Are common foods surprisingly pro-inflammatory?
Written by
Gina Mason
Reviewed by
Prof. William Dalton, Ph.D.Most of the seemingly innocuous foods we eat create sizable inflammatory responses. Inflammatory chemicals in refined carbohydrates, fried foods, and processed meats stimulate increases in inflammatory markers such as IL-6. I routinely test clients who eat these daily: Their CRP levels are often beyond healthy ranges even though they are of normal weight.
Processed Meats
- Primary offenders: Deli slices, hot dogs, bacon
- Harmful compounds: Nitrates and advanced glycation end products
- Effect: Increase TNF-alpha within hours of consumption
Refined Carbohydrates
- Examples: White bread, pastries, instant rice
- Impact: Spike blood sugar rapidly, triggering IL-6 release
- Alternative: Switch to whole grains like oats and quinoa
Fried & Processed Fats
- Sources: Fast food, packaged snacks, margarine
- Danger: Trans fats disrupt cellular membrane function
- Threshold: Even 2% calories from trans fats raise CRP
How the methods of food processing convert food into inflammatory compounds. Industrial Food preparation introduces compounds that are harmful to humans when they are absent in whole foods. The sodium nitrite present in deli meats produces inflammatory N-nitroso compounds. Acrylamides form in foods that are fried, subjected to high heat, or otherwise treated similarly. These compounds activate NF-kB pathways.
Added sugars hide in places you least expect them, such as sauces and dressings. One tablespoon of ketchup has 4 grams of sugar. These sugars stimulate the production of cytokines without imparting a sweet taste. Read the labels on all products for added sugars and choose those with less than 2 grams of added sugar per serving.
Seemingly beneficial foods can become toxic when denatured and processed. Processed fruit juices lose their natural, healthy fiber content and become concentrated sources of sugar. Instant oatmeal eliminates beta-glucan (soluble) fiber, whereas steel-cut oats retain it. Granola contains some of the most inflammatory vegetable oils known to exist. Choose whole, minimally processed foods consistently.
Practical elimination approaches offer significant reductions in inflammation and levels of C-reactive protein. Those who remove processed meats and fried foods experience a 30 percent decrease in CRP levels within four weeks. Substitute home-cooked protein sources for deli meats. Use raw nuts instead of fried snacks. Such changes are sustainable and produce measurable benefits in the short run.
Read the full article: How Reduce Inflammation: 10 Natural Ways
