Quick Synopsis
Inflammation is our body's natural defense again injury. But chronic inflammation is a problem -- and can lead to several serious illnesses. The good news? You can reduce inflammation with diet.
The Full Story
Inflammation isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s designed to protect us. When we are hurt or sick, our immune system sends armies of white blood cells to fight off the injury or illness and repair damaged tissue. With more blood flowing to the source of harm, we feel discomfort, swelling, redness, and heat. This is why an ankle swells up when sprained. It can be a pain (literally) but without inflammation, we wouldn’t be able to heal.
While inflammation as a defense mechanism is a healthy and necessary response, chronic inflammation is not.
In these chronic cases, inflammation occurs even when there isn’t an injury or illness. Your body, unable to tell the difference, sends white blood cells to attack healthy tissue instead.
Chronic inflammation leads to many serious conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s disease, IBS, multiple sclerosis, and asthma.
Why do so many Americans experience chronic inflammation?
Nutrition research shows that diet plays a big role in inflammation. The Standard American Diet is chock full of inflammatory foods that are highly processed, fried, and comprised of refined flours and sugars.
The good news? An anti-inflammatory plant-based diet can protect against chronic inflammation and many of the diseases that accompany it.
What anti-inflammatory foods should I eat?
While nearly all whole plant-based foods have anti-inflammatory properties, there are three elements — antioxidants, certain minerals, and essential fatty acids — that are particularly helpful in fighting inflammation.
We’ve rounded up our top 5 favorite anti-inflammatory plant-based foods for you to add to your plate:
1. Spinach
An antioxidant powerhouse! This versatile leafy green has inflammation-fighting properties thanks to its carotenoids, antioxidants, and vitamins C, E, and K.
How to add spinach to your plate: Stir steamed spinach into our dairy-free and gluten-free Lazy Lasagna for a delicious and easy weeknight dinner.
2. Blueberries
These delicious little berries are loaded with Vitamin C, which has been shown to lower levels of the C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation in your body). But perhaps even more important, are the anthocyanins in blueberries. Anthocyanins are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
How to add blueberries to your plate: Spruce up your morning routine with this antioxidant blueberry smoothie.
3. Turmeric
This mild spice gives your favorite curry dishes their yellow coloring but it does so much more than that. Curcumin, the compound in turmeric responsible for that bright color, has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, which may help reverse many steps in the heart disease process, alleviate joint pain as well as ibuprofen, and potentially regenerate and repair damaged brain cells.
How to add turmeric to your plate: Kick off your day with our protein-packed Turmeric Chickpea Scramble. (Bonus: this healthy breakfast is cholesterol-free!)
4. Broccoli
Your Mama was right — “Eat your broccoli!” This cruciferous vegetable has anti-inflammatory properties aplenty — from its high magnesium content (a magnesium deficiency is associated with higher inflammation) to its sulforaphane, an antioxidant that reduces levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
How to add broccoli to your plate: Drizzle some dairy-free Mama’s Mac Sauce over roasted broccoli for a delicious whole food plant-based side.
5. Walnuts
These delicious nuts are packed with more than just plant-based protein. Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3s. Why do you want omega-3s? They're fatty acids which your body can’t make on their own and have been shown to moderate inflammation in the body and reduce risk for and symptoms of autoimmune diseases, heart disease, kidney disease, arthritis, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
How to add walnuts to your plate: Our Maple Walnut Granola is the perfect on-the-go snack— and kid-friendly, to boot!
Interested in the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet?
Discover how Carolyn Kaufman healed her MS symptoms and lost 145 pounds by eating this way. Read her story here.
Key Takeaways
- Chronic inflammation can lead to serious conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s disease, IBS, multiple sclerosis, and asthma.
- You don't have to live with chronic inflammation! Changing the way you eat can help big time.
- 5 foods to add to your plate include: spinach, blueberries, turmeric, broccoli, and walnuts.
What our customers are saying
The BEST environmentally friendly home service!!!!!! THE BEST "ship to home" meal service out there! Hands down. The food is delicious - just enough flavoring that you can jazz the meal up with your own spices if you wish. Nothing is bland or overly spicy. BEST OF ALL - they include a shipping label for you to RETURN all the packing materials to them for FREE for reuse until ready for recycling. Environmentally OUTSTANDING!!!! SO easy and enjoyable. And the vegan menu is superb.
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About MamaSezz
MamaSezz is the leading whole food plant-based prepared meal delivery company in the U.S. We make it easier for you to be your healthiest self by delivering hearty, fresh, ready to eat whole food plant-based meals with no B.S. (you know, Bad Stuff) right to your door.