How to Follow the Best Anti-Inflammatory Diet for You - Meal Plan Included!

In this article:

• Inflammation can be a short-term response to an injury or infection for your body to heal, but chronic inflammation can be harmful. It’s linked to obesity, diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions.
• What you eat can affect inflammation in your body. An anti-inflammatory diet may help lower inflammation.
• Pro-inflammatory foods can include ultra processed and low-nutrient foods like sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, refined grains, processed meats, and fried foods.
• Research suggests that nightshade vegetables like eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers can trigger inflammation in some people, but they can be part of an anti-inflammatory plan for many people.
• This meal plan relies on anti-inflammatory foods. It’s high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
• Consult with your healthcare provider if you have health concerns or before starting any new diet.
• Lark can support your goals and help you stay motivated as you make progress towards your health and weight loss goals with or without GLP-1s as you log food, get tips for eating healthier, and make small changes that can turn into healthy habits.
  

Acute inflammation is a natural and often helpful response in your body, but chronic inflammation can lead to an increased risk for various health conditions. An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on foods that reduce inflammation, promoting better health and weight loss. It may be high in nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, and low in highly processed foods. Keep reading to explore the basics of inflammation, learn how to select anti-inflammatory foods, and see a sample anti-inflammatory meal plan to get you started.

Chronic Inflammation and Your Health and Weight

Harvard School of Public Health explains that inflammation is an immune response by your body. It can promote healing if you get injured, and support recovery if you have an infection. Acute inflammation reduces and eventually goes away as you recover.

A more potentially harmful form of inflammation is chronic inflammation. People with high levels of chronic inflammation are more likely to have or develop health conditions like these.

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Certain types of cancer
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Joint pain and arthritis
• Weight gain
  

Your diet can affect levels of inflammation in your body.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet Overview

An anti-inflammatory diet can lower levels of chronic inflammation in your body. It doesn’t have to be a specific diet. For example, a study in Nutrients found that a variety of healthy diet patterns led to lower inflammation levels among people with rheumatoid arthritis. These are the diet patterns they looked at.

• Mediterranean, which emphasizes healthy fats, grains, and lean proteins
• Keto, which is very low in carbohydrates like grains, sugar-sweetened foods, potatoes, and other starchy vegetables
• Vegetarian, which includes plant-based foods, dairy, and eggs, but excludes meat, fish, and poultry products
• Vegan, which includes only plant-based foods
  

An inflammatory diet increases inflammation in the body. It may be high in low-nutrient foods. These are often called ultra-processed, highly palatable foods, according to an article published in the journal Nutrients. Many Americans follow an inflammatory diet.

Inflammatory Foods

Ultra-processed foods are known to be linked to poorer health. Harvard Medical School says that people who consume more of them are more likely to gain weight. In addition, a study in British Medical Journal found that people who had more of these types of foods were more likely to experience cardiovascular disease mortality, mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, diabetes, and poorer sleep.

Ultra-processed foods like the ones in the above studies are also known to be inflammatory. In addition, obesity and the chronic conditions listed above are linked to higher levels of chronic inflammation.

An article in Nutrients lists some ultra-processed food types.

• Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages like sports drinks and coffee drinks
• Processed bread like white bread and bagels
• Refined breakfast cereals
• Candies
• Pre-packaged condiments
• Instant meals
• Processed meats
  

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

You can shift towards an anti-inflammatory diet by choosing less inflammatory foods. In general, look for vegetables, whole grains, fruit, and healthy fats, especially heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

Here are some examples of shifting from more processed to less processed options.

• Apples: Apple pie is highly processed, while raw apples are less processed
• Chicken: Fried chicken is highly processed, while baked or grilled chicken is less processed
• Grains: White pasta is highly processed, while whole-grain pasta is less processed
• Tomatoes: Bottled ketchup is highly processed, while raw tomatoes are less processed
• Potatoes: Potato chips and French fries are highly processed, while baked potatoes are less processed
  

Nightshade Vegetables and Inflammation

There’s been talk of nightshade vegetables causing inflammation.

Cleveland Clinic lists some nightshade vegetables.

• Tomatoes
• Potatoes (but not sweet potatoes)
• Eggplant
• Bell peppers
  

Products like tomato sauce and paprika, which are made from these vegetables, are also considered nightshade vegetables.

These vegetables are sources of important nutrients like fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. They may even have anti-inflammatory properties or contribute to weight loss, which can reduce inflammation. However, they may exacerbate symptoms of arthritis.

If you have concerns, the first step is to talk to your doctor about your symptoms and your diet. If you think nightshade vegetables may be contributing to pain or other symptoms, keep a log of your diet and your symptoms.

