3 Foods to Avoid If You Want to Prevent Inflammation

Inflammation is a natural process that helps you in many ways. For one, it protects the body from external invaders and speeds up the healing process. But, like anything in excess, inflammation can cause extreme damage to your body.

Medical experts call it “chronic inflammation”. It is associated with a wide array of health problems, such as acne, sinusitis, asthma, periodontitis, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, interstitial cystitis, ulcerative colitis and, in some extreme cases, even cancer.

What many people do not know is that there are a few foods that can cause inflammations in your body. While some foods are perfect in fighting against inflammations, there are some them that only trigger them. Without further ado, here are 3 foods to avoid if you want to prevent inflammations.

Trans fats

Trans fats are known to increase the levels of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins, LDL in short) in the body. By extension, they decrease the levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL or “good cholesterol”). This is why trans fats can lead to unwanted inflammations.

There are many studies that confirm the association between trans fats and inflammations:

• A study published in 2004 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that fatty acids cause inflammations in the body.
• A 2005 study published in the Journal of Nutrition says that they heighten the risk of cardiovascular diseases by affecting the endothelial functions.
• Finally, in 2011, a study published in the Journal of Lipid Research links trans fats to inflammation.

Refined carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates can be found in white rice, bagels, breakfast cereals and white bread, and should be avoided.

Due to the lack of healthy fibers in refined flour, the body digests the foods too quickly and increases the levels of blood sugar from the body. This, in turn, can lead to inflammations.

Studies confirming this link are the following:

• In 2014, a group of experts published a study in Mediators of Inflammation. It states that consuming refined carbohydrates in an excessive quantity increases the risk of inflammations.
• A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that older adults, who were reported to consume high glycemic foods, were 3 times more likely to contract an inflammatory disease.

A good alternative to refined carbohydrates is represented by unprocessed carbohydrates, which are high in fiber and are healthier. Foods that are included in this category are brown rice, barley, oatmeal and whole grains.

Refined sugar

Whether you like it or not, the standard table sugar can cause inflammation due to its high amounts of fructose. It is associated with diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

This includes sugar-sweetened beverages like fruit drinks, soft drinks, punches and even pastry products, candies and desserts.

A good alternative to refined sugar is represented by natural sweeteners. Opt for honey, blackstrap molasses and stevia, instead.

As you can see, there are many foods that can lead to chronic inflammation. Avoid these foods as much as possible, and the risk of contracting this condition will be severely low.