How to eat an anti-inflammatory diet? This dietary pattern is recommended

Recently, the term "anti-inflammatory diet" has become popular, and the terms "anti-inflammatory diet" and "pro-inflammatory diet" that were relatively unfamiliar to people in the past have become hot words at the moment.

So, how harmful is inflammation to your health? Are there foods that promote inflammation? And what is a truly anti-inflammatory diet?

01

What is "inflammation"?

The "inflammation" in the anti-inflammatory diet is not the same as the "inflammation" we usually talk about. The inflammation we usually talk about is mostly caused by bacterial infection after injury. It is an acute inflammatory response of the immune system to protect the body.

The "anti-inflammatory diet" that has become popular recently refers to the inflammatory environment in the body, which is a chronic inflammation that may exist in the human body and is related to changes in the body's C-reactive protein and interleukin.

Persistent chronic inflammation can cause harm to the body and promote the occurrence of cancer. For example: smoking-tracheitis-lung cancer, gastritis-gastric cancer, chronic ulcerative colitis-colon cancer, hepatitis-liver cancer, etc. [1]

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Especially for the elderly, the pro-inflammatory response during inflammatory aging can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, atherosclerosis, heart disease, muscle atrophy, etc. If you already have a chronic disease, the impact of chronic inflammation will be even more adverse. [2]

Although chronic inflammation can induce the occurrence of cancer and endanger the health of the elderly, daily living habits and eating patterns can control the development of inflammation to some extent.

02

What factors promote inflammation?

To stay healthy, it is important to recognize and avoid pro-inflammatory foods. According to the dietary inflammation index scoring method, the following five foods are all pro-inflammatory foods:

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① Red meat: including the pork, beef and mutton we often eat. Excessive intake of red meat will promote the occurrence of inflammatory response in the body and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer and obesity. A meta-analysis found that: increasing the intake of livestock meat by 100 grams per day will increase the risk of colorectal cancer by 36%.

②Processed meat: Meat products will produce a large amount of harmful substances including N-nitroso compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines during the processing and production process. Excessive consumption will increase the body's oxidative stress level, produce inflammatory response, and eventually induce cancer, such as smoked meat, barbecue, ham, sausage, bacon, etc.

Studies have shown that eating 100 grams of processed meat per day can increase the risk of colon or rectal cancer by 14%. [1]

③ High-carbohydrate foods : Excessive intake will stimulate the expression of inflammatory molecules, such as refined staple foods and foods high in sugar.

④ High-salt diet: Excessive salt intake is not only a risk factor for hypertension, but also stimulates inflammatory responses and causes damage to target organs, such as adding too much cooking salt and often eating salted meat and pickles.

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⑤ Trans fatty acids: They are associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein. Regular intake of foods containing trans fatty acids can also promote the occurrence of inflammation, such as bread with shortening, milk tea with non-dairy creamer, chocolate with cocoa butter substitutes, cakes with margarine, etc.

In addition, bad living habits such as smoking and drinking are also major factors that promote inflammation .

03

What nutrients should you take to fight inflammation?

①Tea polyphenols: Tea polyphenols have multiple physiological functions such as anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor. Green tea is recommended.

②Dietary fiber: It can bind to carcinogens, improve intestinal health, stimulate the intestines to produce short-chain fatty acids, and prevent colorectal cancer. Data show that if you consume 10 g of dietary fiber from food every day, the risk of colorectal cancer can be reduced by 10%. [1]

③n-3 fatty acids: They can play an anti-inflammatory role by affecting the metabolism of arachidonic acid, increasing the ratio of EPA and DHA fatty acids in cell membranes, inhibiting the transcription of inflammatory factors, and metabolizing them to produce anti-inflammatory derivatives. [3]

④Vitamin C: has antioxidant effects and reduces the harm of inflammation to cells.

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⑤ Vitamin D: It can slow down the evolution of cancer by inhibiting the inflammatory process. It is recommended that the elderly take 15 micrograms of vitamin D preparations daily.

