Chronic inflammation can have a whole heap of health effects and can make you more likely to develop a ton of health conditions, including feeling flabby, foggy and fatigued!
Lots of foods can contribute to this and you’ll definitely want to avoid them! The effects of anti-inflammatory foods can be hugely negated if you’re also consuming plenty of inflammatory foods so tip the scale to more anti-inflammatory foods – a JERF diet as I call it – Just Eat Real Food with plenty of colourful vegetables, fruits, some unpolished gluten free whole-grains, pastured raised animal products and healthy unprocessed fats.
Here are a few of the worst culprits for increasing inflammation.
REFINED CARBOHYDRATES
Not all carbs are bad but refined carbs can raise inflammation levels. Refined carbs are quick sugar and constantly high blood sugar can lead to lead to insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. When glucose is properly utilized, our cells produce energy efficiently. As cellular sensitivity to insulin diminishes, excess glucose accumulates in our bloodstream. Like spilled gasoline, excess blood glucose creates a highly combustible environment from which oxidative and inflammatory fires chronically erupt.
Excess glucose not used for energy production converts to triglycerides that are either stored as unwanted body fat or accumulate in the blood where they contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.
As an aging human, you face a daily onslaught of excess glucose that poses a grave risk to your health and longevity. Surplus glucose relentlessly reacts with your body’s proteins, causing damaging glycation reactions while fuelling the fires of chronic inflammation and inciting the production of destructive free radicals
Furthermore, research has suggested that a diet high in pro inflammatory refined carbs can increase levels of inflammatory gut bacteria that can make you more likely to be obese and develop inflammatory bowel disease.
So, ditch the white bread, white pasta, croissants, biscuits, bagels, cake and muffins that are all super common examples of refined carbs and are also empty calories. Swap them for whole wheat alternatives to give yourself a fiber boost or add more power to you whole food punch by choosing unpolished, ancient grains (gluten free is always best)
VEGETABLE/SEED OILS
Some vegetable oils can be hugely inflammatory, especially soybean oil that is in almost all packaged and processed food. They can contribute a ton of omega-6 fatty acids and throw you off balance, making you inflamed! The imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids also may contribute to obesity, depression, dyslexia, hyperactivity and even a tendency toward violence.
Given that the typical Western diet is already full of omega-6 fatty acids and often doesn’t include adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, cooking with these types of oils may increase inflammation levels even more.
Ideally, you want to be getting a lot more omega-3 fatty acids than omega-6 fatty acids to keep inflammation in check. In general, you can cut down omega-6 intake by reducing consumption of processed and fast foods and replace polyunsaturated vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, safflower, soy, and cottonseed, for example) with coconut or avocado oil, ghee or grass fed butter. Use extra-virgin olive oil in salad dressings and for low heat cooking. Eat more oily fish or take a highly concentrated DHA from fish oil in its natural TG (triglyceride) form. Those who avoid fish can take omega-3 supplements derived from algae and also make walnuts, freshly ground flax seeds, and hemp seeds part of your weekly menu.
TRANS FATS
There’s a ton of evidence to say that trans fats are one of the worst things you can eat when it comes to inflammation. They’re hugely inflammatory and raise the risk factor for a whole heap of conditions.
They can lower levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and have negative effects on endothelial cells in the blood vessels. The latter is one of the risk factors for heart disease.
They can also raise inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP). In one study, women with high levels of CRP also consumed large amounts of trans fats in their diet.
Trans fats are found in most processed foods, including margarine, cookies, donuts, crackers, breakfast products, and processed snacks. Fried foods and fast food are also culprits.
Scan food labels and swerve anything with “partially hydrogenated fats” on the label. This is a big giveaway that trans fats are lurking.
SATURATED FATS
Too much saturated fats can be a problem too. Quality, organic, grass fed, pasture raised is an absolute must if you consume red meat and dairy products whilst also practicing portion control! According to some research, saturated fats can “short circuit” immune cells, which can cause an inflammatory response so keep this in mind if you are following a Keto type diet. Knowing your genetics is helpful as some of us just can’t thrive on a high fat diet.
Consuming too much saturated fats can raise the risk factor for heart disease and arthritis, amongst other conditions so make sure you value quality over quantity
SUGAR/FRUCTOSE
Sugar is hugely inflammatory and is a super common culprit for raising inflammation levels and keeping them high. Did you know that consuming simple carbohydrates your immune system is compromised by five hours?
High-fructose corn syrup can be a big problem here, not least because it’s added to tons of processed foods. Corn is also largely genetically modified so a double whammy bad!
Research has shown that a high-fructose diet can lead to inflammation in the endothelial cells in the blood vessels and raise the risk factor for developing heart disease.
A high-fructose diet has also been linked to increased inflammatory markers in both mice and humans.
The bottom line? If you’re already getting plenty of fructose from fruits and vegetables, you don’t want to be getting a ton from elsewhere too. Added sugars, in general, encourage the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increases blood glucose levels and can lead to insulin resistance.
