Do you realize that the most serious danger to your physical condition is inflammation and that an advantageous diet is the most proficient technique to combat it? There’s a difference between acute and chronic inflammation.
The redness and swelling that follows an injury such as a cut or bruise is an example of acute inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a persistent problem which wears away at a person’s immune system, making them more prone to developing serious health conditions.
There is a relationship between repeated inflammation and a variety of health problems, such as heart problems, excessive body fat, high blood pressure, diabetes, joint inflammation, a permeable intestine and psychological disorders.
Luckily, the most significant action you can take to lessen inflammation is something you are capable of managing – your diet.
The foods you eat have a major impact on how much inflammation your body experiences. Today, you’ll garner knowledge about beginning to decrease inflammation through diet, what to consume, and dishes to initiate you.
Symptoms of Inflammation
It is easier to recognize acute inflammation in correlation to an event (for instance, a sprained ankle after a slip) as it presents symptoms such as ache, redness, puffiness, and/or numbness.
However, internal inflammation may be more challenging to pinpoint. The signs frequently seen in chronic inflammation include feeling unwell, never getting enough sleep no matter the duration, and recurring fevers.
The inflammation present in the body causes the abovementioned symptoms to surface and requires our immune system to work harder in order to handle the oxidative, microbial and viral stress.
When the body is put under stress, it will direct energy and resources to handle it, which can have a negative effect on other processes in the body, especially if the stress continues for an extended period.
The body’s fight-or-flight reaction can be beneficial in life-threatening scenarios, however, when exposed to high-stress levels for an extended period of time, it can put a strain on certain bodily processes, having a harmful effect over a lengthy amount of time.
The Link Between Your Diet And Inflammation
Your entire body is composed of materials derived from the food you consume. Particular dishes can provoke inflammatory reactions that create stress on your body, diminish your immunity, and keep your body from working optimally.
The Standard American Diet (SAD) is a diet that induces inflammation, as it is composed largely of processed grains, sweets, and food that has been processed with synthetic substances.
Having a nutritious low carb diet is your most effective way to fight against chronic inflammation. A ketogenic diet in specific has powerful anti-inflammatory benefits.
Cutting out processed foods, sugar and added ingredients from your meals is the wisest decision you could make for your wellbeing. The next logical move is to switch those out for nourishing, anti-inflammatory foods.
Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods on a Ketogenic Diet
Whether you’re starting keto or have been keto for a while, adding these powerful anti-inflammatory foods to your diet can make a dramatic difference in your internal inflammation levels:
1. Turmeric
Turmeric shines through as the anti-inflammatory superstar. Over the past twenty years, over six thousand studies have provided information on the advantages of consuming turmeric curcumin, a component of turmeric that has been confirmed to reduce inflammation drastically.
Curry isn’t just delicious, it’s a functional food. It appears that when combining curcumin with black pepper, containing the piperine associated compound, it is more than double as effective compared to curcumin on its own.
In addition to this, combining curcumin and piperine has a faster anti-inflammatory effect and enables the curcumin to remain in your body for a longer duration, thus increasing the benefits of the same dose of curcumin.
Incorporate turmeric into your lifestyle on a daily basis in order to experience the full range of health benefits.
There are lots of enjoyable methods to experience the great advantages of the miraculous root, from curries to bright smoothies. If consuming turmeric in a meal is not an option, then one way to still capitalize on its benefits is to take a supplement containing both curcumic and peperine.
Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties and when taken together with pepper, its healing power is enhanced.
2. Ginger Root
This root is widely associated with its stomach-calming qualities, but it has considerable anti-inflammatory powers regardless of its form, whether fresh, dried, ground, cooked, in oil or in a supplement.
Additionally, studies have revealed that consumption of ginger, no matter which form it is in (dried, fresh, ground, cooked, oil or exogenous supplement), assists in digestion and can be comparable to Prozac and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for reducing inflammation without as many unfavorable side effects. It’s incredibly potent!
