Inflammation is essential for health.
When the body responds to an infection or injury, inflammation helps activate the processes needed for defense and repair.
But inflammation can also become persistent and low-grade.
Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and several other conditions that become more common with age.
Can what you eat make a difference?
Yes. Diet is one of several factors that can influence inflammatory processes in the body.
Research suggests that dietary patterns rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and unsaturated fats are generally associated with a more favorable inflammatory profile.
Dietary patterns containing large amounts of ultra-processed foods, refined carbohydrates, processed meats and foods high in added sugars are more often associated with a less favorable profile.
But the relationship is not as simple as calling individual foods “inflammatory” or “anti-inflammatory.”
Your inflammatory state is influenced by many factors. These include body weight, physical activity, smoking, sleep, infections, chronic diseases and metabolic health.
Diet is therefore one part of a much larger biological picture.
It is also important to distinguish between the inflammatory potential of a diet and inflammation measured in the body.
Researchers can estimate how inflammatory an overall dietary pattern may be. Blood markers such as C-reactive protein can provide different information about inflammatory activity in the body.
They are not the same measurement.
For healthy aging, the goal is not to eliminate inflammation. Normal inflammatory responses are necessary for health.
The more practical objective is to support long-term metabolic and cardiovascular health through a consistently nutritious dietary pattern alongside regular physical activity, adequate sleep and other healthy behaviors.
