Mysty PfefferDo you ever eat something and feel so miserable afterward you wonder, “What in the world caused that!?”
My guess is, you probably have. There are so many foods that can cause an allergic reaction or an inflammatory response, I thought it might be helpful to post a brief cheat sheet of the top culprits of each.
Keep in mind, this is not an exhaustive list, and some sources vary in their choices of foods that cause reactions. There are also multiple environmental factors affecting our food; like, pesticides, herbicides, preservatives, colorings, flavorings, etc.
Top 6 Foods for Causing Inflammation and Why it Matters
Inflammation in the short-term is good, it’s a part of our bodies defense system. However, continuous exposure to inflammatory foods leads to chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Even more alarming is the connection of inflammation to Parkinson’s, asthma, mental illness and depression. (1)
However, most sources agree on the following six foods as causing reactions.
| Substance | What the Studies Say |
| Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup | Intakes of apple juice in children 2-9 years old show 5 times more incidence of asthma. (2) Young adults drinking 5 drinks or more per week are 3 times more likely to have arthritis. (3) Excess sugar consumption correlates to the increase in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Prediabetes (4) |
| Trans Fats | It’s important to understand the differences in naturally occurring trans-fat in animal products like milk and meat (supported as healthy by some sources and demonized by others) verses harmful chemically altered, hydrogenated, trans fats like margarine and vegetable shortening. Intake causes excessive production proinflammatory cytokines and increased metabolic syndrome and heart disease (5) The relationship to diabetes is present in some human studies but not in others. It lowers good cholesterol (HDL) and impairs blood flow in the arteries. (6) |
| Vegetable and Seed OIls | Seed oils are high in omega-6 fats, which is not bad in itself, however, the overuse of them in our food supply make the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 inflammatory. We want a 2:1 ratio for best health and we’re getting around 15-20:1, according to most sources. Also, these oils are mechanically removed, bleached, and deodorized in order for them to be consumable. Harsh chemicals are used to do make this oil “look clean”. Proceed with caution! |
| Refined Carbohydrates | Again, ultra-processed, refined white flour, and sugar cause blood sugar spikes, and increase inflammation. These are found in glazed doughnuts, cakes, cookies, breakfast cereals, and fast-food restaurants. Avoid, avoid, avoid, |
| Excessive Alcohol | The American Heart Association recommends one alcoholic beverage for women and no more than two for men in a day. That means, an 8-ounce beer, 1 ounce of hard liquor, or 6 ounces of wine. Drinking more than this amount has been implicated in increased heart disease and cancer. |
| Processed Meats | Sausage, bacon, hot dogs, lunchmeat and other ultra-processed meat items contain monosodium glutamate, nitrates, and nitrites that are known to cause cancer and inflammation. |
I like a short list like this because it makes it easier to eliminate potential offending items. If one of my clients in in chronic pain, has digestive issues, or has another chronic condition, I want to help them find the underlying cause.
A short list is easier to use for identifying inflammation triggers, remove them for a few weeks, and give the cells rest. It is a simple way to determine if they feel better when the foods are not consumed.
After two weeks is up, they add one of the items back and see if it causes problems. If yes, they know to not eat it. If no reaction, they add another item the next week and see if their body reacts to it… and so on and so forth with the remaining items.
When we are mindful of how our bodies react to certain foods, we can begin intentional eating that may help heals us at the cellular level.
God put over 8,000 antioxidants, plus vitamins and minerals in the plants to sustain and nourish us. The mutations and flaws in the human race over time, alongside the tampering of our food supply has contributed to allergic reactions, with a few of these natural foods.
If this is you today, and you want simple strategies to overcome inflammation in your body, I hope you find the answers you are seeking.
I think you and I can make the items we love much better than any ultra-processed item found in a box or fast-food restaurant. God’s plan that first day of creation saw to it, we will always have what we need to thrive, in Him and His provision from the garden!
If you need help getting started with a more satisfying plan, I can help you through coaching and walk you through an anti-inflammatory workshop!
References:
2. DeChristopher LR, Uribarri J, Tucker KL. Intakes of apple juice, fruit drinks and soda are associated with prevalent asthma in US children aged 2-9 years. Public Health Nutr. 2016 Jan;19(1):123-30. doi: 10.1017/S1368980015000865. Epub 2015 Apr 10. PMID: 25857343.
3. DeChristopher LR, Uribarri J, Tucker KL. Intake of high-fructose corn syrup sweetened soft drinks, fruit drinks and apple juice is associated with prevalent arthritis in US adults, aged 20-30 years. Nutr Diabetes. 2016 Mar 7;6(3):e199. doi: 10.1038/nutd.2016.7. PMID: 26950480; PMCID: PMC4817078.
4. Softic S, Cohen DE, Kahn CR. Role of Dietary Fructose and Hepatic De Novo Lipogenesis in Fatty Liver Disease. Dig Dis Sci. 2016 May;61(5):1282-93. doi: 10.1007/s10620-016-4054-0. Epub 2016 Feb 8. PMID: 26856717; PMCID: PMC4838515.
5. Softic S, Cohen DE, Kahn CR. Role of Dietary Fructose and Hepatic De Novo Lipogenesis in Fatty Liver Disease. Dig Dis Sci. 2016 May;61(5):1282-93. doi: 10.1007/s10620-016-4054-0. Epub 2016 Feb 8. PMID: 26856717; PMCID: PMC4838515.
6. de Roos NM, Bots ML, Katan MB. Replacement of dietary saturated fatty acids by trans fatty acids lowers serum HDL cholesterol and impairs endothelial function in healthy men and women. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2001 Jul;21(7):1233-7. doi: 10.1161/hq0701.092161. PMID: 11451757.
