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Home » General Nutrition » Anti-inflammatory Diet: List of Foods to Eat and Avoid

Last updated on May 2, 2023. Originally posted on September 14, 2016 By Maryea / 38 Comments

Anti-inflammatory Diet: List of Foods to Eat and Avoid

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Anti-inflammatory diet foods to eat and foods to avoid LISTS.Chronic inflammation is linked to nearly every disease that plagues our society today. When our bodies are overloaded with dietary and environmental toxins, we switch on our immune systems and they don’t turn off. An overactive immune system sends your body into a constant state of distress, and inflammation takes over.

The list of diseases and conditions linked to chronic inflammation is long, and unfortunately familiar to most of us. Chronic inflammation is thought to play a role in the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, arthritis, and IBS, to name a few.

In a recent Happy Healthy Mama newsletter, I let you know that my husband Tim was having issues with the mobility of one of his fingers. Speaking of my newsletter, if you aren’t getting it yet, pop your email address in the little box below and you’ll be on my list. To thank you, you’ll get a mini ebook of my Top 10 Favorite No Bake Snacks.


Okay, back to the husband’s finger. He’s experiencing what’s known as “trigger finger.” This is when one or more of your fingers catches or locks up. Tim’s case is rather severe as some mornings his finger is locked into his palm and it’s hard for him to get it moving again. When I started researching trigger finger I found out “it is caused by local swelling from inflammation…” (source) Surprise, surprise.
His finger problem triggered me (pun intended) to encourage Tim to eat a more anti-inflammation diet. He was mostly on board until he heard that meant he has to cut back on sugar. I think his finger is bothering him enough, though, that he’s willing to get serious about eating in a way that can help him avoid surgery.
I put together this list for him and thought I should share it with all of you, also. First I am sharing the list of foods that are anti-inflammatory foods; these are the ones that will fight inflammation. The second list are inflammatory foods that you should try to limit or avoid if you want to decrease chronic inflammation in your body.
The foods to eat list is much easier for me than the foods to avoid and I’m sure that’s the case with everyone. A few years ago I had some serious finger pain (ironic now it’s Tim’s finger…) that spurred me to research the anti-inflammatory diet and I was very strict with it for 8 weeks. It worked amazingly well! An anti-inflammatory diet is great for anyone with a goal of longevity and disease prevention, but from personal experience, I highly recommend a strict anti-inflammatory diet to anyone dealing with chronic joint pain. As always, talk with your doctor, but it’s 100% worth the effort of letting food be your medicine.

Anti-inflammatory Diet Food Lists

Foods to Eat in Abundance

Anti-inflammatory diet foods to eat and foods to avoid LISTS.

These foods and spices fight inflammation!

  • Broccoli
  • Leafy greens like spinach, swiss chard, kale, etc.
  • Bok choy
  • Celery
  • Berries (all varieties, especially blueberries)
  • Pineapple (try this Pineapple Popsicle recipe!)
  • Beets (This ABC Juice is amazing!)
  • Salmon
  • Bone broth
  • Walnuts
  • Coconut oil
  • Chia seeds
  • Flax seeds
  • Turmeric (Try these Turmeric Shots!)
  • Ginger
  • Cloves
  • Rosemary
  • Cinnamon
  • Oregano
  • Marjoram
  • Thyme
  • Sage
  • Shiitake mushrooms
  • Garlic

 Foods to Limit or Avoid

Anti-inflammatory diet foods to eat and foods to avoid LISTS.

These foods or ingredients may trigger inflammation.

  • Foods with casein (cow’s milk and dairy products from cow’s milk)
  • Sugar
  • Trans fats and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats
  • Fried foods
  • Refined carbohydrates
  • Foods with gluten (wheat, rye, barley, etc.)
  • Vegetable oils such safflower, corn, sunflower, or mixed vegetable oils
  • MSG
  • Artificial sweeteners
  • Alcohol (in excess)
  • Processed meats

With many of the foods and ingredients on the foods to avoid or limit list, you will have to be a label reader. If that’s new to you, it will make grocery shopping take longer at first. Eventually, though, it will become second nature and you’ll recognize food products that will have those ingredients you want to avoid before you even look.

