Anti-inflammatory diet
Right now, there is a lot of talk about the anti-inflammatory diet, and it sounds new and fresh, but what is it and what effects does this diet have on us? Is it as remarkable as it sounds, or is it just the recommendations from the National Food Agency (SLV) with a slightly more interesting name? We will now clarify this.
Why anti-inflammatory diet?
First, what is the theory behind it? It is that we carry around a chronic low-grade or subclinical inflammation that is linked to many of our chronic diseases, such as obesity, depression, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. This connection is well-known, but there is uncertainty surrounding it, partly because there has been a lack of good biomarkers to measure and the threshold values have been debated. CRP has been used for a long time, but now there is also a more sensitive measurement called high-sensitivity CRP. We already know that those who are overweight and lose weight show decreased inflammation, regardless of what type of diet they follow. However, there is now increasing discussion about the specific impact of certain foods on inflammation in the body.
What does the anti-inflammatory diet look like?
Many might think of turmeric and ginger morning, noon, and night, but that’s actually a relatively small part of this diet. It’s more about whole foods, cooking from scratch, and reducing the intake of red meat, processed meats, sugar, white flour, and processed foods with additives in favor of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, berries, seeds, and legumes. So, it’s quite close to the National Food Agency’s recommendations, but with a slightly more interesting name. Since the definition of the anti-inflammatory diet is not clear, it varies whether gluten and dairy protein are eliminated or not. In some studies, wheat flour is removed, while more whole grain flours remain.
Concluding remarks
This type of diet has been promoted by self-proclaimed nutrition experts as a kind of super diet that can solve all problems and ailments. This has led to dietitians being stripped of ‘our’ diet, and I believe it’s time for us to reclaim it, albeit under a different name than just anti-inflammatory. This is partly to avoid increasing the health anxiety that many experience, but also to reach the broader population that doesn’t need to focus on details but rather on more of one thing and less of another. So, let’s talk about good food choices that preserve health and can also prevent diseases, whether it’s called an anti-inflammatory diet or something else.
Sofia Antonsson
Reg. Dietitian, Belly Balance
Det finns en hel del studier och projekt som tittar på antiinflammatorisk kost:
Uppsala Anti-Inflammatory Index Study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28877589/
Review on Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Depression:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30502975/
Diet and depression study, Harvard:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24095894/
MoodFood project:
Mynewgut EU-project:
Belly Balance digital treatment
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