Research finds that ginger extract:
- May be as effective and have fewer side effects than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Studies find it can be as effective as ibuprofen in the treatment of both severe menstrual cramps and post-surgical pain because it reduces the prostaglandins that cause inflammation.
- Inhibits the induction of genes involved in the inflammatory response. This means ginger may be able to modulate biochemical pathways activated in chronic inflammation.
Try spicing up your dishes with some extra ginger to enjoy the health benefits, such as alleviating indigestion and greatly reducing inflammation.
3. Salmon
The fat profile of salmon is particularly impressive. A three ounce portion of salmon supplies 1921 mg of omega 3 fatty acids which are known to reduce inflammation.
Other varieties of fatty fish besides salmon can be beneficial in decreasing inflammation. Search for wild salmon that is harvested responsibly, along with anchovies, sardines, and butterfish. Fish that contains more than 5% fat by weight is classified as “fatty fish”.
4. Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts contain the most fat among all nuts, and this is just one of the benefits of eating them for your health. These nuts are full of fat, of which a majority is comprised of beneficial monounsaturated fat that has properties which reduce inflammation.
Macadamias contain magnesium to help stop pain signals and reduce blood sugar levels, both of which have a beneficial effect on reducing inflammation.
An inadequate supply of magnesium can result in long-term, low intensity inflammation, so consuming meals which contain high amounts of magnesium can be advantageous. This nut stands above the rest due to its high level of healthy fats like monounsaturated fats, along with its very low carbohydrate content – perfect for anyone following a ketogenic diet.
It is positive that the health benefits of nuts, perfect to eat if following a ketogenic diet, do not stop at its macronutrients. Macadamia nuts are naturally loaded with fat, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
Macadamia nuts have a lot of magnesium in them.
It has been stated that eating macadamia nuts can help with stress and decrease inflammation, acting as a natural painkiller. Additionally, it can assist in keeping blood sugar levels consistent, which is especially beneficial for those suffering from insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.
5. Walnuts
Eating walnuts may include a slightly higher level of net carbs, but it is definitely worth it as long as one maintains moderation when consuming them. Each 1-ounce serving of walnuts contains.
- 2542 mg of omega 3s
- 44.2mg of magnesium
Having a sufficient amount of magnesium is required for numerous biological functions, while omega 3 has anti-inflammatory characteristics. Walnuts contain a good amount of omega 3s and magnesium, that act as a team to avoid persistent inflammation.
6. Healthy Fats
Most of the vegetable oils located in the grocery store, for example canola oil, have gone bad and can cause inflammation.
Getting to grips with the idea of incorporating healthy fats as the core of your diet, which in the past could seem like a contradiction, may take a bit of adjusting to when you first try a ketogenic diet. However, if you get past your initial reluctance and do more research into a low-carb, high-fat diet, you will be astonished with the outcome.
There is an infinite number of good fat choices to please your taste buds while staying on the keto diet. We propose adding fatty, potassium-packed fruits like avocado to your regular diet in conjunction with mackerel and sardines, both enriched with omega-3s.
You may want to consider adding organic cold-pressed MCTs in either oil or powder form, as this type of energy is immensely potent and easily taken up by the body. It can be used almost instantly to provide improved physical and mental performance.
Including healthy fats in your keto diet can be beneficial, such as grass-fed butter, coconut butter, organic bacon, organic ghee, olive oil, palm oil, or cold-pressed coconut oil.
Indulge in these essential items while spurring on speedy fat reduction, due to the metabolic ketosis that comes about as a result of greatly decreasing or taking away carbs from our diets.
Stay away from these and choose healthier fats, including:
- MCT oil
- Coconut oil
- Organic ghee from grass-fed cows
- Grass fed butter
- Palm oil from sustainable sources
- Olive oil
Is there anything kale can’t do? Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, chard, mustard greens, and romaine lettuce contain immense quantities of polyphenols that combat inflammation.
These vegetables are also packed with antioxidants that help to fix any damage done by free radicals, such as beta carotene, and to provide protection with vitamins C, E and K. Vegetables with large leaves offer some magnesium that helps to keep inflammation long-term at bay.
The content of nutrients is going to fluctuate depending on the type of green leafy vegetable, so it’s important to eat different kinds. Green, leafy vegetables are full of nourishment that helps to reduce inflammation.
Keto Foods That Reduce Inflammation
MCT Oil or Powder
MCTs are an outstanding kind of fat which can be used as a fuel source and an effective food-based solution to diminish inflammation in the body.
MCTs can be consumed in either liquid or solid form and make for a great supplement to be added to meals or drinks throughout the day for an increase in energy and improved mental sharpness.
Avocado Oil
This oil is light on the palate and full of nutrients, making it a great choice if you’re on a ketogenic diet. Plus, it has a very high burning point, making it perfect for frying.
Avocado oil is a nice option for dressings, giving the meal a subtle nutty taste and providing an important boost of essential omega-3 fatty acids to those eating a low-carb diet. In addition, it is great for heated uses.
Coconut Oil
Though not as rich in MCTs, cold-pressed coconut oil is still a superb form of fat with a significant smoking point, making it ideal for any method of cooking – even frying.
Coconut oil has lots of nutritional value and is an excellent source of saturated fats for people on a keto diet.
Treat yourself to a delicious and rich combination of coconut oil, coconut butter, grass-fed butter and a sugar alternative that supplies a lovely serving of healthy fats with no bad effects on your sugar levels.
Fatty Nuts and Seeds
We are lucky to have access to such a vast array of nuts that are appropriate to eat when following a regime of low-carbohydrate and high-fat.
Macadamia, almonds, pine nuts, walnuts and pecans could be seen as prime selections – specifically, macadamia as they contain a great amount of fat.
Nuts are great additions to a keto diet as they have a good amount of fat and are easy to bring with you thanks to their pre-measured serving sizes. This way, you are always prepared with something beneficial to eat when hunger arises while you’re out and about.
Despite the abundance of protein and fat, nuts still contain carbohydrates and the glycemic index differs from one nut to the next. Here’s an outline of our favorite keto-friendly nuts and their carb load (net carb counts for a 1 oz. portion):
- Pecans: 1.1 grams
- Brazil nuts: 1.3 grams
- Macadamia nuts: 1.5 grams
- Walnuts: 1.9 grams
- Coconut: 2 grams
- Hazelnuts: 2.3 grams
- Pine nuts: 2.7 grams
- Almonds: 2.9 grams
- Peanuts: 3.8 grams
- Pistachios: 5.8 grams
- Cashews: 8.4 grams
- Chestnuts: 13.6 grams
It is possible to include any of the listed nuts into a ketogenic diet program with careful preparation and thought.
We would advise keeping to nuts with a low glycemic index (such as pecans, walnuts, and macadamia nuts) as the main part of your daily diet in order to be able to consume a greater quantity of food without harming your ketosis.
Nuts have lots of fiber, magnesium, selenium, and manganese, which are necessary minerals that can help stop inflammation in the body.
Nuts provide great anti-oxidative benefits and additionally can be used to create a variety of low-carb flours that are keto-friendly, gluten-free, and grain-free for delicious snacks that will help with weight loss and promote balance in the body.
Research has indicated that the inclusion of polyunsaturated fats, magnesium, L-arginine, and fiber from nut sources may reduce the danger of death from heart illness, type 2 diabetes, and certain inflammation markers within the body.
Side notes
A good way to steer clear of leading an unhealthy lifestyle while on the keto diet is the same way as any other diet: abstain from processed, high-carbohydrate items and opt for foods that aid with achieving the best health and fitness.
The data presented here serves as a good basis for creating your ketogenic diet plan. You can customize your program to meet your needs, but make sure to use the guidelines above as an outline.
A ketogenic diet is designed to lower inflammation, protect the nervous system, and regulate hormones and metabolic processes for the best possible results.
Take care to stay away from items listed above that, although may fit in with a keto diet plan based on their nutritional elements, can have damaging consequences in the long run. In doing so, you should be in a great position to benefit from following a keto diet, including balance and enhanced wellbeing of your cells.