I will definitely keep you updated on Tim’s finger as he tries to be strict with his anti-inflammatory diet. You don’t have to have a specific health problem to eat this way, though. An anti-inflammatory diet is one that will help you feel energized, healthy for the long term, and is recommended by top nutrition experts. I hope you find this list helpful as you inspire to eat your way to your optimal health!

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Filed Under: General Nutrition

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. grand sunlake says

    May 19, 2023 at 5:01 am

    Thank for share. Visite my website: https://grandsunlake.org.vn/

    Reply
  2. kiem tra quy hoach ha noi says

    May 19, 2023 at 5:00 am

    the presentation is useful

    Reply
  3. Su diyeti says

    May 5, 2023 at 7:34 am

    Awesome! Thanks for share…

    Reply
  4. Rosalie says

    July 28, 2020 at 12:58 am

    Hello Maryea,
    Your article is very well written. Thank you for all of the informative content.

    I watched your video on how to make the oat/pumpkin muffins. Two of my favorite ingredients! I don’t care for the white chocolate chips. If not using those chips do I need to increase the amount of honey? Does the recipe need them for sweetness?

    Reply
    • Madison says

      June 19, 2021 at 5:22 pm

      No need to add more honey

      Reply
  5. Nicci D. says

    December 20, 2018 at 8:52 pm

    I have put my husband’s Chrons in remission with the AIP diet. You just have to be diligent. Dairy, almonds and gluten are big triggers for him. Good luck in your endeavors.

    Reply
  6. Val Marsden says

    August 30, 2018 at 3:50 pm

    Hi two questions – I have diverticular disease – is poached chicken (cooked in oven with water) and avocados ok to eat? I also have rheumatoid and osteoarthritis so a bit of a double whammy! Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  7. Lakshmi says

    April 17, 2018 at 2:12 am

    also please suggest me a diet plan, i am so confused what to include and what not to include. i am eating only cooked vegetables, fruits and brown rice.

    Reply
    • Rosalie says

      July 28, 2020 at 12:46 am

      Hi! Have you tried Black Rice? Delicious and full of nutrients and antioxidants.
      Rosalie
      Austin, Texas

      Reply
  8. lakshmi says

    April 16, 2018 at 4:16 am

    i am vegetarian and suffering from nerve pains and fatigue, i am living in such a place only cow milk products are only available. i dont even eat egg, can you suggest me a diet plan to come out of the vicious circle of inflammation and spasm.

    Reply
    • Maryea says

      April 16, 2018 at 10:04 pm

      You can eat a plant based diet without any milk. If you need milk, you can always make your own almond milk. This post has a video showing how easy it is: https://happyhealthymama.com/how-to-make-homemade-almond-milk-video.html

      Just stick to whole foods! Best of luck to you!

      Reply
  9. tonya says

    April 1, 2018 at 11:29 am

    I went on an anti inflammatory diet about 10 years ago when i was young. Help with acne and allergies. What i remember is that starch food like potatoes & peas, acidic foods like tomatos & oranges and caffein is on the list of things to eliminate. Or cause inflammation. From your point of view is that true?

    Reply
  10. Susan says

    January 13, 2018 at 1:43 pm

    Hi. Interested in trying an anti inflammatory diet. I know it’s good for joint inflammation.. what about nerve inflammation or spasms? Thanks

    Reply
  11. Jess says

    September 10, 2017 at 8:08 am

    I had trigger finger when I was 4/5ish. I had surgery was diagnosed years later with Atypical juvenile arthritis. I don’t axactly know that the Dr’s really believed this diagnosis as an adult I feel like they might have just slapped it on me so they felt like they were doing their job. Fast forward 30 years lived my entire life with joint pain. Had an allergic reaction to Batrium (antibiotic) threw my body into total crazy mode. I have since been diagnosed with Lupus and Sjogerns syndrome. Hoping an antiflamitory diet will help. So far acupuncture has allowed me to be off all of the nasty meds I used to take.

    Reply
    • Maryea says

      September 11, 2017 at 10:32 am

      Hi Jess! I recently read the book “The Plant Paradox” and it sounds like the diet Dr. Gundry recommends in it will help you immensely. It’s an anti-inflammatory diet X 100. I urge you to check it out!!

