Anti-Inflammatory Foods: The List

As the basis of an anti-inflammatory-oriented diet, above all plant-focused, minimally processed foods are considered: plenty of colourful vegetables and fruit, legumes, wholegrain products, high-quality plant oils, nuts, seeds and oily sea fish. This pattern resembles the classic Mediterranean cuisine and supplies plenty of fibre, unsaturated fatty acids and secondary plant compounds. This overview shows you the most important food groups, classifies their role factually and gives practical tips, without understanding individual foods as remedies.

What is behind the term

The term anti-inflammatory diet describes an eating pattern that is rich in plant-based foods, fibre and unsaturated fatty acids and contains little highly processed products, sugar and red meat. A single food does not act like a medicine here. It is sensible to look at the overall picture. Some nutrients contribute, within the framework of authorised EU claims, to normal body functions, for example: "Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress" and "Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress." These formulations describe normal functions and not a healing effect. It is important not to misunderstand the term: no food and no diet can treat a medically diagnosed inflammatory disease or replace a medical therapy. What such a diet can achieve is to form, in everyday life, a nutrient-rich, balanced basis that coincides with general recommendations for a healthy diet. It is precisely this realistic expectation that helps to classify the topic factually.

Vegetables and fruit as the basis

Colourful vegetables and fruit supply vitamins, minerals, fibre and a multitude of secondary plant compounds. Particularly rich are green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, brassicas such as broccoli, colourful peppers, tomatoes as well as berries, cherries and citrus fruits. Beetroot, carrots, onions and garlic are also among the versatile vegetables that are easy to incorporate into many dishes. Frozen vegetables and frozen berries are a practical and often inexpensive addition, because they are processed fresh from harvest and are available all year round. Vitamin-C-rich varieties such as peppers, broccoli and berries should be highlighted here, because vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. A great variety of colour on the plate is a simple rule of thumb for a broad nutrient basis, because different colours often stand for different secondary plant compounds. Vitamin E from plant oils, nuts and seeds also plays a role here: in the EU it is authorised that vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Anyone who plans several portions of vegetables and one to two portions of fruit daily creates a good basis for this, without having to put individual superfoods at the centre.

Healthy fats and oily sea fish

Unsaturated fatty acids are a central building block of this eating pattern. Important sources are extra virgin olive oil, rapeseed oil, walnuts, linseed and chia seeds as well as oily sea fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel. Oily sea fish supplies the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. In the EU it is authorised: "EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart." The intake should be at least 250 milligrams of EPA and DHA per day for this claim to apply. Plant-based omega-3 sources such as linseed oil, walnut oil and rapeseed oil supply the shorter-chain omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid and sensibly complement the fat quality. Just as important as adding good fats is cutting back on less favourable fats: anyone who reduces highly processed products with a high proportion of saturated and industrially hardened fats and instead reaches for olive oil and nuts improves the entire fat pattern of the diet. Two fish meals per week, of which ideally one with oily sea fish, are a common orientation.

Wholegrain, legumes and fibre

Wholegrain products and legumes supply plenty of fibre and stand in contrast to highly processed white flour products. Oat flakes, wholegrain bread, brown rice, lentils, chickpeas and beans are good examples. Fibre is food for the gut bacteria and contributes to a satiating, more blood-sugar-friendly eating behaviour. Anyone who gradually replaces processed carbohydrates with wholegrain variants noticeably shifts the overall picture of the diet in a more favourable direction. A further advantage of fibre-rich foods is their slower effect on blood sugar compared to white flour and sugar. Legumes in particular combine fibre with plant protein and are excellently suited to replace part of the meat on the menu. Even swapping white rice for brown rice or white bread for wholegrain bread is a simple, everyday-suitable step.

Herbs and spices

Herbs and spices not only make dishes tasty but also supply concentrated secondary plant compounds. Turmeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon as well as fresh herbs such as rosemary, oregano and parsley are traditionally used and fit well into a plant-focused cuisine. They do not replace a medicine, but make it possible to enhance dishes in flavour with less salt and sugar. As part of a varied cuisine, they enrich the eating pattern. In practice, this means, for example, seasoning dishes with fresh ginger and turmeric, using garlic and onions as an aromatic basis of many dishes, and seasoning with fresh herbs instead of a lot of salt. Turmeric develops its aroma well in warm dishes and is traditionally often combined with a little pepper and fat. Such spices are no substitute for a balanced diet, but make it easier to cook tastily and low in salt.

What one should reduce

Just as important as the selection of good foods is cutting back on unfavourable ones. These include highly processed convenience products, sugary drinks and sweets, a lot of red and processed meat, white flour products as well as a high proportion of saturated and industrial fats. Alcohol consumption should be kept low, because alcohol supplies many calories and does not fit into a health-oriented eating pattern. It is not about strict prohibitions, but about noticeably lowering the proportion of these foods and increasing the plant-based proportion.

The overall pattern counts: the Mediterranean cuisine

The individual building blocks together produce a picture that very much resembles the classic Mediterranean diet: plenty of vegetables, fruit, legumes and wholegrain, olive oil as the most important fat source, regular fish, moderate amounts of dairy products as well as little red and processed meat. This pattern is well studied and is considered one of the best foundations for a long-term balanced diet. The advantage of such a pattern lies in the fact that it does not rely on individual superfoods, but on a durably sustainable everyday diet that can be flexibly adapted to taste, budget and season. Expensive exotics are also not necessary: local vegetables such as cabbage, carrots and onions, berries in season or frozen, oat flakes, lentils, rapeseed oil and one to two portions of fish per week already form a strong foundation. Important is consistency over weeks and months, because it is not the individual meal but the sum of the habits that shapes the eating pattern. Anyone who additionally pays attention to sufficient exercise, good sleep, little alcohol and not smoking supports the overall picture beyond nutrition. Sustainability in the sense of consistency is more important here than short-term, strict cures.

When a medical assessment makes sense

A plant-focused, Mediterranean-oriented diet is a good basis for most people and coincides with general recommendations. However, it does not replace a medical treatment. Anyone who has persistent complaints, brings along a chronic illness or takes medication should have dietary changes and the question of a sensible supplement clarified medically, instead of relying on individual foods or preparations. A good diet and a necessary medical treatment do not exclude each other, but complement each other. Anyone who shifts the diet gradually and durably towards a plant-focused, Mediterranean pattern creates a solid basis on which further healthy habits can be built.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Which foods are considered anti-inflammatory?

Considered favourable are colourful vegetables and fruit, berries, green leafy vegetables, legumes, wholegrain products, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily sea fish. Decisive is the plant-focused overall pattern.

Does a single food work against inflammation?

No, a single food does not act like a medicine. Sensible is the entire eating pattern, which is rich in plant-based foods and unsaturated fats and poor in highly processed products.

What role does fish play?

Oily sea fish supplies the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. In the EU it is authorised that EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart, provided at least 250 milligrams are taken in daily.

What should one reduce?

It is advisable to noticeably reduce highly processed convenience products, sugar and sugary drinks, a lot of red and processed meat as well as white flour products, and to keep alcohol consumption low.

Does this diet replace a medical treatment?

No. A plant-focused diet is a good basis but does not replace a medical treatment. With persistent complaints or chronic illnesses, a medical assessment is important.