What is inflammation?

Inflammation is part of the body’s natural defense system. But when inflammation becomes long-term (chronic), it can harm the body instead of helping it. Chronic inflammation plays a role in many common health problems, including:

• Heart disease (plaque buildup in arteries)
• Type 2 diabetes (insulin resistance)
• Obesity and metabolic issues
• Brain and memory conditions over time

Good news!
What you eat every day has a powerful impact on inflammation.
Food can either calm inflammation or fuel it.

How an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Helps

An anti-inflammatory way of eating focuses on foods that help lower inflammation and protect your cells. These foods are rich in nutrients that support healing and balance in the body.

Key nutrients include:

• Fiber (from vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains)
• Healthy fats (Especially omega-3 fats)
• Antioxidants (vitamins C and E, and plant compounds)
• Minerals like zinc

These nutrients help reduce oxidative stress—one of the main drivers of inflammation.

Nutrients Work Better Together

Some nutrients work best as a team:

Eating a variety of whole foods allows nutrients to work together naturally.
Better than supplements!

A Note About Balance

Some plant foods contain natural compounds that can slightly reduce absorption of certain minerals like iron or zinc. This is usually not a problem when you eat a balanced, and varied diet. The benefits of eating whole, plant-rich foods far outweigh these small effects.

Bottom Line

• Chronic inflammation contributes to many chronic diseases
• Food is one of the most powerful tools to reduce inflammation
• Focus on whole, colorful, minimally processed foods
• Variety matters, nutrients work best together

Small, consistent choices can make a big difference over time.

Antioxidant Chart

Category	Source	Anti-inflammatory effect
Omega–3 fatty acids	Flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts and pecans	Slow down the movement of white blood cells to inflamed areas and make it harder to stick to blood vessel walls. Reduce the production of inflammatory signaling hormones.
MUFA	Olive oil, olives, avocados, nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, peanuts and sesame), avocado oil	Increase adiponectin secretion, improve insulin resistance and reduce proinflammatory cytokines and circulating inflammatory cells
Antioxidants	Fruits (berries, citrus, etc.), vegetables (spinach, kale, etc.), nuts, seeds, herbs (turmeric, ginger, etc.)	Alleviate oxidative stress, neutralize free radicals and protect against DNA damage brought on by hydroxyl radicals
Polyphenols	Extra virgin olive oil, black/green tea, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, legumes, fruits, red wine, vegetables and coffee	Mitigate blood pressure, lipid profiles, abdominal obesity, blood glucose and vascular conditions.
Dietary fiber	Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds	Increases anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids production in the colon, reduces proinflammatory cytokines and helps to maintain a healthy gut microbiome
Phytochemicals	Turmeric (curcumin), ginger, garlic, cinnamon and other herbs and spices	Modulate inflammatory pathways, reduce proinflammatory cytokines and enhance antioxidant activities.
Probiotics	Sauerkraut, pickles and other fermented foods	Improve gut barrier function, reduce lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-dependent chronic low-grade inflammation and biomarkers associated with oxidative metabolism
Vitamins and minerals	Citrus fruits, berries, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes	Exert antioxidant properties; involved in anti-inflammatory processes.
Low glycaemic index (GI) foods	Whole grains, legumes, non-starchy vegetables	Regulate postprandial blood glucose levels, alleviate oxidative stress and reduce inflammatory markers.
Prebiotics	Garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas, apples, pickled foods.	Stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial gut bacteria, enhance short-chain fatty acid production, improve gut barrier function

Core Anti-Inflammatory Plant-Based Foods

Vegetables (Eat Abundantly)

Vegetables are the foundation of an anti-inflammatory diet. Aim for variety and color, and choose the ones you enjoy most.

Great choices include

Goal: Fill half your plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner.

Fruits (Fresh and Whole)

Fruits provide fiber, antioxidants, and plant compounds that help calm inflammation.

Best choices:

Helpful pairing:

Add ground flaxseeds or chia seeds to fruit for extra omega-3 fats and fiber.

Goal: Choose whole fruit over juice. Aim for 2–3 servings per day.

