By Marnie Kunz, CPT

The best anti inflammatory foods can help reduce inflammation in your body naturally. Whether you’re healing from a running injury or want to prevent inflammation-related health conditions, these foods will reduce your inflammation. The top anti inflammatory foods include certain fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, tomatoes, olive oil, and fatty fish.

Effects of Inflammation

Inflammation happens when your immune system is triggered and attacks foreign chemicals or bodies. Inflammation can help your body beat viruses and sickness. But if inflammatory cells stay too long or there is no threat, inflammation can increase your risk of diseases like arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders, according to researchers.

Benefits of Anti Inflammatory Foods

Whether you have health conditions or want to prevent them, the best anti inflammatory foods can help reduce inflammation. These anti inflammatory foods help support your immune system and are rich in nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants.

Foods That Cause Inflammation

Certain foods can trigger an inflammatory response in the body. These include processed foods such as white bread and pastries, fried foods, processed snacks like chips, cookies, and crackers, soda, red meat, processed meats, margarine, shortening, and lard. Some meats that cause inflammation include lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, and cured meats. Foods that are high in sugar or trans fats also can increase inflammation.

Generally, processed foods and red meat cause inflammation. A lot of the ingredients in processed foods are not easy to digest and process and are not needed by the body. While it’s easy and necessary for the body to digest natural foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, processed foods often throw nutrients and processes out of whack in the body and trigger an inflammatory response.

Best Anti Inflammatory Foods

These are the best anti inflammatory foods to reduce chronic inflammation in the body:

1. Berries

Berries are one of the best anti inflammatory foods that are rich in vitamins and antioxidants called anthocyanins. These antioxidants help reduce inflammation and reduce your risk of diseases such as cancer.

How to Eat Them: Eat fresh berries as a snack or add them to yogurt, oatmeal, and smoothies.

2. Fatty fish

Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, anchovies, herring, and sardines also reduce inflammation. The omega-3 fatty acid in these fish helps fight inflammation and boost brain, heart, and immune health, according to researchers.

How to Eat Them: Eat baked salmon or mackerel with a side of vegetables for a healthy and protein-packed meal or make a sandwich with tuna, anchovies, herring, or sardines.

3. Olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil has anti inflammatory properties. Oleocanthal, an antioxidant found in olive oil, even has anti-inflammatory benefits similar to drugs like ibuprofen, according to scientists. Extra virgin olive oil has more anti inflammatory benefits than regular olive oil. It has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and other health conditions.

How to Eat It: Use olive oil for a light pasta sauce with lemon juice and garlic (both anti-inflammatory foods, also!). Substitute olive oil for butter and margarine when cooking.

4. Avocados

Avocados are rich in nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, potassium, folate, and magnesium. These creamy greens are often dubbed a “superfood” because of all the nutritional benefits. They have anti-inflammatory powers and can reduce your cancer and heart disease risk.

How to Eat Them: Guacamole, avocado toast, or sliced on sandwiches and in tacos.

5. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of the best anti inflammatory foods that are easily accessible. Tomatoes are high in lycopene and vitamin C, which have anti-inflammatory properties.

How to Eat Them: Add sliced tomatoes to quinoa bowls, sandwiches, omelettes, and tacos.

6. Broccoli

Broccoli has potassium, magnesium, and sulforaphane, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation in the body, according to researchers.

How to Eat It: Saute broccoli with olive oil and pepper for an inflammatory-fighting side dish, or put raw, chopped broccoli in salads and bowls.

7. Almonds

Almonds are rich in fiber, magnesium, calcium, zinc, vitamin E, and omega-3 fats, which fight inflammation.

How to Eat Them: Add almonds to oatmeal or yogurt as a topping or eat them plain as a protein-packed snack.

Related Post: Post Workout Snack Ideas

8. Seeds

Chia seeds and flax seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which combat inflammation in the body.

How to Eat Them: Sprinkle chia or flax seeds on top of yogurt, smoothies, or oatmeal.

9. Peppers

Many peppers have anti-inflammatory benefits. Black pepper, red bell peppers, and spicy peppers all have inflammation-fighting abilities. Sweet bell peppers and spicy peppers - such as jalapeno and chili peppers - have capsaicin, which helps reduce inflammation.

