Quick answer: On the anti-inflammatory challenge, build meals from quality meat, fish, seafood and eggs, plenty of vegetables and fruit, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, and healthy cooking fats like ghee, butter, tallow and coconut oil. Drink water, herbal tea, black coffee, bone broth and sparkling water.
Key takeaways
Good protein choices include pasture-raised meats, wild-caught fish and shellfish, and pasture-raised eggs.
A wide range of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds forms the base of the plan, and herbs and spices add both flavor and polyphenols.
Water, herbal tea, black coffee, bone broth and unsweetened nut milks are the suggested drinks.
Meat, eggs and seafood
Choose pasture-raised beef, lamb, pork and poultry, wild-caught fish and shellfish, and pasture-raised eggs.
Nuts and seeds
Good choices include almonds, walnuts, pecans and macadamias, along with chia, flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Fruits and vegetables
Enjoy berries, apples, citrus and stone fruits, along with leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, sweet potatoes, squash, peppers, onions and garlic.
Flavor boosters
Add flavor with herbs and spices such as turmeric, ginger, garlic and rosemary, and with mustard, hot sauce and salsa without added sugar. Vinegar, lemon and lime juice, pesto and coconut aminos work well too.
Cook with these
Cook with grass-fed butter and ghee, beef tallow, coconut oil, or olive and avocado oil.
Beverages
Good beverages include water and sparkling water, herbal tea and black coffee, bone broth, and unsweetened nut milk and coconut water. Kombucha and homemade smoothies fit in moderation (watch sugar).
Healthy aging lens
Herbs, spices and colorful plants supply polyphenols with antioxidant effects. Full list: quick reference cheat sheet; ideas: recipes.
What the research shows
Studies of the foods emphasized here, such as olive oil, nuts, vegetables and high-fiber foods, give some of the clearest diet evidence available.
A Mediterranean-style pattern (Estruch 2018, PREDIMED randomized trial). 7,447 adults aged 55 to 80 at high cardiovascular risk in Spain followed a Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil, a Mediterranean diet with extra nuts, or a lower-fat control diet for a median of 4.8 years. Major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death) occurred in 3.8% of the olive oil group, 3.4% of the nut group and 4.4% of the control group, about 30% lower risk with either Mediterranean diet. A limitation is that the trial had to be re-analyzed in 2018 because some participants were not properly randomized; the results held after that correction.
Nuts as an everyday food (Aune 2016, meta-analysis of 20 cohort studies). This review pooled prospective studies following large groups of adults over time. Each extra 28 g (about a handful) of nuts per day was associated with 21% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and 22% lower risk of death from any cause. A limitation is that these are observational studies, and people who eat nuts may differ in other healthy ways.
Fiber and carbohydrate quality (Reynolds 2019, series of meta-analyses). Commissioned in part by the World Health Organization, this work combined 185 cohort studies and 58 clinical trials with 4,635 trial participants. People with the highest fiber intakes had 15% to 30% lower rates of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer than those with the lowest, and the greatest benefit was seen at 25 to 29 g of fiber a day. A limitation is that most of this evidence is observational, and it applies to the general population rather than people with existing chronic disease.
Strength of the evidence: The PREDIMED trial is randomized, while the nut and fiber evidence is mostly observational, so the overall pattern is better supported than any one food.
When to see a naturopathic doctor
It may be time to see a naturopathic doctor if you have a chronic inflammatory, autoimmune or digestive condition, or if you have diabetes, kidney disease or take medications affected by diet changes. The same is true if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a history of disordered eating, or if you want a plan tailored to your labs, symptoms and goals.
See a medical provider promptly for severe abdominal pain, signs of an allergic reaction such as swelling or trouble breathing, or fainting.
Want an anti-inflammatory eating plan built for you?
A free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Kneessi. No cost, no obligation. In-office in Odenton, MD or by telehealth.
Questions to bring to your clinician
These questions can help you get the most out of your next visit.
Are any of these foods a poor fit for me because of allergies, sensitivities or medications?
Which foods on the enjoy list would be easiest for me to add right away?
Are any of these foods ones I should be careful with for my own reasons?
How can I build balanced meals from the foods on this list?
Frequently asked questions
What can I eat on the anti-inflammatory diet?
Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and healthy fats.
Is coffee allowed?
Black coffee is fine for most people.
What oils should I cook with?
Ghee, butter, tallow, coconut, olive or avocado oil.
Can I drink juice?
Sources
- Pandey KB, Rizvi SI. Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2009. PMID: 20716914. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2835915/
- Poole R, et al. Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes. BMJ 2017. PMID: 29167102. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5696634/
- Muraki I, et al. Fruit consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective longitudinal cohort studies. BMJ 2013. PMID: 23990623. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3978819/
- MedlinePlus: Nutrition
- MedlinePlus: Antioxidants
- Estruch R, et al. Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts. N Engl J Med 2018. PMID: 29897866. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29897866/
- Aune D, et al. Nut consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer, all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMC Med 2016. PMID: 27916000. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27916000/
- Reynolds A, et al. Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Lancet 2019. PMID: 30638909. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30638909/
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not replace an individual evaluation. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting supplements or changing medications, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or managing a health condition.
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