Many diets, particularly those high in added sugar, processed carbohydrates, fried foods, alcohol, and high-temperature-cooked meats, can lead to inflammation and chronic disease.
Depending on the circumstances, inflammation can be beneficial or detrimental.
On the one hand, it’s your body’s natural defence mechanism when you’re hurt or unwell.
It can assist your body protect against sickness and promote healing.
Chronic, prolonged inflammation, on the other hand, has been associated to an elevated risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Surprisingly, the foods you eat might have a big impact on inflammation in your body.
The following are 5 foods that can cause inflammation.
1.Sugar and high fructose corn syrup
The two most common types of added sugar in the Western diet are table sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
Sugar is composed of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, whereas high fructose corn syrup is composed of 45% glucose and 55% fructose.
One of the reasons added sugars are bad for you is that they can cause inflammation, which can lead to disease.
One study found that mice on high sucrose diets developed breast cancer that migrated to their lungs, which was caused in part by the inflammatory response to sugar.
Another 2011 study found that omega-3 fatty acid anti-inflammatory properties were diminished in mice on a high sugar diet.
Furthermore, in a randomised clinical experiment in which participants drank regular soda, diet soda, milk, or water, only those who drank regular soda had higher levels of uric acid, which promotes inflammation and insulin resistance.
Sugar can also be dangerous since it contains an excess of fructose.
While little amounts of fructose are good in fruits and vegetables, consuming high amounts from added sugars can be harmful to health.
Obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, fatty liver disease, cancer, and chronic kidney disease have all been related to a high fructose diet.
Fructose also triggers inflammation among the endothelial cells that line your blood arteries, which is a risk factor for heart disease, according to studies.
In both rodents and humans, high fructose consumption has been demonstrated to enhance many inflammatory markers.
Candy, chocolate, soft drinks, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, sweet pastries, and certain cereals are high in added sugar.
Summary A high-sugar, high-fructose corn syrup diet promotes inflammation, which can lead to disease. It may also have an anti-inflammatory impact like omega-3 fatty acids.
2.Fried foods
Fried foods like French fries, mozzarella sticks, doughnuts, and egg rolls may cause inflammation in the body in addition to being heavy in fat and calories.
This is due to the fact that high-heat cooking methods, such as frying, can enhance the production of hazardous substances such as advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can cause inflammation and lead to chronic disease.
Frying can also increase the quantity of trans fats in cooking oils, which can contribute to inflammation.
According to certain studies, fried foods can alter the composition of the gut microbiome, thereby increasing inflammatory levels.
Furthermore, several studies have revealed that eating fried foods may raise the chance of developing and dying from heart disease.
Summary Foods that are fried can enhance the creation of toxic substances that might cause inflammation, such as AGEs and trans fats. Fried meals have also been related to an increase in the risk of chronic disease, according to research.
3.Refined carbohydrates
Though carbohydrates have received a poor rap, many carbohydrates-rich foods are incredibly nutritious and can be included in a well-balanced diet.
Excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, can promote inflammation.
The majority of the fibre in refined carbohydrates has been eliminated. Fiber helps you feel full, improves blood sugar regulation, and feeds the good bacteria in your gut.
According to the researchers, refined carbs in the modern diet may promote the formation of inflammatory gut bacteria, which might increase your risk of obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.
Refined carbohydrates have a higher glycemic index (GI) than raw carbohydrates. High GI foods cause blood sugar levels to rise faster than low GI foods.
In one study, children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis who followed a low GI diet for three months saw significant decreases in inflammatory markers when compared to a control group.
Another study found that a low GI diet could reduce levels of interleukin-6, an inflammation marker, more effectively than a high GI diet in persons with diabetes.
Candy, bread, pasta, pastries, some cereals, cookies, cakes, sugary soft drinks, and all processed meals with added sugar or flour include refined carbs.
Summary Unprocessed carbs with high fibre are healthful, while refined carbs elevate blood sugar levels and induce inflammation, which may contribute to disease.
4.Excessive alcohol
Moderate alcohol drinking may be beneficial to one’s health.
Higher levels, on the other hand, can cause serious difficulties.
In one 2010 study, participants who drank alcohol had higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a sign of inflammation. CRP levels were highest in those who drank more than two drinks each day.
People who consume a lot of alcohol may experience issues with bacterial toxins travelling out of the colon and into the body. This disorder, often known as “leaky gut,” can cause widespread inflammation and organ damage.
To avoid alcohol-related health concerns, males should restrict their intake to two standard drinks per day and females to one.
Summary Heavy alcohol use can cause inflammation and a "leaky gut," which spreads inflammation throughout your body.
5.Meats cooked at high temperatures
Consuming high-temperature-cooked meats, such as bacon, sausage, ham, and smoked meat, has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Grilling, barbecuing, roasting, frying, toasting, and searing are some more high-heat cooking methods.
High-temperature cooking causes the production of inflammatory chemicals known as AGEs.
AGEs are thought to contribute to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes, in addition to causing inflammation.
Interestingly, marinating meat in acidic solutions like lemon juice or vinegar before grilling or roasting will cut the amount of AGEs in half.
Another technique to reduce AGE production is to cook meats for shorter periods of time and use moist heat cooking methods such as boiling, steaming, poaching, or stewing.
Summary AGEs, which have been related to inflammation and chronic disease, are abundant in high-temperature-cooked meats, notably processed meats.
The bottom line
Inflammation can occur in reaction to a variety of causes, some of which are difficult to avoid, such as pollution, injury, or illness.
You do, however, have a lot more influence over things like your food.
To be as healthy as possible, keep inflammation down by decreasing your consumption of items that provoke it and eating anti-inflammatory foods.
