09/10/2023
Which foods are pro-inflammatory and which are anti-inflammatory? Broadly speaking, components of processed foods and animal products, such as saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, were found to be pro-inflammatory, while constituents of whole plant foods, such as fiber and phytonutrients, were strongly anti-inflammatory.
Dietary fiber is found concentrated in only one place: whole plant foods. It can help reduce our risk of abdominal, muscle, and joint pain. When we eat fiber, our good gut bugs produce short-chain fatty acids, which in turn help us control inflammation.
In terms of phytonutrients, polyphenols found in plants are known to also act as anti-inflammatories. Some specific foods packed with anti-pain pathway nutrients include berries, greens, citrus, nuts, spices like turmeric and ginger, edamame, and green tea. That’s why you can do a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial showing that about three cups’ worth of strawberries a day can significantly improve pain and inflammation. If that’s what a single plant can do, what about a diet chock full of plant foods?
Put people on a strictly plant-based diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and various legumes, which are beans, split peas, chickpeas, and lentils, as well as nuts and seeds, and you can drop C-reactive protein levels (a leading blood marker of systemic inflammation) by 33 percent in three weeks. Does that translate into less pain?
Indeed, plant-based diets may help reduce pain associated with migraine headaches, menstruation, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Watch the videos "The Best Diet for Fibromyalgia and Other Chronic Pain Relief" at https://bit.ly/3VmQhVW and "Which Foods Are Anti-Inflammatory?" at https://bit.ly/41OzT2E to learn more.
