6 Anti-Inflammatory Foods We Use Every Week
Over the years we've learned to eat the foods that make us feel our best (light, bright and beautiful!) and which are well-studied to reduce inflammation in the body. There are just so many amazingly delicious and nutritious anti-inflammatory foods that you can include in your diet every day….They range from colorful berries, vegetables, and spices, to healthy fats, and our absolute favorite - cocoa!
Here are 6 key anti-inflammatory foods we find ourselves cooking with (and eating!) every single week in our Tuesday Foods Kitchen.
Let’s dive in and we'll tell you why – and give you several recipe ideas for each.
Anti-inflammatory Food #1: Berries, grapes and Cherries
Perhaps the most amazingly delicious anti-inflammatory foods are a sweet favorite of yours. Berries, grapes, and cherries are packed with fiber, and antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C) and minerals (manganese). Oh, and did I forget to mention their phytochemicals (phyto=plant)? Yes, many antioxidants such as "anthocyanins" and "resveratrol" are found in these small and delicious fruits.
In fact, berries, grapes, and cherries may be the best dietary sources of these amazingly healthy compounds.
Recipes To Enjoy:
Forever Beautiful Breakfast Smoothie
Anti-inflammatory Food #2: Leafy Greens
I’m sure you know leafy greens are good for you, but do you know why? Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, arugula, dandelion greens and other leafy greens are rich in antioxidants and alkalizing to the body. They’re packed with vitamins and nutrients including folate, fiber, vitamins A, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K along with a variety of minerals.
The health benefits of leafy greens are no joke: They nourish our body at a cellular level, prevent cognitive decline, keep our gut microbial community in tip top shape and reduce overall inflammation.
Recipe To Enjoy:
Fennel, Apple, Arugula Salad
Chef T’s Power Greens Smoothie
Anti-inflammatory Food #3: Healthy Fats
Fat can be terribly inflammatory ("trans" fats), neutral (“saturated fats”), or anti-inflammatory ("omega-3s), this is why choosing the right fats is so important for your health.
The best anti-inflammatory fats are the omega-3 fatty acids, that come from fatty fish like salmon, chia, hemp + flax seeds, walnuts and avocado. These are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, auto-immune disorders, diabetes, and some cancers.
Omega 3’s are also critical for brain health and interestingly enough, those who consume them regularly are less likely to be depressed or anxious. In short, omega-3’s are one of the most well-studied nutrients and the results show the massive anti-inflammatory effects they have on the body.
Recipes To Enjoy:
Chef Katie’s Peanut butter Energy Bites
Kelly’s Healthy Homemade Granola
Anti-inflammatory Food #4: Green Tea
Green tea contains the anti-inflammatory compound called “epigallocatechin-3-gallate” (EGCG) and it’s linked to reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, obesity, and Alzheimer's.
Drinking steeped green tea is great, but have you tried matcha green tea? It's thought to contain even higher levels of antioxidants than regular green tea.
Recipes To Enjoy:
Anti-inflammatory Food #5 - Ginger & Turmeric
Would a list of anti-inflammatory foods be complete without the amazing spice turmeric? Turmeric contains the antioxidant curcumin. This compound has been shown to reduce the pain of arthritis, as well as have anti-cancer and anti-diabetes properties.
Ginger contains substances known as gingerols that reduce inflammation and turn off pain-causing compounds in the body. Ginger supports digestion and helps with motility, moving things things more efficiently through our intestines.
Recipes To Enjoy:
Anti-inflammatory Food #6: Dark Chocolate
We love all things chocolate at Good Clean Food! Dark chocolate, with at least 70% cocoa is packed with anti-inflammatory antioxidants - namely "flavonols". These reduce the risk of heart disease by keeping your arteries healthy. They've even been shown to prevent "neuro-inflammation" (inflammation of the brain and nerves). Reducing neuro-infammation may help with long term memory, and reduce the risk of dementia and stroke.
Recipes To Enjoy: