Your diet directly affects your health. The unhealthy foods you eat can increase the risk of chronic inflammation. Sugar, processed meat, and fried foods can all cause inflammation in your body. Limiting these foods can help reduce inflammation and lower your risk of chronic disease.
Inflammation is a major health concern, and your diet can have a huge impact on the levels of inflammation in your body. Avoiding foods like sugar, packaged snacks, and red meat can help control inflammation and reduce your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease.
WHAT IS INFLAMMATION?
Your body uses inflammation to fight disease and heal injuries. But chronic, long-term inflammation can be dangerous and contribute to the following diseases:
- It can cause cancer by damaging cell DNA.
- It increases insulin resistance, which can cause diabetes.
- It causes joint pain that can lead to chronic arthritis.
It encourages the growth of plaques in the arteries and triggers blood clots that can cause heart disease.
SUGAR FOODS
Foods high in sugar, such as sodas and baked goods, can trigger inflammation in two ways:
Sugar stimulates the production of fatty acids in your liver. Eating sugary foods causes your body to produce more insulin. Fat cells can produce chemicals in the body that cause inflammation.
RED AND PROCESSED MEATS
Processed meats are meats that have been modified by canning, salting, smoking, or adding preservative chemicals. Products such as deli meats, hot dogs, fried chicken, red meat can negatively affect your health.
Both processed and red meats tend to be high in saturated fat. Studies have revealed that eating processed fatty and red meat can cause weight gain and inflammation.
SOME EDIBLE OILS
Many common cooking oils contain a type of fat called omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fats aren’t too bad. Your body uses them for energy and normal growth.
But omega-6 fats need to be in a careful balance with the omega-3 fats you can get from foods like salmon, mackerel and flaxseed. If you eat too much omega-6 fats, it can upset this balance that triggers inflammation.
Some common cooking oils that contain omega-6 fats include:
- corn oil
- canola oil
- Sunflower oil
- Safflower oil
- peanut oil
FRIED FOODS
Fried foods like chicken wings, doughnuts, and french fries are the biggest culprits of inflammation for a variety of reasons, including:
Fried foods tend to have high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. They often contain trans fats. These compounds directly stimulate inflammation in the body.
REFINED CARBOHYDRATES
Refined carbohydrates are sugars and grains that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Research shows that a diet high in refined carbohydrates can increase inflammation and trigger insulin resistance in the body. These factors cause a higher risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Refined carbohydrates are found in foods such as:
- White bread
- Pasta
- Pizza dough
- sugary cereals
- white rice
- White flour
- Pastries
carbonated drinks
Soda and other sugary drinks can also cause inflammation. Drinks high in sugar can cause inflammation:
Drinks sweetened with fructose, glucose, and sucrose can affect how your body metabolizes sugar, leading to inflammation.
EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
Moderate alcohol has low-grade inflammatory risks. However, excessive alcohol can manipulate the natural functioning of your body and lead to dysfunction in organs such as:
- Brain
- Liver
- Your wife
- Multiple organ interactions
MSG
Monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG, is a flavor enhancer often added to a number of processed foods. This additive can increase inflammation in the body and increase the risk of liver damage, obesity, and certain autoimmune disorders.
Common foods containing MSG include:
- soy sauce
- canned soup
- condiments
- Crisps
- canned vegetables
- Processed meats (such as hot dogs, sausage, beef jerky, and deli meats)
TRANS FAT
Trans fats can cause inflammation in your body, both in your heart and in your intestines. This inflammation can impair gluten tolerance as well as insulin production in the body.
Although briefly mentioned above, it is worth noting that trans fats contain much more than just fried foods.