The origins of the anti-inflammatory diet

Several authors have proposed diets with anti-inflammatory potential, including Dr Andrew Weil, who is certainly one of the biggest proponents of this diet, as well as Dr David Servan-Schreiber and, more recently, Dr Serfaty-Lacrosnière.

They, along with many other researchers and health professionals, believe that too much inflammation is a common cause of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Principles of the anti-inflammatory diet

The anti-inflammatory diet aims to reduce the inflammation in the body that causes various symptoms.

The aims of this diet are:

• Protect the immune system.
• Help the body resist and adapt to changes.
• Reduce the risk of diseases with an inflammatory component (cardiovascular disease, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer, autoimmune diseases, etc.).
• Increase healthy life expectancy.

Permitted foods

This diet, which is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, consists of eating a maximum of plant foods, oily fish and no processed foods.

Some authors also recommend reducing the consumption of allergenic foods such as eggs, wheat, peanuts, maize, soya and dairy products.

The antioxidants in fruit and vegetables help to slow down cellular ageing and promote good general health.

At the same time, the omega-3s provided by oily fruits and fish will help to prevent cardiovascular disease, especially if red meat consumption is reduced.

Home-cooked meals will have the advantage of containing less salt, fat and hidden sugars than commercial processed products and will also help to reduce inflammatory markers.

Typical one-day menu with the anti-inflammatory diet

Breakfast

• Cereal Bread
• Scrambled tofu with turmeric
• An orange

Lunch

• Lentil salad with tomatoes and mushrooms
• Dark chocolate square
• Green Tea

Snack

• Soy Toast

Dinner 

• Salmon fillet
• Brown Rice
• Asparagus

Benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet

• There is no problem of satiation with this diet of whole foods, the fibre present and the proteins of good nutritional quality allow you to be well satisfied.
• With the consumption of good fats, particularly omega-3, and the reduction of saturated fats from red meat, this diet makes it easy to prevent cardiovascular disease.
• This diet is in line with most international dietary recommendations, increasing fibre intake through the consumption of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and reducing the consumption of red meat and processed products.

Anti-inflammatory diet inconvenience

• For people who are not used to eating fibre, this diet may interfere with digestion, leading to minor digestive and transit disorders.