The Western Diet vs. The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Which is Better for Your Health?

What’s the best diet? The one that helps you reach your health goals, of course! But what if those goals include preventing cancer and other chronic diseases? Then you might want to consider switching up your typical Western diet in favour of an anti-inflammatory diet. An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on consuming foods that have been shown to reduce inflammation and protect against chronic disease and certain cancers. How does this kind of diet work, and how can you adapt it to your lifestyle?

Weighing the Risks

By definition, inflammatory foods are those that can irritate your body. Common culprits include sugar, refined carbs and trans fats—which you’ll typically find in processed foods like snacks and baked goods—as well as omega-6 rich vegetable oils like corn oil or safflower oil, which aren’t necessarily bad per se but can be problematic when consumed at high levels over a prolonged period. Many experts also believe that animal protein in excess (think too much red meat) can cause inflammation, which may have far-reaching effects on your health beyond cancer prevention and longevity. As such, they recommend keeping your intake of animal protein under 20 per cent of total calories if possible; otherwise, get it from fish or poultry rather than red meat.

Are all Inflammation Diets Created Equal?

Most of us have a vague idea of what an anti-inflammatory diet entails—it’s all about cutting down on sugar and carbs, right? Not exactly. There are many different interpretations and definitions of what constitutes an anti-inflammatory diet—some doctors even think we don’t need to cut out certain foods at all! To make matters worse, most nutritionists aren’t trained in immunology or inflammation—so their advice may not be as sound as it seems. This means you may want to rethink your anti-inflammatory diet plan if you are trying to follow one!

Defining the Terms

A basic definition of an anti-inflammatory diet is a diet that eliminates or reduces inflammation-causing foods, like sugar and refined carbs, and replaces them with more nutrient-dense choices, like fresh produce and healthy fats. There’s general agreement across some Western medical boards that people should eat less sugar and fewer refined carbohydrates to reduce their risk of chronic diseases like cancer (1). Why does eating anti-inflammatories matter? Inflammation occurs when your body detects harmful stimuli—like bacteria or damaged cells—and produces proinflammatory cytokines in response (2). These are chemicals that can damage your body if not controlled properly.

What Can You Do To Prevent Cancer and Heart Disease on an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

Many of us know that a diet rich in antioxidants can reduce inflammation, but some foods are high in antioxidants and are still okay to eat on an anti-inflammatory diet. Examples include green tea, spinach, salmon, sweet potatoes and more! If you’re not sure how to start eating an anti-inflammatory diet today, we’ve gathered some recipes that will help make your transition as easy as possible! Try our low carb chicken meatballs or one of these 17 recipes with vegetables you probably never thought could be eaten raw!

Foods That Fight Inflammation – A-List

While there are some foods on an anti-inflammatory diet that have little or no effect, there are also many powerful superfoods and other food items that can be incorporated into a regular diet to help reduce inflammation. For example, avocados contain special fats called oleic acid that can ease inflammation by lowering blood pressure and helping blood flow more easily through our blood vessels and arteries. Foods like ginger, turmeric and garlic contain compounds known as sulforaphane or allicin which have anti-inflammatory properties in their own right. Other foods like fish, nuts, seeds, leafy greens and even dark chocolate may be beneficial in reducing inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis too.

Meals For An Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan

To eat anti-inflammatory, think of colourful and antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables, especially blueberries, cherries, acai and oranges. You’ll also want to get plenty of omega 3 fatty acids from fish and seafood (wild salmon, mackerel), plus garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric (in curry). Finally, to keep inflammation at bay you’ll need lean proteins like chicken breast or white fish.

Snacks For An Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan

Red grapes, blueberries, apples, carrots and celery with almond butter are all good bets for an anti-inflammatory diet. Also consider salmon or walnuts, both of which are high in omega 3 fatty acids; and nonstarchy vegetables like bok choy, broccoli and spinach as well as lentils, beans and chickpeas—all of which contain healthy amounts of polyphenols that help to combat inflammation.

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