Inflammation is a hot topic—and for good reason. It’s part of your body’s natural defense against things that could negatively affect your health, like bacteria, viruses, and toxins. But, your immune system is complicated, and it can sometimes be triggered by unexpected things like certain foods. And while it’s crucial to include anti-inflammatory foods in your diet, it’s just as important to reduce food components that may be triggering and aggravating already existing inflammation.
To learn more about the common foods that could be to blame for your chronic inflammation, we reached out to Dr. Sarah Mathis, a board-certified family medicine physician, gut and hormone specialist, and founder of Sarah Mathis Wellness. She said that foods with seed oils, pasteurized dairy, and gluten could be causing chronic inflammation because they are harder for your body to digest and they’re heavily processed so they can alter the bacteria in your gut. Find out more below!
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1. Seed Oils
Industrial seed oils are highly processed oils extracted from the seeds of plants like soybeans, corn, cottonseed, safflower seeds, and rapeseed (which is the source of canola oil). They are incredibly high in omega-6 fatty acids which are a type of polyunsaturated fat found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. When eaten in moderation and in place of saturated fats, they can be beneficial for weight loss. But, a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio can contribute to inflammation in the body.
"[Seed oils] include canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, rapeseed oil, grape seed oil, and vegetable oil. They contain a high level of omega-6 to omega-3 ratios that skyrocket inflammation in the body," Mathis explains. "The high level of omega-6s increases your risk for heart disease through a high level of a substance called linoleic acid that when present in a high amount of omega-6s can increase the risk of heart disease vs omega-3's linoleic acid that protects from heart disease." Nobody wants that!
Instead, Mathis suggests opting for healthy fats such as omega-3s, which can be found in salmon, sardines, walnuts, and cod liver oil. "These are protective against heart disease and inflammation. They also help to decrease pain in the body by decreasing pain-causing substances called prostaglandins," Mathis says. "Other healthy fats include avocado, olive oil, avocado oil, grass-fed butter, grass-fed animal fats (lard/tallow), and extra virgin coconut oil. All these fats are lower in omega 3s and when used in moderation can heal your body from inflammation."
2. Industrialized And Pasteurized Dairy
Similarly, foods with industrialized and pasteurized dairy have been shown to cause inflammation. "The pasteurization process of dairy destroys all the beneficial agents that protect your body from inflammation. Pasteurization kills the enzyme lactase, which is responsible for breaking down the milk sugar lactose. The enzyme helps to make dairy easier to digest," Mathis notes. "Pasteurization also damaged the structure of the milk, making it more inflammatory in your gut lining since it [contains] oxidized amino acids. Additionally, these cows are fed grains and that can increase the omega 6 to omega 3 ratio again. Furthermore, industrialized dairy often contains hormones to get the cows to produce more milk and grow faster."
She recommends choosing grass-fed or pastured and raw dairy. "Cows that are only eating grass contain significantly higher levels of omega-3s vs their grain-fed counterparts. Typically they are raised eating various grass that cows are designed to eat. Additionally, dairy that is not pastured not only contains the enzyme lactase to help break down the dairy but has immune-protecting properties," Mathis explains. Or, you could try alternative plant-based milks like almond or oat milk!
3. Gluten
And, some people also experience inflammation because of gluten food products. Mathis warns: "Especially in this country, where the wheat crops are heavily sprayed with pesticides, it has become a high level of inflammation. Gluten has been found to cause inflammation not only in the gut, but in the brain and can lead to increase risk of inflammation in celiac disease (an autoimmune disease to gluten), schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, and depression." Yikes!
"Gluten contains gliadin and glutenin proteins that are partially broken down in the intestines by transglutaminase-2. Oftentimes, turning on transglutaminase-2 starts an inflammatory cascade and especially in celiac disease, chases an immune response to start," she explains. Alternatively, Mathis suggests eating whole grains instead. "Whole grains are still a great part of a diet. They contain fiber and various nutrients. As long as you monitor with gluten-free packages food that it does not contain high levels of 'white flour' or sugar and gums which can lead to abdominal bloating and upset."
The Bottom Line
While keeping all of this in mind, it's important to note that everybody is different and that not everyone will have the same triggers. So, before you make any major dietary changes, you should get appropriate testing to know for sure if you are sensitive to those foods. If you think that you have gut issues or inflammation, you should consult your doctor to come up with a plan that is uniquely tailored to your specific needs. Your body will thank you!
