Anti-Inflammatory Foods: A List and What the Research Shows

Anti-inflammatory foods are foods linked in research with lower levels of inflammation markers in the blood, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). The best studied are extra virgin olive oil, nuts, fatty fish, fiber-rich plant foods such as vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains, and turmeric. No single food works like a medicine; the evidence is strongest for an overall eating pattern such as the Mediterranean diet. This guide gives a practical list, what the human studies actually found, which foods to eat less of, and a simple day of eating.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• Eating pattern beats single foods: in a 12-month trial, a Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil or nuts lowered inflammation markers including CRP and IL-6 compared with a low-fat diet (Casas et al., 2014).
• Nuts: among about 5,000 US adults, eating nuts five or more times a week was linked with 20% lower CRP and 14% lower IL-6 than rarely eating them (Yu et al., 2016).
• Fish oils: a meta-analysis found marine omega-3 supplements lowered CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha, with bigger effects from longer use (Li et al., 2014).
• Fiber: people in the top quarter of fiber intake were 63% less likely to have elevated CRP than those in the bottom quarter (Ma et al., 2006).
• Turmeric: curcuminoid supplements lowered CRP in a meta-analysis of six trials, but mainly in better-absorbed forms taken for at least four weeks (Sahebkar, 2014).

What Makes a Food Anti-Inflammatory?

Inflammation is the immune system's normal response to injury or infection. Short bursts are helpful. The concern is low-grade inflammation that stays switched on for months, which researchers track through blood markers such as CRP and IL-6.

To compare diets, researchers built a Dietary Inflammatory Index by scoring 1,943 studies on how 45 food parameters affect six inflammation markers (Shivappa et al., 2014). The practical takeaway is that a food is called anti-inflammatory when eating more of it is linked with lower markers, and the overall pattern of your diet matters more than any single item.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods List

Food group	Examples	What human research shows
Extra virgin olive oil	Use as your main cooking and salad oil	Part of the Mediterranean trial that lowered CRP and IL-6; contains oleocanthal
Nuts	Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, peanuts	Five or more servings a week linked with lower CRP and IL-6
Fatty fish	Salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout	Marine omega-3s lowered CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in a meta-analysis
Fiber-rich plants	Vegetables, fruit, berries, beans, lentils, oats, whole grains	Highest fiber intake linked with 63% lower odds of elevated CRP
Turmeric	Curry dishes, golden milk, curcumin supplements	Curcuminoid supplements lowered CRP, mainly in well-absorbed forms over 4 weeks or more

Extra virgin olive oil

Freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil contains oleocanthal, the compound behind its peppery sting at the back of the throat. In lab tests, oleocanthal blocked the same cyclooxygenase enzymes as ibuprofen, with a strikingly similar profile (Beauchamp et al., 2005). The amount in a normal serving is far below a medicine dose, so think of olive oil as part of a pattern, not a substitute for a painkiller.

Nuts

In 5,013 adults from two long-running US health studies, those who ate nuts five or more times a week had lower CRP and IL-6 than those who rarely ate them, even after accounting for body weight. Swapping three servings a week of red meat, processed meat, eggs or refined grains for nuts was linked with lower CRP (Yu et al., 2016). This was an observational study, so it shows a link, not proof of cause.

Fatty fish and omega-3s

A meta-analysis of trials found marine omega-3 supplements lowered CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in healthy people and in people with long-term health conditions, with larger effects from longer use and weaker effects at a BMI over 30. Omega-3s from food alone were studied less, and lowered IL-6 but not CRP (Li et al., 2014). Two servings of fatty fish a week is a common food-first target.

Vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains

In a year-long study of 524 adults who had their blood and diet checked five times, more dietary fiber was linked with lower CRP, and those in the top quarter of fiber intake were 63% less likely to have elevated CRP (Ma et al., 2006). The average intake in the study was about 16 grams a day, well below common recommendations of 25 to 38 grams.

Turmeric

A meta-analysis of six trials with 342 people found curcuminoid supplements lowered CRP compared with placebo, but only in trials that used better-absorbed preparations and lasted at least four weeks (Sahebkar, 2014). Turmeric in cooking adds flavor and color, but provides much less curcumin than the supplements studied.

What the Mediterranean Diet Research Shows

In a randomized trial within the large Spanish PREDIMED study, 164 adults at high risk of heart disease followed a Mediterranean diet with 50 mL a day of extra virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet with 30 g a day of nuts, or a low-fat diet for 12 months. Both Mediterranean groups saw larger drops in blood pressure and lower levels of inflammation markers including CRP and IL-6 than the low-fat group (Casas et al., 2014). The diet is built on vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and fish, with less red and processed meat and fewer sweets.

