PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – From obesity to asthma, arthritis to cancer, many of the health problems we deal with can be related to inflammation.
What is inflammation?
“You think about inflammation externally. You see that red, swollen area. Well, it can happen internally as well, so when your body is in a state of inflammation, there’s more pain, more discomfort, more stress internally,” Dietician Leslie Bonci says.
Internal inflammation could be behind obesity and even be related to certain cancers, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, psoriasis and eczema.
But, there are some foods that can help with inflammation.
Here are 10 simple swaps you can make at the grocery store – call them “feel good foods.”
1 – Pick an orange over a banana
Bonci says oranges contain phytonutrients
2 – Pick spinach over iceberg lettuce
When it comes to leafy greens, dark green is better than light. So, choose spinach over iceberg lettuce.
“Spinach is higher in Vitamin K, important for bone health and is also high in Vitamin E, which might play a role in anti-inflammatory,” Bonci says.
3 – Pick salmon over flounder
“When we look at fish, the fattier fish – salmon, halibut, tuna – have more oils in it, but oil in it is omega 3 fatty acid and that is what is anti-inflammatory,” Bonci says. “There’s nothing wrong with eating tilapia, flounder or cod, but they are not fatty fish so they provide the protein, but they don’t provide the value added.”
4 – Pick Cheerios over Rice Krispies
“Rice Krispies is fun – it snaps, it crackles it pops, but it doesn’t have whole grain in it, and whole grain is what we need for the anti-inflammatory effect,” Bonci says.
That goes for any whole gran — whole grain oats, wheat and even whole grain brown rice.
5 – Pick nuts over pretzels
“One of the things about nuts is they’re a source of protein and a source of fiber. They’re also a source of good fat. The mono-unsaturated fats may also have an anti-inflammatory effect,” Bonci says.
6 – Pick salsa over sour cream
Sour cream contains saturated fat and saturated fat may have a pro-inflammatory effect.
“Salsa, on the other hand, is made from tomatoes, and tomatoes have lycopene and that is anti-inflammatory. It may be helpful for the bones as well,” Bonci says.
7 – Pick ginger over sugar
You can freshly grate ginger, which is anti-inflammatory, for a sweet flavor. Too much sugar can cause inflammation.
8 – Pick turmeric over salt
“When you use turmeric, turmeric is a very savory flavor and also a significant anti-inflammatory. There are fascinating studies about lowering inflammation for joint disease and Alzheimer’s as well,” Bonci says.
9 – Pick hummus instead of cheese dip
Cheese dip has unsaturated fat that can cause inflammation, but Bonci says hummus is made of beans which are anti-inflammatory.
10 – Choose olive oil over vegetable oil
While they may be the same in terms of calories, there’s a big difference.
“In studies, people who eat more of a Mediterranean type diet, they are not using vegetable oil, they’re using olive oil and tend to have less inflammation overall.
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