Food Fight Against Inflammation

Move over heart-health and cancer-prevention diets—the new disease-prevention diet on the block is the anti-inflammation diet. Consumers are hungry to learn more about how certain foods can ward off inflammation. In fact, a recent Amazon search of books using the search terms “inflammation diet” revealed 798 results.

This trend is something many health experts are happy about, since a growing body of evidence indicates inflammation may be at the root of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, neurological degenerative disorders and inflammatory bowel disorders.

Inflammation, the root of disease

“There is a growing awareness of chronic disease and inflammation. There is a new hypothesis on the medical horizon that is gaining support from research. Chronic inflammation appears more and more to be at the root of chronic disease,” reported Dr. Andrew Weil, director, Program in Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson—and an internationally recognized inflammation expert—at the 5th Annual Nutrition and Health: State of the Science & Clinical Applications conference in Phoenix on April 16, 2008.

Inflammation is actually a normal body defense system, marking the first organized reaction to an injurious challenge to the body, whether a bacterial infection or oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Blood leukocytes migrate to specific tissues and are activated to manage a series of biochemical and cellular events. The problem is, when the inflammation process is triggered continuously over many years, it can lead to excess oxidation and chronic disease. “Inflammation is so powerful and potentially destructive,” says Weil. “You can up-regulate and down-regulate inflammation in the body. In perfect balance, the body can mount an inflammatory response when it is needed and stop it when it has served a purpose.”

Inflammatory markers in the body are of growing interest to researchers. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a nonspecific marker of low-grade inflammation, has been linked to coronary-heart-disease risk, as well as obesity, smoking, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Soluble forms of leukocyte adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1, may reflect elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, proteins secreted by immune cells. Some health experts predict that, in the future, physicians will screen patients for inflammatory markers as a disease-prevention measure.

Diet-inflammation connection

Many factors, including genetics, the environment and lifestyle, influence chronic inflammation, and many studies have examined its relationship to the diet. It appears that the Western style of eating, with low plant-food intakes and high refined-carb and omega-6 fatty-acid intakes, creates a proinflammatory milieu. According to a state-of-the-art paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2006; 48:677-685), dietary patterns high in refined starches, sugar, and saturated and trans fatty acids; low in natural antioxidants and fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; and poor in omega-3 fatty acids may cause immune-system activation through excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines.

Many individual foods, including “super” antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dark chocolate, green tea, those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and turmeric, are highlighted as poster children for an anti-inflammation diet. Omega-3 fatty acids’ anti-inflammatory action may be related to their involvement in the modulation of the immune response, and many plant foods may be beneficial because of their antioxidant status. According to a study published in the May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (87(5):1,290-1,297), selecting foods based on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) has a marked effect on antioxidant intake and decreases inflammatory markers. In the crossover intervention study, researchers studied the effects of feeding a high-TAC or low-TAC diet to 33 healthy adults for 2 weeks.

“How people eat is a very important factor influencing inflammation,” says Weil. He notes that some of the key dietary strategies involved in reducing chronic inflammation include: focusing on an abundance of plant foods in all forms, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes; opting for low-glycemic-index carbohydrates instead of processed, refined high-glycemic-index carbohydrates; consuming healthy fat sources, including a higher ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids, increased monounsaturated-fat intake, limited saturated-fat intake, and avoidance of trans fats; choosing organic foods to limit pesticide residues; drinking more tea; drinking alcohol, preferably red wine, in moderation; enjoying dark chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa content; and including a variety of spices and herbs, such as ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper, in the diet. In addition, he suggests supplementing the diet with vitamins C and D, selenium, mixed carotenoids, and fish oil.

It’s too soon to find specific guidelines for anti-inflammatory eating from the American Heart Association, Dallas, or in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. But the dietary-supplement industry has been quick to jump on the anti-inflammatory trend, with hundreds of formulations marketing their anti-inflammatory benefits. While no FDA-approved health claim exists that specifically relates particular foods to anti-inflammatory benefits, many food products and ingredients are gaining interest with consumers, due to their increasing knowledge base of specific foods that fend off chronic inflammation. Just look at the soaring popularity of omega-3 oils, pomegranates, green tea and dark chocolate for proof.

Sharon Palmer is a registered dietitian with 16 years of experience in health-care and foodservice management. She writes on food and nutrition for newspapers, magazines, websites and books. Palmer makes her home in Southern California and can be reached at [email protected].