6 Foods That Cause Inflammation

Inflammation can be good or bad depending on the situation.

On one hand, it’s your body’s natural way of protecting itself when you’re injured or sick.

It can help your body defend itself from illness and stimulate healing.

On the other hand, chronic, sustained inflammation is linked to an increased risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

Interestingly, the foods you eat can significantly affect inflammation in your body.

Here are 6 foods that can cause inflammation.

1. Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup

Table sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are the two main types of added sugar in the Western diet.

Sugar is 50% glucose and 50% fructose, while high fructose corn syrup is about 45% glucose and 55% fructose.

One of the reasons that added sugars are harmful is that they can increase inflammation, which can lead to disease.

In one study, mice fed high sucrose diets developed breast cancer that spread to their lungs, partly due to the inflammatory response to sugar.

In another study, the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids were impaired in mice fed a high-sugar diet.

What’s more, in a randomized clinical trial in which people drank regular soda, diet soda, milk, or water, only those in the regular soda group had increased levels of uric acid, which drives inflammation and insulin resistance.

Sugar can also be harmful because it supplies excess amounts of fructose.

While the small amounts of fructose in fruits and vegetables are fine, consuming large amounts of added sugars is bad.

Eating a lot of fructose has been linked to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, fatty liver disease, cancer, and chronic kidney disease.

Also, researchers have noted that fructose causes inflammation within the endothelial cells that line your blood vessels, which is a risk factor for heart disease.

High fructose intake has likewise been shown to increase several inflammatory markers in mice and humans.

Foods high in added sugar include candy, chocolate, soft drinks, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, sweet pastries, and certain cereals.

2. Artificial trans fats

Artificial trans fats are likely the unhealthiest fats you can eat.

They’re created by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats, which are liquid, to give them the stability of more solid fat.

On ingredient labels, trans fats are often listed as partially hydrogenated oils.

Most margarine contains trans fats, and they are often added to processed foods to extend shelf life.

Unlike the naturally occurring trans fats found in dairy and meat, artificial trans fats have been shown to cause inflammation and increase disease risk.

In addition to lowering HDL (good) cholesterol, trans fats may impair the function of the endothelial cells lining your arteries, which is a risk factor for heart disease.

Consuming artificial trans fats is linked to high levels of inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP).

In fact, in one study, CRP levels were 78% higher among women who reported the highest trans fat intake.

In a randomized controlled trial including older women with excess weight, hydrogenated soybean oil increased inflammation significantly more than palm and sunflower oils.

Studies in healthy men and men with elevated cholesterol levels have revealed similar increases in inflammatory markers in response to trans fats.

Foods high in trans fats include French fries and other fried fast food, some varieties of microwave popcorn, certain margarine and vegetable shortenings, packaged cakes and cookies, some pastries, and all processed foods that list partially hydrogenated vegetable oil on the label.

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