10 FOODS THAT CAN REDUCE INFLAMMATION – AND HOW TO COOK THEM TO BOOST THE BENEFITS

Inflammation – your immune system’s response to injury or infection – can be a good thing. When there is inflammation in the body for a short time, in response to a harmful stimulus, it can promote healing. But when it goes on for too long, or is directed at healthy tissues, inflammation of the body is linked with major diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and dementia.

This is known as chronic inflammation – and it can result from exposure to environmental toxins, a lingering virus, ageing, or chronic stress. But what you eat contributes, too.

When we are exposed to triggers in our environment and our diet, it results in oxidative stress – an imbalance between damaging free radicals and more protective antioxidants – which can in turn perpetuate inflammation, explains Anna Daniels, award-winning dietitian andspokesperson of the British Dietetic Association (BDA).

“We’re bombarded by things that cause us oxidative stress, and the foods we eat can play a role in that as well. For example, very high fat and sugary foods are ones that cause us oxidative stress,” she says.

Those same foods also contribute to inflammation as they can have a role in cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and autoimmune disorders. While you cannot easily diagnose chronic inflammation, as there is no definitive test, you can take steps to prevent it.

“What’s important is that we eat foods that are providing us with lots of antioxidants. If we focus on those foods in our diets, we have the ability to be preventative of cancers,” she explains.

Daniels shared with The i Paper the best foods to add to your diet, and how to prepare them, so that you can counter that oxidative stress, try to reduce inflammation, and ultimately reduce your disease risk.

1. Fatty fish

This includes salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring or sardines, which are all high in Omega 3. “These are really high in the Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA which inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory markers and are therefore really protective,” Daniels says.

They are also important for brain function as well as reducing your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. “People may get Omega 3 through supplements but I think directly from fish is best,” she adds. For best results, opt for baking rather than frying the fish in oil. However if you do fry it, some oils are better than others.

2. Olive oil

Olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, is “amazing” for inflammation, says Daniels. “It contains these phenolic compounds that have great anti-inflammatory properties, and they’re rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols.”

Polyphenols, found in all plant-based compounds, act as antioxidants by protecting plant cells from damage. When we eat them, Daniels explains, “they reduce oxidative stress and inflammation so are really good for our heart, our skin – they’re good for everything.” This makes olive oil a better fat option than others like butter or margarine.

And though extra-virgin olive oil is replete with benefits, you don’t have to use it when cooking these vegetables.

“While extra-virgin olive oil is amazing because of the polyphenols, rich antioxidants and the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated components, you can use any generic [olive] oil if you are gently sauteeing vegetables to help with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A.”

However, eating foods that are burnt – particularly where sugar or honey has been added – “is a big no-no. Burnt food, particularly burnt sugary food – not just gently caramelised – is really, really unhelpful for our bodies. It causes more load on the body as the pancreas needs to be working harder to release the insulin and break down that sugar, and that takes more of a toll on the body overall.”

However, focus on what you can add rather than take away. “You should try not to demonise foods that much because it’s actually much more about moderation. You can have bacon in a meal, for example, and you make it quite healthy with the other components as well as your portions and how you cook it.”

3. Berries

All fruit contains natural sources of energy, vitamins and polyphenols – all of which help reduce inflammation. But some fruits are particularly beneficial, Daniels says: “Berries like blueberries, strawberries, blackberries are high in what we call anthocyanins which act as antioxidants. They’re neutralising free radicals, and there’s also some evidence in terms of it being protective for brain function and cognitive function.”

4. Tomatoes

“Tomatoes and carrots, but particularly tomatoes, are rich in the antioxidant lycopene,” Daniels says. And they become even better for you when you cook them: “When you break down tomatoes in olive oil, the fat in the oil will help with the uptake of the lycopene and make it more bioavailable. Cooking the tomato increases our ability to absorb the good stuff.”

This is a great way to make pasta a healthy, anti-inflammatory meal: “Pasta always gets a very bad reputation, particularly refined white pasta. But actually if you cook it al dente (which means firm to bite) it’s low in the glycemic index, meaning it won’t cause our blood levels to rise quickly.

“If you pair it with some rocket or spinach through it, have a lycopene-rich tomato sauce and then put some olive oil on there, you’ve got a really healthy bowl of anti-inflammatory food there.

“Whereas, if you overcook the pasta and pair it with butter, that’s a very different story. It’s not necessarily bad in moderation, but it will be higher in saturated fats and the overcooked starches will release glucose into your bloodstream rapidly.”

5. Green leafy veg

“Dark green vegetables like kale, spinach or rocket, even the outside of cucumbers, all provide high levels of polyphenols, carotenoids and Vitamin C,” says Daniels. Vitamin C, she says, is particularly anti-inflammatory: “It mops up free radicals”. For this reason it’s worth eating citrus alongside your berries.

With most vegetables, the recommendation is to stick to methods that help them retain their vitamin content. “If you were to boil your veg down and then tip out that water, you’re still going to have the fibre content but you’re going to lose a lot of those vitamins. So you really want to steam or gently saute fresh veg to keep the nutrients in.” Roasting also works, though best with skin on for maximum benefit.

6. Veg that benefits from heat

“Like tomatoes, vegetables like kale and peppers benefit from cooking them and breaking them down: it is really helpful in terms of vitamin content,” highlights Daniels. Kale and peppers both contain lutein, a carotenoid in the same family as the lycopene in tomatoes.

7. Nuts and seeds

Nuts of all stars and stripes are worth adding to your diet, Daniels says. “Chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds, cashew nuts, macadamias, peanuts: these are all really rich in vitamin E and polyphenols again.” Vitamin E plays a role in reducing inflammation and promoting immune function. “Nuts and seeds have a multi purpose because they are high in fibre. That’s good for our gut health which helps with our immunity and then with anti-inflammatory markers.” Sprinkle them onto salads, sauces, or use them to make pesto.

8. Turmeric

A lot of spices are beneficial, but turmeric in particular. “It’s potent and has anti-inflammatory effects on us. And again, it helps with our gut health,” says Daniels. This is because it contains a compound called curcumin which has been linked to reducing inflammation in animals.

9. Garlic

“Garlic is amazing because it’s a really rich source of the antioxidant allicin,” Daniels says, but like tomatoes, how you prepare it matters. “If you crush it and cook it straight away, it loses all of its goodness. So what you want to do is crush it and then wait ten minutes so it builds up the maximum allicin through air exposure and retains all that goodness.”

10,. Green tea

“All of the teas are good but green tea is particularly good,” Daniels says. This is thanks to the high level of the polyphenol flavonoids in green tea. Whatever tea you are drinking, she recommends not adding milk if you can: “That reduces the uptake of all the antioxidants.” Similarly, coffee is antioxidant-rich, so consuming in moderation (without milk or sugar) can lower levels of certain inflammatory markers.

2025-03-11T06:48:24Z