      Reply
    • Nicci D. says

      December 20, 2018 at 8:50 pm

      I have put my husband’s Chrons in remission with the AIP diet. You just have to be diligent. Dairy, almonds and gluten are big triggers for him. Good luck in your endeavors.

      Reply
      • Kelly says

        June 20, 2019 at 5:41 am

        What is the AIP diet as I’m 38 and have had chrons for about 7 years so would love to hear about the diet.
        Kelly

      • Maryea says

        June 20, 2019 at 12:28 pm

        Hi there! If you google “AIP diet” you’ll get lots of info! I’ve never had a need to do the AIP Diet and don’t have a ton of into on it.

  12. Edna says

    July 15, 2017 at 7:14 pm

    What oil is good to cook?

    Reply
    • Maryea says

      July 16, 2017 at 10:07 pm

      I use avocado oil for cooking because it has a high smoke point and is not considered an inflammatory oil.

      Reply
  13. Ginny McCullough says

    July 15, 2017 at 8:27 am

    Thank you. I have a trigger finger and don’t want surgery. I’ll try this.

    Reply
    • janine says

      January 8, 2021 at 12:49 am

      Have you tried it, did it help?

      Reply
  14. Lisa says

    May 21, 2017 at 6:34 am

    Can I subsctibe to your blog or website?

    Reply
  15. Barbara Walter says

    February 7, 2017 at 1:21 pm

    I did an MRT blood test for inflamatory foods and many of the foods on your anti-inflamatory list are very bad for me. So it really is based on the individual

    Reply
    • Maryea says

      February 8, 2017 at 9:46 am

      Interesting, Barbara. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • janine says

        January 8, 2021 at 12:53 am

        Did you write an update on your husband’s trigger finger and how it reacted to the anti-inflammatory diet? I don’t see any updates here and I’m very curious. Same problem.

    • Chris says

      June 4, 2017 at 1:48 pm

      Of course it is and individual issue what you should eat and what you shouldn’t. Apparently blood type diet tells you more on this issue.

      Reply
  16. Georgia says

    January 14, 2017 at 8:55 pm

    Thank you all. The information on the anti inflamatory foods is very good

    Reply
  17. Danielle says

    January 1, 2017 at 9:52 pm

    Do you have any recipes for anti inflamitory diets? Would love to try this for my family!

    Reply
    • Maryea says

      January 2, 2017 at 8:35 am

      I have a lot actually! I am working on tagging them all so they are easy to find in a category. I will be done soon so they will be easier to search! Look for a anti-inflammatory recipe category on my recipe page within the next week. 🙂

      Reply
  18. Kelly says

    November 19, 2016 at 7:59 am

    Hi Maryea, I have a question about two foods…are eggs ok? What about olive oil? Thanks for your help!

    Reply
    • Maryea says

      November 21, 2016 at 9:55 am

      That depends who you ask. 🙂 From what I’ve read, eggs can be inflammatory if you’re eating standard eggs from chickens fed soy and corn because they become high in omega 6 fatty acids, which can be inflammatory when eaten out of balance with omega 3s. Pastured eggs, however, are better and okay to eat on an anti-inflammatory diet. Olive oil is good as long as you don’t overheat it. I tend to only eat my olive oil in dressings these days so as not to heat it at all.

      Reply
      • Susan Jensen says

        May 22, 2017 at 3:20 pm

        Pastured eggs?

      • KimCJ says

        May 29, 2017 at 4:36 am

        Free range

      • Maryea says

        July 16, 2017 at 10:05 pm

        Pastured eggs come from chickens that are free to wander outdoors in a pasture where they can eat grass, worms, bugs, etc.

  19. Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says

    September 15, 2016 at 12:25 am

    I hope his finger gets better. It’s definitely all connected to diet, I believe. I’ve changed my diet so much that I don’t really eat any inflammatory foods, except alcohol about once a week. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      July 31, 2017 at 10:51 am

      My friend was scheduled for surgery having a trigger finger on each hand. She adjusted her diet somewhat and added a squeeze handgrip exercise. Surgery avoided along with full function if her fingers restored. The Dr was amazed and added that could put me out if business.

      Reply
      • Maryea says

        August 1, 2017 at 5:53 pm

        That’s amazing! Do you know what changes she made to her diet?

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