5 FOODS THAT CAN TRIGGER INFLAMMATION IN THE BODY
What is inflammation?
Simply put, inflammation is the way your body responds to irritants like bacteria, and viruses. To kill these alien organisms our body targets them with antibodies due to which redness, rash, and pain is experienced.
But due to our sedentary lifestyle and eating habits, our body’s prowess in this regard can go for a toss–with our immunity taking a hit.
According to nutritionists, food can also cause inflammation
Not every food aggravates inflammation. If you eat foods which are rich in macro and micro-nutrients then there are lesser chances of you getting inflammation.
“In chronic inflammation your body loses its strength to fight back diseases as your immunity is on the lower side. That’s why if you binge eat on junk food a lot then that’s a big problem,” says Ms Priya Palan, dietician at Zen Multispecialty Hospital, Mumbai.
So peeps, if your daily diet is loaded with any of these five foods then there are high chances that you’ll be struck by chronic inflammation
1. Sugar
Well, there are no surprises here because too much sugar, especially refined sugar, isn’t good for your health. “They are just empty calories that have zero nutritional value. The main reason behind why inflammation and swelling happens after eating too much sugar is because of fructose. It affects the insulin levels in your body which disrupts the whole hormonal balance”, says Palan.
“If you crave sugar then you must go for natural options that are available in the form of fruits and nuts,” she says.
2. Fried foods
Trans-fats are one of the unhealthiest fats and all fried foods are loaded with it. “Consuming too much fried food will not just make you fat but it will also increase the inflammatory protein called C-reactive protein (CRP) in your body,” she explains.
3. Alcohol
“With alcohol again you are consuming empty calories that have zero nutrients in it. That’s why these calories are not absorbed in your body and it directly converts into fat. Plus, alcohol impacts your liver directly due to which inflammation rises in your body and you feel stiffness and pain in your muscles and joints,” she explains.
4. Pizzas and pasta
They are basically refined carbs which are high on calories. According to a study published in the journal Scientific American, refined carbs like bread, pasta, pizza, and burgers have a really high glycemic index. If you eat them in moderation then there is no harm; but if you are allergic to gluten or eat too much, then it increases the production of advanced glycation end (AGE) products that stimulate inflammation in your body.
5. Artificial sweeteners
You might be thinking that replacing your regular sugar with artificial sweeteners will help you lose calories. But too much of it will also lead to inflammation. “Artificial sweeteners are known to mess up your gut microbiome by disrupting the composition by decreasing levels of the good bacteria called Bacteroides. These are the bacteria which are known to control inflammation activity in your body,” she explains.
“If someone in your family has chronic illness or any autoimmune disease like arthritis, etc then that person must avoid all of the above food items as it can make the disorder worse”, she concludes