Another approach is to try an elimination diet. Stop eating all nightshade vegetables for a couple of weeks and note your symptoms. Then add back one type of nightshade vegetable at a time to see if you get a flare-up. Only do this under medical supervision.

An Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan

Here’s an example of a potentially anti-inflammatory meal plan. It’s low in ultra-processed foods and high in fiber and antioxidants. Be sure to drink plenty of water, be aware of how your body is feeling, and check in with your doctor.

This meal plan has about 1,500 calories daily, 80-90 grams of protein daily, and about 200 grams of carbohydrates. You can adjust the foods and portion sizes to meet your needs.

Monday

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with 1 egg and 2 egg whites, made with cooking spray

1 slice of whole-grain toast with ½ small avocado, 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese (optional), black pepper, and arugula or spinach leaves

½ grapefruit

Lunch

Quinoa salad with ½ cup of cooked quinoa, 3 ounces of baked or grilled diced skinless chicken breast, ½ cup chopped apple, and 2 cups of greens, with olive oil, vinegar, and chopped parsley

Dinner

4 ounces of baked salmon

⅓ cup of cooked brown rice with ½ cup of peas, 1 cup of chopped cooked broccoli, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of slivered almonds

Tuesday

Breakfast

1 cup of plain nonfat yogurt

¾ cup of bran flakes with 1 sliced banana

Lunch

Salmon wrap on a whole-grain tortilla with 3 ounces of cooked salmon, grated carrots and cucumber, and mashed avocado

1 apple

Dinner

4 ounces of grilled chicken

½ cup of whole-wheat couscous with 2 tablespoons chopped nuts

1 cup of cooked carrots and green beans

1 graham cracker

Wednesday

Breakfast

Oatmeal made with ½ cup of rolled or quick oats and 1 cup of nonfat milk or unsweetened almond milk

½ banana

1 tablespoon of peanut butter

Lunch

Salad with 3-4 ounces of skinless chicken or shrimp, 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, 2 cups of lettuce, sliced cucumber, and 2 tablespoons of light ranch dressing

1 slice of whole-grain bread with 2 tablespoons of hummus

Dinner

4 ounces of baked cod

½ cup of baked sweet potato

1-2 cups of vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, or brussels sprouts baked with 1 ounce of crumbled feta cheese and a spritz of olive oil

Thursday

Breakfast

¾ cup of cottage cheese

¾ cup of sliced peaches or berries

2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds or nuts

¼ cup of toasted oats

Lunch

Green salad with ½ cup of chickpeas, ⅓ cup of cooked brown rice, lemon juice, and 3-5 ounces of tuna mixed with avocado, diced onion and celery, dijon mustard, and paprika

Dinner

Meatloaf with lean ground turkey, grated zucchini, oats or whole-grain breadcrumbs, and vegetables like sliced mushrooms or chopped spinach

1 cup of mixed mashed potato and mashed cauliflower made with low-sodium broth and plain yogurt

1 cup of vegetables

Friday

Breakfast

Breakfast bowl with 1 hard-boiled egg, ½ cup black beans, lettuce, meatless breakfast sausage, and cut fruit

Lunch

Quinoa salad with ½ cup of quinoa, ½ cup chickpeas, 2 ounces of feta cheese, cubed raw or roasted vegetables, 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette dressing

Dinner

Lean ground turkey burger or veggie burger patty on a whole-grain bun with avocado

Baked carrot sticks

1 cup of watermelon

Saturday

Breakfast

2 whole-grain English muffin halves with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on each

1 cup of berries

Lunch

1 cup of lentil vegetable soup with 1 ounce of crackers and 1 ounce of low-fat cheese

½ avocado

Dinner

Stir fry with 3-4 ounces of chicken, shrimp, or tofu, 1 cup of vegetables, 2 teaspoons of sesame or canola oil, and seasonings

½ cup of brown rice

1 orange

Sunday

Breakfast

1 whole-grain frozen waffles (or toast)

½ cup of cottage cheese with 1 cup of berries

2 tablespoons of seeds or nuts

Lunch

Mediterranean bowl with ½ cup of chickpeas, ½ cup of cooked quinoa, 1 cup of chopped vegetables like cucumber, zucchini, bell peppers and/or tomatoes, oregano, thyme, 2 ounces of feta cheese, 1 tablespoon of tahini sauce

Dinner

Tacos with 2 whole-grain corn shells, 3 ounces of shredded chicken breast, 1 ounce of shredded low-fat cheddar cheese, salsa, shredded lettuce, and diced tomato

½ cup of black beans

1 cup of grilled zucchini and onion

Melon

How Lark Can Help

Selecting healthy fats and keeping portions in check can help you reach your weight and health goals. Lark can help you make positive choices on a daily basis. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement and coaching. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle, so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications.

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!

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