10 Foods Experts Say Can Make Chronic Inflammation Worse (2024)

Inflammation is one of the body's natural mechanisms for increasing the flow of blood (with its antibodies and proteins) to an area to fight infections or toxins in an attempt to heal itself. If you suffer from chronic inflammation, avoiding the worst foods for inflammation is especially important.

Unlike acute inflammation, which is temporary, chronic inflammation is a long-term condition that can lead to serious health issues such as heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's, and stroke. While there are healthy ingredients that can prevent or fight inflammation, some worsen it. Here are the foods health experts say you should avoid to reduce chronic inflammation.

  • Brooklyn-based nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, provides private nutrition counseling to clients through her HealthyHousecall program.
  • Andrew Abraham, MD, is the founder and CEO of Orgain, an online supplements provider based in Irvine, California.

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Processed Snacks With Added Sugar

If you look for it at the grocery store, you can find added sugar everywhere, even hiding in foods we consider healthy like packaged granola bars, cereal, and fruit-flavored yogurt. According to nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth, sugary foods can cause inflammation through the release of cytokines and can raise blood pressure.

Don't confuse these foods with those that contain naturally occurring sugar, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy. We're talking about sugars that are added to foods to sweeten them. For some good news, your sweet tooth may be happy to learn that honey has been shown to reduce inflammation.

Consuming excessive sugar can also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and even cancer, adds Andrew Abraham, MD.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

While the small amounts of fructose in fruits and vegetables are fine, consuming large amounts, especially in the form of uber-processed high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), can negatively affect your health. HFCS is a favorite of food processors because it's cheaper and sweeter than sugar.

The rest of us should avoid anything to do with HFCS because aggravating inflammation is just one in a list of maladies that it contributes to. Among the worst offenders that are typically high in HFCS are candy, fast food, frozen ice cream treats, and applesauce.

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Ultra-Processed Foods

"Ultra-processed" is a relatively new classification that describes snacks, drinks, ready meals, and other products created from food extracts or derivatives with little intact food. They're also likely to contain flavors, colors, and other additives to make them convenient, addictive, and profitable.

Foods that are ultra-processed usually have few, if any, whole foods to nourish your body's immune system, and that deficit can lead to chronic inflammation. Examples are packaged snacks, like chips and cookies, non-dairy creamers, and microwaveable meals.

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Soda and Other Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Beverages are just another vehicle for high fructose corn syrup and other added sugars, but they deserve a separate mention because they're an often overlooked contributor to our daily intake. A 2022 study found soda, sports drinks, and other sugary beverages (as well as other sugary foods) to be a key factor for causing and aggravating inflammation, and can also impact your gut microbiome.

While it's not realistic to cut out all added sugars in our diets, we can certainly stand to reduce our daily intake. "Start by using less sweetener in your morning coffee and gradually reduce it to zero," Largeman-Roth advises, and be sure to read nutrition labels to make better choices.

Trans Fats

Trans fats have been found to cause systemic inflammation in the body, and eating it has been linked to coronary heart disease. Some trans fats occur naturally in animal products, but it's the industrially produced stuff that manufacturers add to processed foods that we want to stay away from.

While most manufacturers were forced to remove trans fats—listed as "partially hydrogenated fats" in an ingredient list—from their products by 2021, certain packaged foods still contain them. "For example, packaged frosting has 2 grams of trans fat per 2 tablespoon serving," explains Largeman-Roth. Among other likely offenders are commercial baked goods and deep-fried foods.

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Red Meat

"Meat typically has high levels of both arachidonic acid and saturated fat, which contributes to inflammation," says Abraham. An easy, overarching way to counter inflammation is to consume more plant-based foods, the doctor suggests, because they typically have markedly less fat, particularly saturated fat.

"Plant-based diets that also include plenty of leafy greens and vegetables have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body," he continued. "This, in turn, minimizes the risk of disease and, even more importantly, those adopting more plant-based options in their diet simply feel much better."

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Processed Meats

Similarly to red meat, processed meat—bacon, sausage, hot dogs, bologna, pepperoni, and salami—is high in saturated fats, which can cause inflammation in fat tissue. A 2019 study found that processed meat protein, in particular, promoted inflammation in mice.

Another study linked processed meat (and red meat) with an increased inflammatory response and an increased risk of colon cancer. Better anti-inflammatory choices are chicken and fish as well as lean cuts of red meat and, of course, plant-based options.

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Refined Carbohydrates

Foods made with refined grains—white flour, white bread, and white rice—have been milled to have the fibrous bran and the nutrient-rich germ removed. They're very easy to overeat (hello, dinner rolls) and, according to Largeman-Roth, the resultant extra pounds can lead to chronic inflammation.

On the other hand, whole grains contain the entire grain kernel: bran, germ, and endosperm. Foods like brown rice, whole wheat flour, oatmeal, and whole cornmeal are all healthy whole grains, which studies show help to reduce inflammation in the body. "Aim to make at least half of your grains whole," Largeman-Roth advises.

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Fried Foods

Deep-fried foods—french fries, fried chicken, and donuts—are typically an inflammation trigger. What's worse, they're often prepared in a way in which they're soaked in oil withomega-6 fatty acids, which can prompt even more inflammation.

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Alcohol

You can argue whether alcohol is a "food," but there's no argument that chronic excessive alcohol consumption can cause inflammation. Studies have shown that when your body breaks down alcohol, it produces a series of inflammatory compounds. The byproducts of that process trigger an inflammatory response that can damage your gut's microbiome, which in turn can be detrimental to your liver and other organs.

