Anti-Inflammatory Foods For an Optimal Gut - GutJoy

Your whole body needs anti-inflammatory foods to thrive. These foods can help decrease
inflammation in your body and improve your gut health, thanks to the high amounts of
antioxidants – as well as soluble and insoluble fibers – they offer.

We’ll talk more about that in a minute. But first: What makes certain foods anti-inflammatory?
Stated, an anti-inflammatory diet supports the consumption of antioxidant-rich
foods, rather than foods that increase the production of free radicals in the body. Quick
science talk: In chemistry, “radicals” are unstable, highly reactive atoms that are dangerous to human health in the long term. They’re responsible for cell damage, which is associated with illnesses like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, and chronic inflammation.
In sum, they’re bad for you.

The good news: antioxidants can deter free radicals by giving away their electrons. How
heroic of them. The more colorful, healthy, and diverse our plates are, the better.
Conversely, “free-radical friendly” foods, or “inflammatory” foods, are what you know pretty well. The processed stuff – like meats and cheeses – are packed with
preservatives, refined carbs, and sugars. A good rule of thumb is to avoid greasy and sugary
stuff as much as possible.

Who can benefit from consuming anti-inflammatory foods? Anyone! However, these foods are particularly beneficial and healing to those suffering from gut conditions that result from inflammation, like Crohn's disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Even those suffering from non-inflammatory diseases like IBS may relieve symptoms through anti-inflammatory foods.

In this article, we’ll look at foods your gut and immune system will love
you for. You may look at the following list and go, “Huh, that’s my diet.” In which case,
congrats! You’re already on your way to optimal gut health.

However, if your diet doesn’t incorporate anything in the list below, it may be time to make some changes. It’s never too late to start, and you’ll feel the difference!
Let’s dive right in.

Berries
Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries…all berries are so delicious and so
versatile. You can blend them in smoothies, sprinkle them on yogurt, or eat them as healthy
snacks between meals.

Because berries are rich in flavonoids, they’re great supporters of balanced cellular activity.
That means they participate in warding off free radicals that cause oxidative stress on your
body.

Like all fruits, berries contain a type of fiber called soluble fiber. There are two types of fiber:
soluble and insoluble. The fiber present in fruits helps increase healthy gut bacteria, which in
turn lowers inflammation in the body and aids in digestion. Who knew tiny, tasty berries could do all that for you?

As an important note, avoid using your berries in pressed juices. Although we all crave pressed
juices from time to time, removing the fruit’s pulp and skin will cause you to lose significant
amounts of soluble fiber. That’s why I’d recommend you to use them whole whenever you can!

Whole Grains
Popcorn, oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-wheat foods like bread and pasta are all examples of whole grains.
Whole grains are great additions to meals, and can be perfect as snacks throughout the day.
You may already be eating bread and pasta on a daily basis – but if you’re enjoying the refined
versions of them (i.e. white bread), you’re consuming high-calorie foods which are low in fiber.
When talking about “refined grains”, I’m talking about grains that have been separated from their main sources of fiber and nutrition: the germ and bran. If those important parts are removed, this will defeat the whole purpose of an anti-inflammatory, high-fiber diet.

Contrary to the traditional stuff, whole grains are unrefined, meaning they haven’t been
separated from the insoluble fiber they naturally contain. Your metabolism won’t be able to
break them down extremely fast, and therefore won’t spike your blood sugar levels.

Insoluble fiber found in whole grains, as I’ve mentioned in the article Fun Facts About Fiber,
acts as a broom in your digestive system. It may help the food you go down through the
stomach and intestines more easily.

Always remind yourself to drink plenty of water if you’re following a fiber-rich diet. Doing so will prevent constipation and keep everything moving smoothly.

Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are the go-to of cold and flu season for one main reason: Vitamin C. They’re the
main ingredients in warm and spicy teas, healing syrups, and do a great job of adding zest to
savory recipes.

But what if you didn’t wait for the sniffles to start creeping up to start incorporating citrus fruits to  your diet?

Besides being great sources of the digestion-friendly soluble fiber we already know and love,
the vitamin C in citrus fruits is a powerful antioxidant. Therefore, eating more of them will help
protect your cells from the harmful effects of free radicals. Not only that, but it will support a
healthy immune system by helping your white blood cells (or leukocytes) shield your body from infections.

Nuts
Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts. The ideal energy-packed snacks before a
workout, or as well-deserved treats. But how can they promote gut health?

Interestingly, some nuts contain substantial amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. According to
experiments and clinical intervention studies, omega-3 fatty acids have powerful anti-
inflammatory properties.

