The health and nutrition world is obsessed with inflammation. In small doses, inflammation can be healing – your finger might become inflamed if it’s been cut. It helps to fight infection (eg a bite or sting). And inflammation also plays a huge role in our ability to recover from exercise. But chronic inflammation that goes on and on is linked to illnesses like colitis, cancer and heart disease.

Now obviously, there are loads of factors that go into developing chronic disease but we do know that eating a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods can play an important role. So, what might an anti-inflammatory diet actually look like, and?

“Anti-inflammatory foods provide us with antioxidants, which eat away at the free radicals produced in our bodies,” says Lilian Nwora Shepherd, a registered dietitian and personal trainer. “Free radicals are basically unstable atoms in cells that can cause irritation, cell damage and, of course, inflammation.” 

These types of food have also been shown to help prevent conditions that are caused or exacerbated by chronic inflammation, such as “arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and so on”, says Sheperd. 

As with so many things, it all comes down to the overwhelming role the gut plays on our wellbeing. Anti-inflammatory foods tend to be plant-based, and as such, help to feed and promote the growth of good bacteria in the microbiome. Given how powerful the gut is, if you start to concentrate on improving digestion, you’ll also end up potentially improving your immunity, mental health, sleep and more. Sheperd flags that you might have inflammation if you’ve got an overgrowth of bad bacteria so are dealing with digestive symptoms.

A number of recent studies link gut inflammation to mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder. But inflammation can occur anywhere and still impact the mind: a 2019 report from Frontiers of Immunology reported that depression and fatigue are both associated with increased inflammation of the periphery and central nervous system. Antidepressants work by decreasing inflammation – suggesting that it might be one of the root causes of some types of depression. 

Inflammation can be caused by any number of things, including smoking, diet and stress. “Lowering your stress alone can drastically improve not only inflammation but your mental health as well”, says Shepherd. “Consider regular exercise, delegating tasks at work and at home, and prioritising winding down with whatever helps you relax.” 

Shepered says that the key thing is to “think fresh,” when it comes to thinking about anti-inflammatory foods. If it’s got added salt or sugar and got a long shelf life, the chances are that it’s not what you’re looking for. 

Anti-inflammatory foods include:

• fruits such as berries and oranges
• vegetables like spinach and bell peppers
• nuts 
• olive oil, avocados and other foods high in natural fats
• fibre-rich grains including brown rice and quinoa
• legumes like beans and peas
• fatty fish, like salmon, tuna and cod
• herbs and spices including turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and garlic

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