Inflammatory Food, Friend or Foe?
There’s a reason metabolic diseases are also called “diseases of affluence.” Where there’s an abundant supply of convenience-oriented foods, there’s a high incidence of disease. Where I live in America, we often emphasize convenience, comfort, and taste, rather than nutrition. There’s a time and place for cutting corners and indulging, but we have to understand that there are consequences for doing so. And in this particular case, those consequences are impacting our health. This isn’t to say we shouldn’t enjoy the occasional meal out or our favorite snack crackers once in a while; it’s about understanding the impact these foods have on our bodies and making more informed choices. Many of these foods are inflammatory, and there are ways to enjoy them by balancing them with foods that are more nourishing. But how do we know which foods are the most inflammatory? Read on to find out.
Sugar
Refined sugar is one of the most significant contributors to chronic inflammation. Its effects on the body go far beyond weight gain and tooth decay. It can disrupt metabolic health and fuel systemic inflammation, laying the foundation for numerous chronic diseases. Each time you consume a sugary treat, your blood sugar spikes rapidly. This triggers your body to produce insulin to bring your blood sugar level back down. Over time, frequent blood sugar spikes can cause your body to become less sensitive to insulin, leading to insulin resistance. This not only promotes chronic inflammation throughout the body, but it can also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Overconsumption of sugar is a widespread issue in Western diets. It’s difficult to avoid because there are many hidden sources of sugar, such as salad dressings, pasta sauces, processed meats, cereals, and packaged snacks. Consistent overconsumption of sugar adds up, and over time, can lead to insulin resistance and metabolic issues.
Refined Carbohydrates
Like sugar, refined carbohydrates spike the blood sugar, possibly leading to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes over time. How these foods differ from their complex, unrefined counterparts is key to understanding why they are inflammatory. Carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet. In fact, glucose, which comes from digesting carbohydrates, is the preferred fuel source of our nervous systems. However, refined carbohydrates are stripped of their nutrients and offer little nutritional value beyond glucose. Complex carbs, such as those found in whole grains, beans, and vegetables offer nutritional benefits, including fiber, which can slow the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. Refined carbs are those found in white bread, pasta, and many packaged snacks.
Trans Fats
Trans fats are found mostly in the hydrogenated oils used in processed foods and baked goods. Hydrogenation is a process used to change the chemical structure of oils by adding hydrogen atoms to the carbon-carbon double bonds in fatty acids. This results in the oils becoming more saturated, which makes them more solid at room temperature. Once again, it’s about convenience. The problem is this type of fat has been linked to an increase in risk of multiple chronic diseases. By increasing LDL cholesterol and lowering HDL cholesterol, consuming trans fats can increase your risk for coronary artery disease and other heart-related issues. It can also impair insulin sensitivity and disrupt the normal functioning of enzymes involved in fat metabolism, possibly leading to a buildup of fats in the liver and other tissues.
Vegetable and Seed Oils
Vegetable and seed oils are particularly high in omega-6 fatty acids. While these fatty acids are essential for the human body in small amounts, Western diets are often too high in omega-6 and too low in omega-3. This imbalance can promote inflammation in the body and lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. In addition, these oils are highly processed, often extracted using means like high heat and chemical solvents that strip away nutrients and leave behind unhealthy compounds. They are devoid of the nutrition found in unprocessed fats like olive oil.
Artificial Sweeteners
Some studies on artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose and aspartame, have suggested a connection between these sugar substitutes and cancer. They’ve also been implicated in neurotoxic effects and even obesity. Since sweeteners like saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose are not metabolized by the human body, they have been found to disrupt the gut microbiome, which can have a domino effect on our health and lead to systemic inflammation. Even sugar alcohols, which are popular sugar substitutes, can cause digestive issues for sensitive individuals. So, what are we supposed to eat, if sugar and sugar substitutes are both inflammatory? You can eat whole food based, primal sweeteners like honey and maple syrup. If you prefer a granulated sweetener, opt for maple sugar or coconut sugar, or just use good old raw cane sugar in moderation.
Alcohol
Oh, the pleasure of a tall glass of your favorite drink after a long and grueling day. It’s a sensation most of us are familiar with, and one most of us don’t want to give up. But in the name of drinking responsibly, you should know what alcohol does to the body, and keep in mind that every drink counts. Even a couple of drinks can stimulate the immune system and promote inflammation short-term. This can cause swelling and pain in organs like the liver and gut. It can also disrupt the gut microbiome and allow bad bacteria to thrive, and can eventually lead to gut permeability, commonly referred to as “leaky gut.” A leaky gut lets toxins and bacteria pass into the bloodstream more easily, possibly triggering an immune response and causing systemic inflammation. Alcohol can also contribute to liver inflammation, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation over time.
So next time you choose to indulge in that boozy beverage, make sure you understand the implications so that you can drink responsibly.
Conclusion
I’m not saying you should never drink or enjoy a fast-food meal rich in trans-fat and seed oils. There’s a time and a place for everything. The key to enjoying these items more healthily is moderation. If you choose to avoid these inflammatory foods 100 percent of the time – more power to you! But for most of us, it simply isn’t realistic to never indulge. But we deserve to do it armed with the knowledge that many food corporations and manufacturers don’t want us to know – that overconsumption of these foods is at least partially responsible for the epidemic of declining health in America. It’s important to mindfully include indulgences as part of healthy and well-balanced diet.
