Carrie Madormo
Updated: Sep. 16, 2019

If you’re suffering from pain or swelling right now, take a hard look at what you’re eating. Avoiding these inflammation-causing foods will have you feeling a whole lot better.

White bread

Wheat products like white bread and pasta can quickly cause inflammation in the body. “Refined wheat flours have been stripped of their slow-digesting fiber and nutrients, which means the body can break down these foods very quickly,” says Christopher Hollingsworth, MD, an endovascular surgeon at NYC Surgical Associates. The quicker our bodies break down these carbs, the faster our blood sugar levels rise. Dr. Hollingworth explained that this causes a spike in insulin, which leads to inflammation.

Fried foods

It’s no surprise that French fries aren’t the healthiest choice, but they could be doing more harm than you realize. “Research has shown that individuals who eat a diet high in deep-fried foods show a higher prevalence of inflammatory markers,” says Obianuju Helen Okoye. MD, a public health physician and healthcare executive in St. Louis.

Omega-6 oil

Eating a diet rich in omega fatty acids sounds healthy, but may be causing some serious inflammation. We need to consume omega-6 and omega-3 oils because our bodies cannot make them—but they need to be in balance. “Omega-6s are highly inflammatory and promote chronic disease,” Says Jennie Ann Freiman, MD, author of The SEEDS Plan. To avoid an imbalance, Dr. Freiman recommends limiting oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower, soy, canola, peanut, cottonseed, and grapeseed. Processed foods often don’t have a good balance: yet another reason to follow a diet based in whole grains.

Sugar

The sweet stuff is no one’s friend and will cause inflammation throughout your entire body. “Sugar, dyes, and preservatives all cause inflammation. Foods that cause inflammation do so by damaging the gut lining leading to leaky gut,” says Joel Warsh, MD, an integrative pediatrician in Los Angeles. Our gut lining is thin and can be easily damaged, allowing food particles into the bloodstream. Dr. Warsh explains that this leakage can lead to total body inflammation. Here are the signs you may be developing leaky gut.

Soda

A 2018 research in the Journal of Nutrition found that women who drank the most soda had the highest level of biomarkers of inflammation and cardiovascular risk compared to women who drank less of the bubbly stuff.

Deli meat

If you’ve been bored with your daily turkey sandwich, try switching it up and avoiding deli meat altogether. “Processed meats such as deli meat contain more advanced glycation end products (AGEs) than most other meats,” says Dr. Hollingsworth. “AGEs are inflammatory compounds that are created when the meats are dried, smoked, or otherwise processed and cooked at high temperatures.” Dr. Hollingworth explained that these AGEs are known to cause inflammation and lead to chronic diseases like colon cancer.