is consistently cited as one of the best lifestyle diets, not only for its anti-inflammatory properties, but also for its depth of flavor and diversity of options.
  • Paleo Diet: The paleo diet focuses on consuming natural, whole foods the way our ancestors would have in the Paleolithic era. This includes lean proteins, natural fruits and veggies, and nuts like macadamias, which help reduce inflammation.

What Makes These Diets Anti-Inflammatory?

These diets work well for managing inflammation, because they focus on increasing your intake of whole foods rich in nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties. Monounsaturated fats within macadamia nuts do a great job in reducing inflammation, supporting the health of the heart, and facilitating natural body healing processes.

Alongside these nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals present in natural, whole food diets can support a healthy immune response, and even help with weight loss, which enables the body to manage inflammation more effectively.

Managing Inflammation to Transform Your Health

Embracing an anti-inflammatory diet is a powerful step toward enhancing your health and vitality. By making mindful dietary choices, you can effectively manage inflammation, paving the way for a brighter, healthier future.

We invite you to explore more recipes and tips on our website and social channels, where you’ll find inspiration to continue your journey toward wellness. Remember, every small change brings you closer to a vibrant, balanced life.

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