Processed Food and Inflammation
Processed food has been linked to inflammation. Consuming a diet high in inflammatory foods has been shown to negatively affect everything from your skin to your blood sugar levels, while eating whole foods, on the other hand, can help reduce inflammation throughout your body. By cutting back on processed foods, you’ll be taking an important step towards combating systemic inflammation.
1. What is Processed Food?
Processed foods are products that have been transformed into something new through manufacturing. They often contain added sugar, salt, fat, flavorings, and many other additives that can negatively affect your health. Processed foods tend to be high in calories but low in nutrients. Some examples of processed food include fried chicken from a fast-food restaurant, canned fruit packed in syrup, and frozen meals sold at grocery stores. Processed foods are cheaper to produce than whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.
2. Foods That Cause Inflammation
- Processed meat
Research has linked excessive consumption of processed meats to inflammatory diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. Reducing or eliminating processed meats from your diet can help reduce inflammation. Choose fresh foods whenever possible instead. A healthier way to enjoy protein-rich meals is by consuming fresh grass-fed beef, lean proteins like chicken and fish. These foods have a wide variety of nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, which may protect against heart disease and certain cancers.
- Sugar - Processed Foods Have Hidden Sugar Content
Processed foods contain a lot of hidden sugar, which can lead to insulin spikes and cause inflammation (insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes). Both conditions result in chronically elevated levels of inflammation, which can lead to all sorts of serious health issues. The key to avoiding these problems is moderating your intake of processed food.
Try to replace processed food with healthy alternatives such as fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and other whole foods that don’t contain added sugar or other harmful ingredients.
- Artificial Trans Fats
Trans fats cause inflammation in our bodies. There are two types of trans fats: naturally occurring (found in animal fat) and artificial (mostly vegetable oil). Naturally occurring trans fats are okay in small amounts. On the other hand, trans fats created by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils, like margarine, are pure poison. Artificial trans fats promote inflammation, which leads to heart disease, cancer and dementia. Removing processed foods from your diet will decrease your body’s exposure to these nasty toxins.
3. Processed Food Can Cause Gut Issues
The gut is where 70% of your immune system exists, so if it’s out of whack, you have a hard time fighting off inflammation. Since processed food has little-to-no nutritional value, your body reacts to it by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines —chemical messengers that cause allergic reactions. Eventually this will wreak havoc on your immune system. This type of inflammation is linked to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), skin problems, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer. With such grave consequences, it’s worth eliminating all processed foods from your diet.
Gut health naturally can be enhanced through proper nutrition and lifestyle choices.
REMINDER: If you can’t recognize what an ingredient is or pronounce it, put it back on the shelf. Make sure all ingredients are as close to their natural state as possible before buying them.
4. Foods That Fight Inflammation
Natural anti-inflammatory foods can help you regulate your body’s inflammation response. These include healthy fats, like avocados and olive oil, as well as antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, cherries, raspberries, acai berries (and other dark berries), artichokes, turmeric (Curcuma longa), tomatoes and strawberries. Consuming omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil supplements may also be beneficial in helping reduce inflammation.
