Our Favourite Anti-Inflammatory Foods

• Berries: Most fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants but the humble and delicious berry are very high in flavonoids. Flavonoids are known to have beneficial effects on inflammation and cell damage. According to arthritis.org the best fish to eat for anti inflammatory benefits are the fattier ones that contain the highest marine omega-3's,such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel. To help with lowering inflammation it is recommended to eat 85g - 170g serving of these fish two to four times a week.


• Broccoli: Yay! Our favourite, broccoli! Some may hate this mini tree but we LOVE it and love finding new ways to serve it up. Check out our Broccoli Salad Recipe from a while back.  Broccoli is rich in sulforaphane, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation by reducing your levels of cytokines and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which are molecules that drive inflammation in your body. 


• Avocado: We're Australian, we had to include the incredible, edible Avocado! Thankfully this amazing fruit is not only tasty, but it also gives our body so many positive benefits. 

Avocados are a great source of healthy monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, which can dampen your body's inflammatory response. In fact, the anti-inflammatory properties of avocados are so strong that they may actually offset less healthy food choices. You heard that right, somebody get the Guacamole!!


• Olive Oil: Ok, this is probably the easiest one to include into our diets. Next time you have a salad, drizzle it on. Next time you make some Guacamole, drizzle it in. Next time you make some bruschetta drizzle it all over, you get the idea! The trick here is to eat it raw whenever possible to get the most benefits. 

Virgin olive oil contains numerous phenolic compounds that exert potent anti-inflammatory actions. The recently discovered phenolic compound oleocanthal. Oleocanthal is contained in virgin olive oil and possesses similar anti-inflammatory properties to ibuprofen.

Next time you are in the kitchen, try incorporating these ingredients into you life. We highly recommend a Berry Smoothie.

Disclaimer: The authors of this blog are not medical professionals, we, like most of our readers, are average people trying to share and support others in making healthier choices. We do our research to ensure all information is correct and recent however, we are human, so please do not take our opinions and information as medical or nutritional advice. Always seek your doctor's advice before making changes to your lifestyle.

Berries Reference: Adding berries to your diet