In addition, to better fight inflammation, you also need to avoid obesity, which can lead to metabolic disorders, chronic inflammation, endocrine disorders, and increased C-reactive protein in the human body. [1]

To determine whether you are obese, you can use: BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)²

It is recommended that young people keep their BMI between 18.5 and 23.9 kg/m², and that older people keep their BMI between 20 and 26.9 kg/m². [2]

04

Recommend this diet pattern

Diet has a regulatory effect on the body's immunity. Studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet can reduce the expression level of inflammatory molecules in the human body and is beneficial for anti-inflammatory. In combination with the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", it is recommended to eat like this:

① Staple food: Mainly whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, corn, chickpeas, etc. However, the gastrointestinal function of the elderly is weak, so it is recommended to combine coarse and fine grains, and replace 1/3 to 1/2 of white rice with whole grains.

②Fresh fruits and vegetables: can supplement vitamin C. It is recommended to eat 1.5 to 2 fists of cooked vegetables per meal, and choose dark vegetables, because most of these vegetables contain flavonoids such as apigenin, hesperidin, quercetin, etc., which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. You can choose celery, shepherd's purse, purple cabbage, etc.

Eat about 4 fists of fruit. Give priority to low-GI fruits such as strawberries, cherries, peaches, oranges, grapefruits, apples, and kiwis, and have them as snacks between meals.

③ Aquatic products: Choose fish, shrimp and shellfish instead of meat. They are not only rich in n-3 unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for anti-inflammatory, but also can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is recommended to eat fish at least twice a week, one palm-sized portion each time. Common fish options include sea bass, eel, salmon, prawns, etc.

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④ Livestock and poultry meat, eggs, and milk: 1 egg, about 50 grams of livestock and poultry meat (about the size of 3 fingers), 300 to 500 ml of milk or sugar-free yogurt, or 30 to 50 grams of low-salt cheese every day.

⑤ Beans: It is recommended to eat 25 grams of soybean products corresponding to soybeans every day, such as 5 mahjong-sized pieces of northern tofu and 1 fist of tofu shreds.

⑥ Nuts: It is recommended to eat 10 grams per day, such as seven or eight cashews, almonds, pistachios, etc. However, for the elderly with poor teeth, it is recommended to crush the nuts before eating to avoid choking.

⑦ Cooking oil: Olive oil is the main oil, which is good for lowering cholesterol and blood lipids. It is advisable to control the intake to 25-30 grams per day. A porcelain spoon for soup is about 10 grams, and each person can have no more than 3 spoons per day.

⑧Drink more water: Men should drink at least 1700 ml of water every day, and women should drink 1500 ml of water.

Summarize:

We need to remind everyone that chronic inflammation affects physical health and quality of life. Although an "anti-inflammatory diet" is good for physical health, it cannot replace regular medical treatment. Therefore, while paying attention to diet, you should also have regular physical examinations. If you find that you have a disease, you should still follow the doctor's advice for intervention. Do not try to deal with the disease by improving your diet alone. In addition, you should also actively change bad living habits, such as smoking, drinking, and sitting for a long time.

References:

[1] Ni Chong, Guo Shichang, Du Yan, Cao Guangwen. Relationship between dietary nutrition and inflammation-cancer risk[J]. Journal of Second Military Medical University, 2015, 36(10): 1117-1122.

[2] Yang Yuexin, Ge Keyou. Chinese Nutrition Science Encyclopedia 2nd Edition (Volume 2)[M]. People's Medical Publishing House, 2019

[3] Sun Guiju, Liu Hechun, Xu Dengfeng, et al. Anti-inflammatory effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and type 2 diabetes[J]. Health Education and Health Promotion, 2020, 15(2): 116-119. DOI: 10.16117/j.cnki.31-1974/r.202002002.

Author | Xue Qingxin, member of Chinese Nutrition Society, registered dietitian, health manager, public nutritionist

Review | Gao Chao, Associate Researcher, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

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