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In the short term, inflammation is normal and necessary. Inflammation is what helps your body heal and fight infection. But when it lingers and becomes chronic, inflammation can be quite problematic. In fact, chronic inflammation plays a key role in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and allergies.
A number of environmental and lifestyle factors can cause inflammation, and diet is one of them. Focusing on certain nutrients in your diet can help reduce inflammation that contributes to health problems. To help your body fend off these bad actors, we spoke with dietitians to share the best nutrients to eat more of to fight inflammation.
1. Polyphenols
Polyphenols are plant compounds that help protect your body. “Polyphenols, like resveratrol and quercetin, are potent anti-inflammatory compounds that inhibit enzymes in our bodies from producing free radicals, which cause oxidative stress,” says Diana Mesa, RDN, CDCES, owner of En La Mesa Nutrition. “This is a normal by-product of processes in our bodies, like breathing, but in high amounts, these free radicals can cause damage to our cells,” she explains.
Research has found that polyphenols can not only help mitigate systemic inflammation but also help improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels and insulin resistance. “Polyphenols are found in all kinds of plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. Look for rich colors in the foods you choose for higher polyphenol content,” says Mesa. Some specific foods she recommends include dark leafy greens, berries, olives, extra-virgin olive oil and dark chocolate.
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s are well-known for their anti-inflammatory benefits—and for good reason. “Omega-3s help our cells stay fluid, instead of getting rigid,” says Kaytee Hadley, M.S., RDN, a functional medicine dietitian and founder of Holistic Health and Wellness. This nutrient also plays a role in cellular signaling, she says—and good cell signaling is needed so that cells can function normally. Studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids help reduce concentrations of certain inflammatory markers in people with various health conditions.
Hadley points out that there are three types of omega-3 fatty acids: ALA, DHA and EPA. Ideally, you’ll want to consume all of them on a regular basis. Find ALA in walnuts, soy and some seeds (chia, flax and hemp). EPA and DHA are found in fatty fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel, as well as algae, she says. While most Americans consume enough ALA, they don’t typically meet the recommendations to eat 8 ounces of fish per week—a major source of EPA and DHA. If you know you need to eat more fish, start with 5 of the Healthiest Fish to Eat—and 5 to Limit.
3. Gingerol
Time to spice things up a bit with gingerol, the phytochemical compound found in ginger. “Ginger is not just for an upset stomach. Ginger is also known to help decrease inflammation,” says Zariel Grullón, RDN, a registered dietitian at Your Latina Nutrition. “In studies, it has been shown to reduce inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein,” she says.
Research shows the bioactive compounds found in ginger, including zingerone and gingerols, can help mitigate inflammation. Specifically, a recent study found that taking ginger supplements may help manage symptoms of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, psoriasis and lupus.
To reap ginger’s benefits, Grullón recommends drinking ginger tea or adding fresh or powdered ginger to meals like Ginger Roasted Salmon & Broccoli, drinks like Ginger-Thyme Sparkling Lemonade and dressings like Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette.
4. Vitamin D
Vitamin D has a hidden health benefit. “Many people are surprised to hear that vitamin D acts as a hormone in the body and plays a role in many aspects of health, including immunity and inflammation,” says Hadley. In fact, vitamin D deficiency is linked with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and autoinflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis.
Unfortunately, most people in the U.S. don’t consume enough vitamin D. That’s partly because it’s not found in many foods. Some of the only food sources of vitamin D are fatty fish, egg yolks and fortified milk. “As a dietitian, I always recommend that my patients have their vitamin D levels checked at least once each year and supplement if they are not in the optimal range,” says Hadley. Consult with your clinician to learn if supplementing is right for you and how much you should take.
5. Curcumin
Turmeric is a well-known anti-inflammatory spice, and that’s largely thanks to curcumin. “Curcumin, an active component in turmeric, has potent anti-inflammatory effects, as it fights oxidative stress in the body,” says Hadley.
Studies have shown that curcumin may help lower inflammation for people who have endometriosis, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, psoriasis, depression and atherosclerosis. However, most research uses higher doses of curcumin or turmeric in supplement form, rather than culinary turmeric you’d use in a recipe.
If you have an inflammatory condition and are interested in curcumin, ask your doctor if supplementing may be the right move for you. If so, you can bolster your body’s ability to use these healthful compounds in a few ways. “To best absorb this nutrient, pair your curcumin supplement or turmeric spices with black pepper or healthy fats like olive oil, nuts or avocado,” says Hadley.
6. Magnesium
To call magnesium a hard-working nutrient is an understatement. “Magnesium is essential to over 600 enzymatic reactions in our body, which means we need it to do a lot of things for our body,” says Grullón. Did you know that one is keeping inflammation at bay? Magnesium deficiency sparks a number of bodily processes that may trigger inflammation, says Grullón. To consume enough magnesium, eat a variety of leafy greens, nuts, legumes, seeds and whole grains.
7. Fiber
Are you getting enough fiber in your diet? “Not only does fiber feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut, it also helps to decrease inflammation by decreasing the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein,” says Grullón.
A recent study found that cereal fibers like oats, bran and barley provide the greatest anti-inflammatory perks. “Other fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables come with the added benefit of being rich in antioxidants, which also play an essential role in decreasing inflammation,” says Grullón. What’s more, these fiber-rich foods typically contain additional anti-inflammatory nutrients that appear on this list, such as polyphenols and magnesium.
Other Factors That Affect Inflammation
While adding more of the nutrients above can help fight inflammation, there are other factors worth considering besides diet. “I frequently hear clients ask about what to remove from their diet to improve inflammation. I remind them to zoom out and consider that so many factors [affect] inflammation that are unrelated to food, such as environmental impacts, financial stressors, sleep disturbances, overexerting oneself and work-life balance,” says Maria Sylvester Terry, M.S., RDN, owner of Maria Terry Nutrition + Wellness.
Ultimately, various forms of stress contribute greatly to overall inflammation levels. “There are behaviors that we can add to our daily routine, such as taking deep breaths, drawing, holding boundaries for personal time and not putting too much on our plates, that revolutionize how we feel mentally and physically,” says Terry.
Addressing stress not only gets to the root of some direct causes of inflammation, but it also allows you to more carefully consider your nutrition choices.
The Bottom Line
To address chronic inflammation, it’s worth focusing on foods with plenty of nutrients like polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, ginger, magnesium, fiber and vitamin D. These all play an important role in preventing or reducing inflammation, so they may even help manage chronic inflammatory diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Besides eating these nutrients, it’s also worth being mindful of your stress levels. Tending to stress can both directly reduce inflammation and help you to approach nutrition more intentionally.