Increased risk of chronic inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer
The food you eat every day has a significant impact on your health. In particular, depending on the food you eat, inflammation in the body may decrease or increase. Acute inflammation is usually not a big problem, but when inflammation becomes chronic inflammation that is secreted for a long time, normal immune function is impaired and the risk of exposure to various diseases increases.
Chronic inflammatory diseases can cause various problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and degenerative diseases. A 2019 study found that an inflammatory diet had a negative impact on cardiovascular and cancer mortality and longevity among smokers.
Reasons to eat anti-inflammatory foods
Various microorganisms live in the gut, where 70-80% of the immune cells in our body are gathered. When the intestinal microflora is well balanced, immunity is improved, and it is beneficial not only to physical health but also to mental health. To do this, it is important to eat anti-inflammatory foods that reduce inflammation in the body, including the intestines.
If you want to eat anti-inflammatory foods, it is helpful to follow a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, as a guideline. Eating whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and dairy products and limiting the intake of processed foods is a way to relieve inflammation.
It is especially important to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. Specifically, leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach, cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, peppers such as bell peppers and paprika, berries such as blueberries and strawberries, chickpeas, and lentils Nuts such as legumes, walnuts, almonds, mushrooms, tomatoes, avocados, and olives help relieve inflammation.
When cooking food, it is helpful to minimize the use of salt or sugar, and to use spices and herbs such as turmeric to reduce inflammation. Sugar, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol can be the main culprit for inflammation if consumed in large amounts, so intake should be reduced.
Anti-inflammatory foods are rich in antioxidants, which help cells to function normally by fighting free radicals (free radicals) formed by smoking, stress, and wrong eating habits. Free radicals are associated with disease risk, increased inflammation, and aging. Typical anti-inflammatory foods include:
◇Inflammation-reducing food
・Tomato
It is rich in lycopene, an anti-inflammatory antioxidant. Cooking tomatoes amplifies their anti-inflammatory properties because more lycopene is released when heated.
△ Tofu
Foods made from soy, such as tofu, contain isoflavones and omega-3 fatty acids. These ingredients also help lower inflammation levels.
△ Garlic
Garlic prevents the production of substances that cause inflammation. In particular, heating garlic enhances its anti-inflammatory effect.
△ Shiitake Mushroom
Contains compounds that increase the body’s immune response and help fight infections. It has antibacterial properties and is used to treat cancer. The polysaccharides in shiitake mushrooms reduce immune damage caused by chemotherapy or radiation.
△ Pumpkin
It contains carotenoids, antioxidants that act like rust inhibitors. This ingredient has the effect of absorbing free radicals that cause disease buds by damaging cells and DNA. Pumpkin also contains beta-carotene, which is effective against inflammation of the skin and lungs.
△ berries
Berries are rich in polyphenols. It is a leading antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Studies have shown that drinking strawberry juice with a Western breakfast, known to increase inflammation, counteracts the adverse effects of the Western diet. Strawberries, blueberries, acai berries, etc. can be easily found around us.
△ kale
It contains a lot of vitamin K, which has a great anti-inflammatory effect. One cup of kale contains 10% of the recommended daily amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
△ Almonds
Like fish, it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties. Almonds are also rich in vitamin E. This ingredient smoothes the joints and protects the body from pro-inflammatory precursors.
△ bit
It has the effect of lowering blood pressure and increasing stamina. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect. It contains an amino acid called betaine, which reduces the risk of inflammation.
△ Salmon
It is rich in the powerful omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. These ingredients reduce inflammation and lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma and autoimmune diseases.
” ⓒ ‘Honest Knowledge for Health’ Comedy.com (https://kormedi.com) / Unauthorized reproduction-redistribution prohibited”