Anti-inflammatory diet food list

The foods that calm inflammation and the ones that drive it, sorted into eat-more and eat-less, with the actual evidence and the brands worth buying. A companion to the anti-inflammatory diet pillar, built to print and shop from.

1. 01

   Eat more: fatty fish, twice a week

   Salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout. The EPA and DHA in fatty fish are the most studied anti-inflammatory nutrients we have (Calder 2010). Twice a week is the Mediterranean-pattern target. Wild Planet sardines are the weekday cheat. This is the single highest-leverage food on the list.

2. 02

   Eat more: leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables

   Spinach, arugula, kale, chard daily, in quantity, not as a garnish. Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage three-plus times a week (sulforaphane is the compound of interest). Roast the cruciferous at 425°F with olive oil and salt for charred edges.

3. 03

   Eat more: berries and colorful fruit

   Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, the highest polyphenol profile of any common fruit. Frozen is fine, the nutrition holds. Half a cup on oats, yogurt, or cottage cheese. Consistency beats volume here.

4. 04

   Eat more: extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, and seeds

   Oleocanthal in EVOO has genuine anti-inflammatory activity at culinary doses (2-4 tbsp/day). Walnuts (ALA), ground flax and chia (keep ground flax in the freezer or it goes rancid). A small handful of walnuts and a tablespoon of ground flax most days.

5. 05

   Eat more: turmeric + black pepper, ginger, green tea

   Culinary, not supplements: a teaspoon of turmeric in eggs or soup, always with black pepper (piperine multiplies curcumin absorption). Fresh ginger grated into stir-fries and broths. One to three cups of green tea or a morning matcha (EGCG). The golden chicken soup is built on exactly these.

6. 06

   Eat more: legumes and whole grains

   Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, white beans three to four times a week, fiber plus plant protein plus polyphenols. Farro, oats, brown rice, quinoa over refined grains. Canned beans drained and rinsed are not inferior for weeknight eating.

7. 07

   Eat less: ultra-processed food and added sugar

   Ultra-processed food is what the literature consistently associates with inflammation, not cheese, not bread, not olive oil. The NOVA classification is the useful frame. Sugary drinks and packaged snacks are the main offenders. Fewer cookies, more real food, without getting precious about it.

8. 08

   Eat less: refined seed oils in quantity and processed meat

   The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio matters more than absolute omega-6, and where it adds up is ultra-processed snacks where the oil is the base, not the canola in your baking. Processed and charred red meats (the AGEs and nitrites) are the other to ease off. Cook at home in olive oil and most of this solves itself.