How to Eliminate Refined Sugars
- Read Labels. Sugar is everywhere, particularly in packaged and processed foods. We can even find it in savory items like bread or canned tomatoes where we may not expect added sugars. Get into the habit of reading the ingredient lists on what you buy and choosing options that don’t have sugar added to them.
- Choose whole foods. Vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, eggs, fish, meat and poultry and gluten-free grains are all part of a blood sugar stabilizing diet. Even items that have a sweet taste, like fruit, are going to have fibre and other nutrients that support our health.
- Focus on low-glyemic foods. Consult the glycemic index to determine how quickly a food will impact your blood sugar.
- Ensure blood sugar balance with protein, fibre and fat. These three elements are key to helping us feel full and ensuring a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream. Design your meals to include good sources of protein (or protein powder if necessary) and healthy fats.
AGE’s
Advanced glycation end products are damaging compounds that form when sugars combine with protein (amino acids) and fat. Some AGEs are produced inside the body – for example diabetics actively make them – but for the most part, our primary source of AGEs come from the diet. Specific cooking methods, as well as specific foods, are more likely to generate AGEs than others.
Some foods that are more likely to produce AGEs when cooked are:
- Meat (especially red meat)
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Margarine
- Mayonnaise
The primary cooking methods that yield AGEs are:
- Deep frying
- Frying
- Roasting
- Barbecuing
- Grilling
- Searing
- Broiling
These cooking methods are what create browning, caramelization and flavour in many recipes – especially when using animal-based foods. Unfortunately, these high heats are also problematic for our health.
Consumption and accumulation of AGEs in the body can lead to inflammation and oxidation, and can interfere with cell function including lipid synthesis, mitochondrial metabolism and cell signaling. AGEs can lead to a host of health problems and chronic diseases, including:
Insulin resistance and diabetes
Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease
Skin aging and overall aging
While a standard maximum amount of AGE consumption hasn’t been identified, studies that examine low-AGE and high-AGE diets have found – not surprisingly – that lower consumption of AGEs leads to more positive health outcomessuch as reduced inflammation, weight loss, lowered risk of diabetes and kidney disease, fewer age-related diseases and a longer life span.
Given that I’ve written here about the health benefits of certain AGE-containing foods, such as eggs, nuts and seeds as well as mentioned the perks of some meat-focussed therapeutic diets like Paleo or keto, you might be wondering whether it’s worth eating them or if everything you eat is going to harm you.
It’s all about context. In functional nutrition, we need to consider the what (the specific food), the how (how a food is prepared) and how much we eat of that food, along with other factors that may influence our health such as family history, gender, age, previous diagnoses, digestive function, genetic weaknesses, immune system function and more.
With AGEs, cooking and preparation count for a lot. Many AGEs can be easily reduced or avoided through cooking methods (more on that below). A gently poached or hard-boiled egg can be a wonderful addition to your breakfast, lunch or dinner, or be eaten as a snack however, If you deep-fry that same egg, and then slap it on a white-flour English muffin with processed meat and cheese, the nutritional value will change and more AGEs will be created and consumed.
FOODS WITH MSG
Mono-sodium-glutamate (MSG) is added to a ton of foods to add flavor. It can also encourage inflammation. It’s a super common ingredient in pre-prepared Asian foods, soy sauce, salad dressings, pre-prepared soups, deli meats, and fast food.
If you eat these types of foods regularly, think about making your own soups, salad dressings, and Asian-inspired dishes. It may take a little bit more time but you’ll know that it’s free from MSG and a lot healthier. You’ll be stepping towards health and away from the MSG toxic effects include CNS disorder, obesity, disruptions in adipose tissue physiology, hepatic damage, CRS and reproductive malfunctions.
References:
Trans fatty acids: are its cardiovascular risks fully appreciated? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24636816/
Excessive refined carbohydrates and scarce micronutrients intakes increase inflammatory mediators: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25477716/
Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31315227/
Health implications of high dietary omega-6 polyunsaturated Fatty acids: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22570770/
Dietary factors and low-grade inflammation in relation to overweight and obesity: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/dietary-factors-and-lowgrade-inflammation-in-relation-to-overweight-and-obesity/D4F1B9B32B1DE434557332EB79972100
Consumption of Trans Fatty Acids Is Related to Plasma Biomarkers of Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction: https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/135/3/562/4663700
Saturated Fatty Acids Engage an IRE1α-Dependent Pathway to Activate the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Myeloid Cells: https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(16)30174-7?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2211124716301747%3Fshowall%3Dtrue
Role of sugars in human neutrophilic : https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/26/11/1180/4732762?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Naringin ameliorates endothelial dysfunction in fructose-fed rats: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5795702/
Ghrelin receptor regulates HFCS-induced adipose inflammation and insulin resistance: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24366371/
Advanced Glycation End Products in Foods and a Practical Guide to Their Reduction in the Diet: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3704564/
Dietary Sugars and Endogenous Formation of Advanced Glycation Endproducts: Emerging Mechanisms of Disease: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5409724/
Oral AGE restriction ameliorates insulin resistance in obese individuals with the metabolic syndrome: a randomised controlled trial: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5129175/
Extensive use of monosodium glutamate: A threat to public health? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938543/