How to Eat Them: Add pepper to dishes that you cook, such as chili peppers mixed with black beans and vegetables for taco bowls. Add diced fresh peppers to bowls, salads, sandwiches, and omelettes.

10. Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants that reduce inflammation. Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit are excellent anti-inflammatory foods.

How to Eat Them: Eat them as a stand-alone snack or mix fruits to make a fruit salad. Avoid fruit juice with added sugar.

11. Walnuts

Walnuts are high in omega-3, and they lower C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

How to Eat Them: Eat them as a snack or sprinkle them on oatmeal.

12. Grapes

Grapes are rich in anthocyanins, which reduce inflammation. Light and dark grapes are a beneficial source of these anti-inflammatory antioxidants.

How to Eat Them: Choose fresh grapes for a healthy snack or add them to fruit salad.

13. Green leafy vegetables

Opt for more green leafy vegetables to fight inflammation. Veggies such as kale, spinach, and other leafy greens are packed with beta-carotene. This antioxidant reduces inflammation in the body.

How to Eat Them: Add greens to quinoa or rice bowls, salads, and pasta dishes. Use green leafy greens instead of lettuce in tacos and other recipes that call for lettuce.

14. Ginger

Ginger has proven anti-inflammatory effects and can help reduce muscle soreness after intense workouts.

How to Eat It: Add ginger to smoothies or chop it and add to dressings and sauces. You can also add fresh grated ginger to your tea.

15. Turmeric

Turmeric is rich in curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Turmeric can help fight infections and cancers, according to researchers.

How to Eat It: Add turmeric to roasted vegetables, smoothies, and soups. Turmeric is often used in curry dishes.

16. Beans

Beans come in many varieties and are high in fiber and phytonutrients, an inflammation-fighting substance. Black beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), red beans, kidney beans, and lentils can all reduce inflammation in your body.

How to Eat Them: Use beans for your protein in tacos, bowls, and salads. Eat hummus as a snack dip, or spread it on your favorite sandwiches.

Related Post: Healthy and Easy Hummus Recipe

17. Green tea

Green tea has antioxidants called catechins, which reduce inflammation in the body.

How to Eat It: Drink green tea in the morning or for a boost of energy in the afternoon.

18. Cherries

Cherries are rich in antioxidants and can inhibit oxidative stress and decrease inflammation.

How to Eat Them: Eat cherries as a snack or add them to smoothies and salads.

19. Garlic

Garlic is one of the best anti inflammatory foods that can reduce the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The diallyl disulfide in garlic helps fight inflammation.

How to Eat It: Add garlic to your vegetables and meats when cooking or add it to pasta. Hummus is a great anti-inflammatory food that has the benefits of garlic and chickpeas.

20. Dark chocolate and cocoa

Last but not least is dark chocolate and cocoa. Dark chocolate, which is at least 70 percent cocoa, is rich in antioxidants that fight inflammation and free radicals in the body.

How to Eat It: Make some dark hot cocoa or eat a dark chocolate bar.

Tips to Add More Anti Inflammatory Foods to Your Diet

The best anti inflammatory foods can help reduce chronic inflammation and lower your risk of diseases such as heart disease and arthritis. Here are some tips to help you add more anti-inflammatory foods to your regular eating program:

Eat natural foods for snacks instead of processed foods. Try walnuts, almonds, and berries for healthy snacks. Fresh hummus and guacamole are also excellent anti-inflammatory snack choices.
Add more leafy greens to your meals by substituting lettuce with kale, spinach, or other dark leafy greens.
Use chia or flax seeds as toppings for yogurt, smoothies, and oatmeal.
Cook with extra virgin olive oil instead of margarine or butter.
Eat fatty fish for protein instead of red meat.

If you need more healthy eating inspiration, check out our healthy recipes section for easy and nutritious recipes to help with muscle recovery, energy, and fueling your workouts.

Happy eating to you! 😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, dog lover, Akita mom, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY.

20 Best Anti Inflammatory Foods for Better Health