Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Foods associated with lower markers of chronic, low-grade inflammation linked to long-term disease risk.
Anti-inflammatory foods are those associated, in research, with lower levels of chronic low-grade inflammation, a process linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other long-term health conditions. Common examples include extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish, leafy greens, berries, nuts, and olives.
This is distinct from acute inflammation (like swelling from an injury), which is a normal, necessary immune response.
In Practice
The Mediterranean diet is frequently studied as an anti-inflammatory eating pattern because it combines several of these foods together: olive oil, fish, vegetables, and legumes, while limiting processed food and refined sugar.
Worth Knowing
No single food is a magic anti-inflammatory switch. The research support is strongest for overall dietary patterns rather than individual 'superfoods.'