Many of these foods also help with a related problem; our guide to oxidative stress covers what causes it and how to reduce it.

Foods to Eat Less Of

The clearest swap in the research above is replacing red meat, processed meat and refined grains with nuts, which was linked with lower CRP (Yu et al., 2016). More generally, foods low in fiber and high in refined starch or added sugar push out the plant foods linked with lower markers. Our guide to blood sugar spikes covers which foods raise blood sugar most and how to keep spikes smaller.

A Simple Anti-Inflammatory Day of Eating

• Breakfast: oats with berries, walnuts and ground flaxseed, or eggs with spinach cooked in olive oil.
• Lunch: a large salad with beans or lentils, mixed vegetables, olive oil and lemon dressing, and whole grain bread.
• Snack: a small handful of almonds or pistachios and a piece of fruit.
• Dinner: baked salmon or sardines, roasted vegetables and brown rice or quinoa, with turmeric, garlic and herbs for flavor.

Beyond Food

Diet is one part of the picture. Regular sleep, movement and managing stress all affect how you feel day to day. Our guides on how much deep sleep you need and how to lower cortisol naturally cover the habits, and biological age explains how researchers measure aging in the body.

Our guide to NAD+ for inflammation and longevity covers what studies of NAD+ have measured.

Where Our Products Fit

Food comes first here. Our Glutathione Nasal Spray and NAC Nasal Spray support the body's antioxidant defense, a related system to the one discussed above. NAC is the building block cells use to make their own glutathione. Our glutathione and NAC ingredient guides explain how they work, and the immune function hub has the bigger picture. For more on the inflammation research on other compounds, see our guides to anandamide and nicotinamide riboside. For our immune and antioxidant products, browse our Immunity collection.

Safety and When to See a Doctor

Safety note: fish oil and turmeric or curcumin supplements can increase bleeding risk with blood thinners and should be stopped before surgery unless your doctor says otherwise; curcumin is not advised for people with gallbladder problems. If you have food allergies, swap in safe alternatives, for example seeds for nuts. Lasting joint pain or swelling, unexplained fevers, weight loss or fatigue need a medical check rather than a diet change. A doctor can order a CRP blood test if inflammation is a concern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most anti-inflammatory foods?

The best studied are extra virgin olive oil, nuts, fatty fish, fiber-rich plants such as vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains, and turmeric.

What foods cause inflammation?

Research links diets high in red and processed meat and refined grains, and low in fiber, with higher inflammation markers. Swapping some of these for nuts was linked with lower CRP.

What is the best anti-inflammatory diet?

The Mediterranean diet has the strongest trial evidence, lowering CRP and IL-6 compared with a low-fat diet over 12 months.

Is olive oil anti-inflammatory?

Extra virgin olive oil contains oleocanthal, which acted like ibuprofen on the same enzymes in lab tests, and it was part of the Mediterranean trial that lowered inflammation markers.

Are nuts anti-inflammatory?

Eating nuts five or more times a week was linked with lower CRP and IL-6 in about 5,000 adults.

Does turmeric reduce inflammation?

Curcuminoid supplements lowered CRP in a meta-analysis, mainly in better-absorbed forms taken for at least four weeks. Turmeric in food provides much less.

Is fish oil anti-inflammatory?

Marine omega-3 supplements lowered CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in a meta-analysis, with larger effects from longer use.

How long does an anti-inflammatory diet take to work?

The Mediterranean trial measured changes after 12 months, and turmeric trials showed effects at four weeks or more. Think in months, not days.

Sources

• Casas R, et al. The effects of the Mediterranean diet on biomarkers of vascular wall inflammation and plaque vulnerability in subjects with high risk for cardiovascular disease. A randomized trial. PLoS One. 2014. PubMed 24925270
• Yu Z, et al. Associations between nut consumption and inflammatory biomarkers. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016. PubMed 27465378
• Li K, et al. Effect of marine-derived n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on C-reactive protein, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha: a meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2014. PubMed 24505395
• Ma Y, et al. Association between dietary fiber and serum C-reactive protein. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006. PubMed 16600925
• Sahebkar A. Are curcuminoids effective C-reactive protein-lowering agents in clinical practice? Evidence from a meta-analysis. Phytother Res. 2014. PubMed 23922235
• Shivappa N, et al. Designing and developing a literature-derived, population-based dietary inflammatory index. Public Health Nutr. 2014. PubMed 23941862
• Beauchamp GK, et al. Phytochemistry: ibuprofen-like activity in extra-virgin olive oil. Nature. 2005. PubMed 16136122

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.