In addition, a recent study from the journal Scientific Reports has found that people who eat
foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids have a more diverse gut microbiota. As you probably already
know, a gut that’s diverse in bacteria (especially “good” bacteria) has the power to improve
one’s overall health.

Fatty Fish
Speaking of omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish are rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids,
which have been shown to decrease the production of substances linked to inflammation. Fatty fish like tuna, sardines, and salmon are great options to try.

If you don’t eat fish, either because you don’t enjoy it or because you’re on a vegan/vegetarian
diet, you can surely get your omega-3 from other sources. You can increase your omega-3
intake through the previously mentioned nuts, as well as seaweed, chia seeds, and kidney
beans.Dark Chocolate

Dark Chocolate
Craving something sweet, but still focused on your anti-inflammatory food consumption? Not only is dark chocolate undeniably tasty, but it’s also loaded with antioxidants. 

It’s true: according to Scientific American “the good bacteria that live toward the end of our digestive tract can ferment both the antioxidants and the fiber in cocoa.” This fermentation, in turn, “can promote friendly bacteria and reduce inflammation in the gut.” It’s amazing how something so savory can bring so many benefits to our health! 

Try swapping your traditional chocolate bars for dark chocolate bars. While your typical milk chocolate sweets contain as little as 10% cocoa in their composition, dark chocolate boasts a whopping 50-90% of cocoa. Not to mention, it’s just as delicious. 

Fresh Herbs and Spices
Ginger, garlic, turmeric…can you already smell the spices simmering in olive oil before a tasty recipe comes to life?

Fresh herbs and spices are great to add flavor to any dish, but they’re also some of the healthiest additions to any diet. Here’s proof.

Ginger: 6-gingerol, the compound responsible for the spiciness of ginger, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumoral activities in the body.

Turmeric: One of the most widely-known anti-inflammatory foods, turmeric’s main active ingredient curcumin is what gives turmeric its yellow color. Curcumin also has natural anti-inflammatory properties, which has turned it into a favorite spice among those who suffer from chronic inflammatory conditions.

Garlic: Garlic contains a compound called diallyl disulfide, which limits the action of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins that are vital for healthy immune system functioning. Okay, but if they’re healthy…why should a garlic compound limit their activity?

Just like cortisol – the “stress hormone” – cytokines are crucial for optimal immune system health. Too much of them, however, can be damaging to our system by increasing inflammation in the body. The anti-inflammatory compound in garlic helps keep the secretion of those cytokines at bay.

The next time you’re ready to take those processed sauces and seasonings home, take a step back. Everything you need is already in your fridge and cabinets.

Fermented Foods
If you’ve read my recent article Probiotics from Food, you know they pack a punch on our gut health. 

Fermented foods are the most natural sources of probiotics, which are essential to balance your gut’s microbiota. 70-80% of your immune cells are in the gut, so feeding them with healthy bacteria has a health-promoting effect on your body. A study from Stanford School of Medicine indicated that increasing your consumption of fermented foods is linked to lower inflammation. 

Because of their anti-inflammatory and health-promoting power, fermented foods can reduce or eliminate symptoms associated with digestive tract inflammation and disorders. These foods include yogurt (not the sweetened and processed stuff), tempeh, kimchi, kefir, pickle, fermented vegetables, and kombucha.

The fun part is, you can ferment a lot of those foods at home and develop a new, healthy hobby!

Leafy Dark Greens

Leafy greens can be added to salads, green smoothies, and a number of other recipes. Greens like broccoli, spinach, kale, and Brussels Sprouts may already be part of your daily diet. 

What does their dark color have to do with their gut-healthy benefits?

Their dark green color suggests higher amounts of vitamin K. They’re also rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant with natural anti-inflammatory properties. The USDA has said it all: “Green leafy vegetables may be one of the best cancer-preventing foods.” Don’t forget your dark green veggies and start enjoying the numerous health benefits they have to offer.

Anyone can benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet or simply from increased antioxidant-rich food consumption. They’ll start by healing your gut, easing inflammation, and proceed to improve your overall health – but only if you’re serious about their daily intake.

On a final note: if you’re already on a low-FODMAP diet or any other restrictive diet, pay attention to the foods you should avoid, especially during the restrictive phase. Depending on each person’s organism, some foods mentioned above may cause gut discomfort. That’s why it’s important that you take enough time to understand which foods may result in any symptoms and avoid them. You should eat what makes you feel good.

Thanks for reading! 🌻