Intact Whole Grains

Whole grains support gut health and help reduce inflammation because they are rich in fiber and nutrients.

Examples include:

Tip: Look for “100% whole grain” on labels if you are consuming processed grains.

Legumes and Plant Proteins

Legumes are among the most anti-inflammatory foods available. They provide protein, fiber, and powerful plant compounds.

Include:

Goal: Include legumes daily and replace some animal protein with plant-based options.

Nuts and Seeds (Healthy Fats)

Nuts and seeds provide anti-inflammatory fats and antioxidants.

Good options

Tip: A small handful goes a long way.

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices are concentrated sources of anti-inflammatory plant compounds.

Foods to Minimize or Avoid

Ultra-Processed Foods & Added Sugar

These foods promote inflammation and can increase inflammatory markers in the body.
They may:

• Increase oxidative stress
• Promote weight gain (fat tissue produces inflammatory signals)
• Raise markers like C-reactive protein

Foods to limit or avoid:

Label tip: If you can’t pronounce most of the ingredients, it’s probably best to skip it.

The Elimination Trial: Finding Your Personal Triggers

While whole, plant-based foods are generally anti-inflammatory, some people are sensitive to certain foods.
A short-term elimination trial can help identify personal triggers.

Common sensitivities include:

• Gluten sensitivity: Can affect people even without celiac disease
• Dairy sensitivity: Related to lactose intolerance or milk protein reactions
• Individual gut differences: Everyone’s microbiome processes foods differently

Period	2-Weeks elimination	4-Weeks elimination	Step
Elimination	1	1	Begin elimination diet: Eliminate all dairy and gluten products completely
	2-7	2-7	Track all the changes, symptoms may get worse, but soon you’ll start noticing some improvements in energy, digestion, joint pain, or other symptoms.
	8-14	8-30	Symptoms should go away if the right foods have been removed
Challenge 1	15	31	Re-introduce one small portion of food (Either Gluten or Dairy*)
	16	32	If no symptoms occur, eat about twice the amount as day 1
	17	33	If no symptoms occur, eat about twice the amount as day 2, if occurred, suspend the consumption of that food group
			Remove food selected from diet again. If it did not cause symptoms, only add it back to the meal plan once the elimination diet is over.
Challenge 2	18	34	Re-introduce one small portion of the second group of food (Dairy* or gluten)
	19	35	If no symptoms occur, eat about twice the amount as day 1
	20	36	If no symptoms occur, eat about twice the amount as day 2
			Remove food selected from diet again. If it did not cause symptoms, only add it back to the meal plan once the elimination diet is over.
Continue	21-24	37-40	Follow the guideline: Result 1: Both dairy and gluten caused problems → Stay dairy-free and gluten-free. Continue the abundant plant-based anti-inflammatory approach. Result 2: Only dairy or only gluten caused problems → Eliminate only that food. Reintroduce the other if it didn’t trigger symptoms.* Result 3: Neither dairy nor gluten caused problems → *You can include them in small portions, though minimizing them aligns with the broader anti-inflammatory pattern.

Bottom line: Pay attention to how your body responds. What works best is personal.

For Dairy

Eliminate all dairy products completely:

• Milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, sour cream, whey protein
• Check labels for hidden dairy (in bread, sauces, some sources of protein)
• Remove all processed products

Replace with:

• Plant-based milks: oat, almond, soy, cashew, hemp (watch for added sugars and gums!)
• Nutritional yeast (cheesy flavor, added B12)
• Cashew cream or coconut cream
• Dairy-free yogurts (soy or coconut based)
• Tahini or seed butter-based dressings

*Even if you are not sensitive to dairy, if you are finding you don’t miss it, don’t add it back! There are plenty of benefits to being dairy free.

For Gluten
Eliminate all gluten-containing foods:

• Wheat (bread, pasta, cereals, baked goods)
• Barley, rye, spelt, kamut
• Check labels for hidden gluten in soups
• Remove processed foods

Replace with:

• Gluten-free grains: rice, quinoa, corn, millet, buckwheat, oats (certified gluten-free)
• Gluten-free bread and pasta options
• Rice cakes, corn tortillas
• Legume-based pasta (higher protein, lower glycemic)