These delicious alternatives make for healthier food choices
Laura Newton
We all have it, whether we’re aware of it or not: inflammation. It’s your body’s natural response as it works to protect you from pathogens, eliminate toxins, and repair damaged tissue. When this inflammation carries on for an extended period of time, it becomes what is known as chronic inflammation. It is linked to a wide range of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease, and more.
However, certain lifestyle choices, including diet, can help you to ease chronic inflammation and support your body’s healthy processes. Here are 10 delicious and simple food swaps to help reduce inflammation.
Because refined carbohydrates, like those found in white bread and pasta, are broken down quickly in the body, they can cause blood sugar levels to spike when you eat them. This rapid increase in blood sugar causes an inflammatory response within your body that can eventually lead to insulin resistance.
Instead, choose whole grains, like quinoa and oatmeal, which take longer to break down and do not cause such a drastic rise in blood sugar levels.
To make sure you’re getting enough of these omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, aim to eat salmon or other fatty fish, such as sardines, at least twice a week. If you need a little inspiration, try this Salmon Quinoa Bowl with Golden Tahini Drizzle recipe.
Instead of serving up cured or processed meats for lunch, choose chicken that you’ve roasted yourself. This way, you know what’s in it and can avoid any inflammation-causing additives.
Swap out those high sugar sweets for berries instead. Berries have a low glycemic index, meaning they can help avoid inflammation-causing blood sugar spikes. Berries also contain polyphenols, specifically anthocyanins, that create an anti-inflammatory response in your body.
Herbal teas, also known as tisanes, can be iced to offer a refreshing, flavourful, caffeine-free, sugar-free and antioxidant-rich alterative to pop. You can learn to make your own herbal, floral, and fruit iced teas and find some great recipes to try out here.
While it’s true that honey is mostly sugar, it also contains a complex mix of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants that has anti-inflammatory properties. Honey has been found to help protect against various diseases, including cardiovascular conditions and cancer. Research has shown that honey may even be beneficial for diabetes management.
Canola, corn, safflower oil, and sunflower oil are all high in omega-6. However, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is low in omega-6 and can be a good substitute for low temperature cooking. EVOO also contains phenolic compounds that offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Kombucha, a fermented tea, also contains alcohol, but in very small amounts – no more than an estimated 0.5 to 3 percent. Kombucha is a good swap for your regular alcoholic beverage of choice because, not only does it taste great, it’s loaded with polyphenols. These act as antioxidants in the body, decreasing inflammation.
Men’s health across the life course
Theodore D. Cosco, PhD (Cantab) CPsychol