The 8 most inflaming foods (ordered from most to least)

If you want to stay healthy, try to avoid inflammation in your body. To achieve this, diet is essential. The key is to avoid or reduce to a minimum the foods that appear at the top of the rankings of ingredients that promote inflammation, and choose the most anti-inflammatory foods.

Research links chronic low-grade inflammation, which can go undetected, with the development of health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune disorders or Alzheimer’s.

In this video you can see which are the most common symptoms of chronic inflammation:

These are the most inflammatory foods (ordered from most to least) and that you should reject.

1. Refined carbohydrates

White bread, pasta and rice, and all products made with white flour They help to rapidly raise blood glucose levels. A research published in the American Journal of Physiology directly linked foods that have the biggest impact on blood sugar with inflammation that increases the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and other inflammatory conditions.

In the index of inflammatory foods developed by a team of researchers led by Roberd M. Rostik of Emory University, this food group appears as the most inflammatory with a score of 0.72 (1 would be the maximum possible).

The study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, includes in this category fried, cooked, baked or mashed potatoes. It also draws attention to products with refined and ultra-processed carbohydrates that contain emulsifying additives, which potentially break down mucin in the gut and cause inflammation and hyperglycemia.

You can replace refined carbohydrates with whole-grain products, foods rich in fiber (vegetables) and protein (legumes).

2. Processed meats

Most processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, cold cuts, etc., They contain salt, saturated fat, and nitrates and nitrites preservatives. These meats are also often high in saturated fat. In the index published by The Journal of Nutrition are qualified with 0.68.

Besides, grilling and frying meats increase inflammatory compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Raw red meats are initially less inflammatory, but they contain saturated fat, lots of heme iron, which increases the bioavailability of iron, which in turn increases oxidative stress. In addition, cytotoxic, pro-oxidant, and pro-inflammatory bile acids are increased in the colon.

You can substitute meat-based products for plant-based alternatives like legumes and tofu.

3. Added sugars

Consuming excess added sugars contributes to inflammation and increases the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. In the index published by The Journal of Nutrition appear rated with a 0.56.

Sugars induce hyperglycemia in the blood after eating, it acts as a stressful stimulus through subsequent repeated mild hypoglycemia, and reduces the availability of nitric oxide, which plays a role in regulating the inflammatory response.

In addition, they raise the levels of proinflammatory free fatty acids, produce oxidative stress through the oxidation of lipids in cell membranes. It is not enough to not use table sugar. You have to read the ingredient lists. and avoid those products that contain sugars, which are usually found in ultra-processed foods, soft drinks, sauces, jams, biscuit products, chocolates, cereal bars and pastries.

Keep in mind that sugar It can be represented by many different names: high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, concentrated fruit juice, invert sugar, etc.

Don’t be tempted to substitute zero-calorie sweeteners for sugar because they don’t help reduce weight or improve markers of metabolic health and can cause negative side effects. The World Health Organization recommends avoiding them.

4. Trans fat

trans fats are created by chemically altering the structure of unsaturated fats (such as sunflower or corn oils) to achieve a solid texture and extend its shelf life. Unless the labels say otherwise, trans fats can be found in margarines, fried foods, ice cream, and ultra-processed foods in general.

A study published in Frontiers in Immunology suggests that trans fat are even more harmful to the body than saturated fats and that are related to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Avoid foods that contain oils “partially hydrogenated” listed in the ingredient list. Fried foods and fast food can also be sources of trans fat, so keep your intake to a minimum.

5. Refined sunflower and corn oils

Omega-6 fatty acids are needed only in small amounts to meet the need for the essential gamma linoleic acid. But, in excess, they prevent omega-3 fatty acids from exerting their anti-inflammatory action, so they become inflammatory.

To get the minimum amount needed, a daily serving (30 g) of whole nuts (for example, almonds or walnuts) or seeds is enough. Therefore, it is convenient avoid sunflower and corn oils in frying, when cooking, in pastries and bakery products, etc.

Instead, it is recommended increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in walnuts, flax and chia seeds (and, in an omnivorous diet, in fatty fish, such as sardines, mackerel or salmon).

6. Ultra-processed foods

This type of product, in reality, could be located in any of the first positions in this ranking, since They may contain added sugars, processed meats, trans fats, and excess omega-6 relative to omega-3.

In addition, they are usually caloric, little dense in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (unlike natural whole plant foods) and are full of artificial additives, which are used to enhance their appearance and extend their expiration date.

The ideal diet is the one prepared at home with natural ingredients. If you buy any packaged products, read the list of ingredients and see if you recognize them or if they seem more like a laboratory chemical formula than a food.

7. Alcohol

It is true that alcohol or beer may contain some beneficial compounds for health, such as, respectively, the antioxidant resveratrol or selenium. But these beneficial substances can be obtained from other foods that do not contain alcohol, which it is always toxic, in any dose.

In particular, alcohol is a problem for the liver and, according to research published in International Review of Neurobiology, it triggers a large inflammatory reaction in the body. Also, alcohol is very caloric.

8. Artificial sweeteners

Non-caloric artificial sweeteners do not support long-term weight loss or improve metabolic or cardiovascular health, according to the World Health Organization.

On the contrary, its consumption could be related to intestinal microbiota disorders, which could increase intestinal permeability and allow the arrival of inflammatory compounds into the blood.

Try to avoid consuming sweeteners and if you have to use any, choose the most natural one possible, such as powdered stevia leaves, date paste or organic honey in small amounts.

How is the inflammatory effect of food measured?

Different scientific teams have created various dietary inflammatory indices. To attribute inflammatory or anti-inflammatory properties to food have evaluated the biological composition, especially, its content of more than 30 nutrients and different beneficial compounds (fibers, antioxidants, etc.), as well as the presence of irritating and inflammatory elements. They have also measured the effects of food on markers of inflammation such as various interleukins, C-reactive protein, and tumor necrosis factor.

The occasional consumption of an inflammatory product will not significantly alter the functioning of the organism. It is the habitual consumption and the dietary pattern that can favor a worrisome inflammation. In addition, other lifestyle factors, such as physical exercise, rest, and stress level can promote or reduce inflammation.

anti-inflammatory foods

Inflammation can be reduced by substituting inflammatory food items for vegetables, fruits and legumes, and including foods with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components in the menus, such as extra virgin olive oil, turmeric, ginger, green tea, aromatic herbs and spices in general.