This doesn't mean you have to give up your Friday night cocktail, because moderate drinking doesn't cause as much inflammation as excessive drinking does. The USDA's 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americansrecommends that men limit their alcohol consumption to two drinks per day and, for women, no more than one drink per day.

What Is Considered One Alcoholic Drink?

According to the USDA, one alcoholic drink is defined as containing 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol, such as the following:

  • 12 fl oz of regular beer (5% alcohol)
  • 5 fl oz of wine (12% alcohol)
  • 1.5 fl oz of 80-proof distilled spirits (40% alcohol)
10 Foods Experts Say Can Make Chronic Inflammation Worse (2024)

FAQs

10 Foods Experts Say Can Make Chronic Inflammation Worse? ›

Foods that can be inflammatory: Highly processed foods, like corn chips, fried foods and too much red meat, sugar, wheat, rye and barley in people with gluten allergies of celiac disease.

What are the 10 worst inflammatory foods? ›

Inflammatory Foods
  • Red meat, such as steak and hamburgers.
  • Processed meat, such as bologna, bacon, sausage and lunchmeat.
  • Commercial baked goods such as snack cakes, pies, cookies and brownies.
  • Bread and pasta made with white flour.
  • Deep fried items such as French fries, fried chicken and donuts.

What foods cause severe inflammation? ›

The five types of foods that cause inflammation include: Red meat and processed meats, including bacon, hot dogs, lunch meats and cured meats. Refined grains, including white bread, white rice, pasta and breakfast cereals. Snack foods, including chips, cookies, crackers and pastries.

What foods flush out inflammation? ›

Anti-inflammatory foods
  • tomatoes.
  • olive oil.
  • green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards.
  • nuts like almonds and walnuts.
  • fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines.
  • fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.
Mar 26, 2024

What is the #1 best drink to reduce inflammation? ›

What is the #1 best drink to reduce inflammation?
  • baking soda and water.
  • parsley and ginger green juice.
  • lemon and turmeric tonic.
  • bone broth.
  • functional food smoothie.
  • matcha tea.
  • greens and berry smoothie.

What is the #1 anti-inflammatory fruit? ›

Berries. From strawberries and blackberries to cranberries and blueberries, these gemlike fruits are particularly potent in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

How do you flush inflammation out of your body? ›

You can reduce chronic inflammation by making lifestyle changes, Tolbert says.
  1. Eat anti-inflammatory foods. ...
  2. Quit smoking. ...
  3. Limit or avoid alcohol. ...
  4. Avoid inflammatory foods. ...
  5. Practice stress management techniques. ...
  6. Maintain a healthy weight. ...
  7. Exercise regularly. ...
  8. Practice good sleep hygiene.

What can I drink before bed to reduce inflammation? ›

Rich in anthocyanins that can calm inflamed tissues, tart cherry juice is the go-to fruit juice that people love to drink after a workout or just before sleeping. As its antioxidants can help improve recovery time after a workout, it can also reduce muscle soreness and inflammation.

What is the strongest natural anti-inflammatory? ›

  1. Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids , which are abundant in fatty fish such as salmon or tuna, are among the most potent anti-inflammatory supplements. ...
  2. Curcumin. ...
  3. S-adenosylmethionine. ...
  4. Zinc. ...
  5. Green tea. ...
  6. Frankincense. ...
  7. Capsaicin. ...
  8. Cat's claw.

Is coffee inflammatory? ›

Fellow coffee drinkers, I have great news! Research suggests that coffee does not cause inflammation in most people—even if your norm is more than one or two caffeinated cups a day. In fact, it's quite the opposite. According to a 2021 study in Nutrients, coffee may have anti-inflammatory effects on the body.

Are bananas anti-inflammatory? ›

Bananas are versatile fruits with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties that can help counteract inflammation and support the body's immune system. People may benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet and avoiding pro-inflammatory foods.

What is the biggest cause of inflammation? ›

Injuries and infections typically cause acute inflammation. Environmental factors, including aspects of your daily life and exposures to toxins, are the culprits behind most cases of chronic inflammation. Common causes include: Low levels of physical activity.

Are eggs an inflammatory food? ›

According to a 2020 review, eggs contain substances such as trimethylamine-N-oxide, omega-6 fatty acids, and arachidonic acid, which can promote inflammation. However, a 2019 study on adults found no connection between egg consumption and inflammatory biomarkers in the blood.

Is peanut butter inflammatory? ›

Are peanuts inflammatory? The short answer is no, and in fact, peanuts and some peanut products like peanut butter have been shown to be anti-inflammatory. Inflammation in the body is a mechanism thought to be at the center of the majority of chronic diseases.

Do eggs cause inflammation? ›

Arachidonic Acid

This omega-6 fatty acid is found in egg yolks and has been linked to increased inflammation. High levels of arachidonic acid can lead to the production of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids, which are compounds that can contribute to inflammation in the body.

Are bananas inflammatory? ›

Bananas contain anti-inflammatory components that could have a significant impact on human health. One such component is bromelain, an enzyme known for its anti-inflammatory properties [5].

What are the 5 classic signs of inflammation? ›

Based on visual observation, the ancients characterised inflammation by five cardinal signs, namely redness (rubor), swelling (tumour), heat (calor; only applicable to the body' extremities), pain (dolor) and loss of function (functio laesa).

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