Inflammation is a natural response of the body to fight infection and heal injuries, but when it becomes chronic, it can contribute to a host of issues ranging from joint pain and eczema to cardiovascular conditions and even cognitive decline. While there are a lengthy lists of ways to prevent and fight chronic inflammation with supplements and holistic interventions, we are going to focus in on something more simple: your food. What’s so cool about food as nutrition is there is no one way to eat healthy and there are TONS of ways to incorporate anti-inflammatory ingredients. Here is our list of 7 powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients that can be added to your meals and snacks in endless ways (often without even tasting them much) to get amplify your immune system and kick chronic inflammation to the curb.
- Turmeric: Turmeric is rich in curcumin, a compound with potent anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin blocks some of the inflammatory processes in the body by inhibiting a molecule called NF-kB, which is linked to chronic inflammation. A randomized clinical trial found that curcumin significantly reduced levels of CRP (a marker of inflammation in the blood) in patients with metabolic syndrome. After supplementation of curcumin, CRP levels decreased by up to 6.4mg/L in the test group, indicating decreased systemic inflammation overall (source).
- Tasty Ways to Add Turmeric to Your Diet:
- Try adding 1/2 teaspoon to a stir fry or a stew.
- Sprinkle into your scrambled eggs.
- Mix turmeric with nutritional yeast and sea salt for a popcorn topper.
- Really commit to the flavor in this Golden Milk Latte!
- Tasty Ways to Add Turmeric to Your Diet:
- Ginger: Ginger contains a bioactive compound called gingerol, which has been shown to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in various populations. Studies suggest it can decrease CRP as well as improve insulin resistance and lipid profiles (source). Just a tiny amount of ginger (think 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon) can pack a powerful punch both in nutrition delivery and taste.
- Tasty Ways to Add Ginger to Your Diet:
- Ginger-Infused Olive Oil: steep ginger slices in your favorite olive oil for a couple of days and then use as a drizzle over roasted veggies or in salad dressing.
- Ginger Granita: blend premade ginger tea with honey and lemon juice, then freeze in ice cube trays. Scrape into a bowl or use a food processor to create a refreshing granita dessert!
- Tasty Ways to Add Ginger to Your Diet:
- Green Tea: Loaded with antioxidants, particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), green tea reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines. Regular consumption has been linked to lower risk of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and cardiovascular disease (source). Green tea benefits come from all types of green tea so pick your favorite one, and try thinking outside the box when it comes to using it as an ingredient!
- Tasty Ways to Add Green Tea to Your Diet:
- Use green tea as the base for your happy hour mocktail (and maybe add some ginger for a bonus ingredient add!)
- Green tea can be added to any vinaigrette, dressing or sauce without detracting from flavor.
- Matcha lattes like this one are the perfect mid-morning pick me up!
- Tasty Ways to Add Green Tea to Your Diet:
- Berries: Beautiful berries are rich in anthocyanins and other families of antioxidants that neutralize free radicals and decrease inflammatory markers. Elderberries, for example, have been studied for their immune-boosting properties, which blueberries have been shown to improve endothelial function and reduce oxidative stress (source).
- Tasty Ways to Add Berries to Your Diet:
- Elderberry or Blueberry Glaze: add berries of choice in a saucepan with balsamic vinegar, bring to simmer then let cook on low until it is reduced to a thick glaze. Use as is or use an immersion blender to get rid of chunks. Drizzle onto everything from grilled meat to a bowl of yogurt!
- Goji Trail Mix: an oldie but a goodie in our recipe index, simply swap our raisins for Gojis!
- Tasty Ways to Add Berries to Your Diet:
- Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerel and sardines are all excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are well known for their anti-inflammatory effects. These healthy fats, which can only be obtained in the diet and not made within the body, interfere with inflammatory pathways and promote production of compounds like resolvins that actively resolve inflammation (source).
- Tasty Ways to Add Fatty Fish to Your Diet:
- Sardine Salad: your favorite tuna salad is getting amplified with omega3s! Follow your favorite recipe and just swap in canned mashed sardines, or use our favorite recipe here using higher protein and less oily mixins.
- Salmon Sushi Bowls: mash canned salmon with some olive oil-based mayo, soy sauce and hot sauce to create a “spicy salmon” sushi mix. Then scoop on top of all your favorite sushi bowl toppings, including some pickled ginger and sesame seeds (seeds in general are another ingredient we love for anti-inflammatory properties!)
- Tasty Ways to Add Fatty Fish to Your Diet:
- Beets or Pomegranate: Both beets and pomegranates are high in antioxidants and nitrates that reduce inflammation and improve blood flow. Pomegranate juice has been shown to decrease levels of IL-6, an inflammatory marker, while beets contain high levels of betalains that combat oxidative stress (source).
- Tasty Ways to Add Beets & Pom to Your Diet:
- Beet Pancakes: you can roast your own beets here, but it’s far easier to buy beet powder and simply mix it into your favorite pancake mix – the pink color is so fun!
- Beet Hummus: again, make your own, but you can also get this one ready to go at the store without any seed oils!
- Pom Guac: simply toss pomegranate seeds into your guacamole for a fun pop of flavor on your next taco bowl!
- Tasty Ways to Add Beets & Pom to Your Diet:
- Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, swiss chard, argula – pick your favorite! All deep, dark leafty greens are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that fight inflammation and specifically support the body’s detoxification pathways.
- Tasty Ways to Add Leafy Greens to Your Diet:
- Pestos and chumichurris are the BEST ways to add leafy greens if salads or bitter leafys just aren’t your thing.
- Tasty Ways to Add Leafy Greens to Your Diet:
BONUS INGREDIENT: Bone Broth! Technically requiring a recipe to create this ingredient, we thought we’d list it separately. But bone broth is incredibly anti-inflammatory due to the minerals, glucosamine, proline, lysine and collagen that come from the low simmered bones. Literal gold for your immune system. What’s super cool about bone broth is you can also add most of the ingredients listed above into the broth to get all of those anti-inflammatory compounds in one easily absorbable place!
- Our favorite bone broth recipe
- Consider adding bone broth where you otherwise would use water in recipes, such as cooking rice, simmering veggies, or in marinades, dressings and sauces.
Other Favorite Ingredients That Almost Made Our List For Your Consideration:
- Seeds: think chia, flax, basil or celery seeds
- Garlic
- Walnuts
- Cacao
- Fermented Foods
Final Thoughts: With so many powerful ingredients to choose from, it’s simple to add some anti-inflammatory nutrients to your daily routine. Aim to incorporate at least one of these stealthy ingredients to your meals every day and work toward more. When you’re ready to really turn up the dial on your anti-inflammatory routine, check out our webinars, programs and resources – from recordings and recipes to a schedule of upcoming classes, we are ready to help you boost your health!
