The term “anti-inflammatory diet” has become a pillar in modern healthcare, driven by the emphasis on holistic and functional medicine principles. Holistic medicine is a full-picture approach in which the patient’s mind, body, spirit and emotions are considered during treatment [1]. Whilst functional medicine treats the entire individual by identifying the root cause(s) of disease(s) [2]. With inflammatory conditions increasing globally, interest has piqued in dietary approaches. While anti-inflammatory diets are not the only solution, they are important as part of the overall management of inflammation and inflammatory conditions, together with recommended medications. However, to understand what an anti-inflammatory diet comprises of, one must first understand the underlying processes of inflammation.

Understanding Inflammation 

Inflammation is the body’s immune system’s reaction to a pathogen[3]. Think about your immune system as your body’s security system. When foreign agents such as bacteria, viruses, other infectious organisms and chemicals etc. invade your body, special cells detect them and produce proteins called antibodies to destroy and eradicate these agents. After this process the body begins to repair and heal itself. This is usually short and self-contained (acute inflammation). However, in some situations it can occur for prolonged periods (chronic inflammation) [4].

In autoimmune conditions, the immune system’s inflammatory cells produce antibodies that mistakenly attack the body’s own proteins and cells and treat as if they are foreign.  This leads to a similar inflammatory process as described above occurring. However, if this inflammatory process is not controlled, the inflammation becomes chronic, and the body’s own cells begin to become destroyed. Depending on the location in the body where this process occurs, patients develop signs and symptoms because of the localized inflammation.

It is therefore important that once a diagnosis is made appropriate treatment is sought to target this destructive, inflammatory process. It is here that the combination of medication and an anti-inflammatory diet become useful.

The Science Behind an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

The Mediterranean-style diet is an anti-inflammatory diet. Research has shown that persons following a Mediterranean-style diet had lower levels of inflammatory markers compared to those who consumed a Western-style diet.

One scientific review examined many studies and found that following a Mediterranean-style diet can help suppress the immune system by lowering acute and chronic inflammation. This was attributed to the types of foods commonly included in the Mediterranean-style diet, which are rich in antioxidants and plant compounds. This combination improved blood vessel function as well as supported a healthier gut microbiome. Moreover, the reviewed studies suggest that adapting a Mediterranean-style diet over the long term may improve outcomes in conditions caused by chronic inflammation. However, other factors such as individual health, genetics, and overall lifestyle, should be considered [5]. 

A randomized study, the Moli-sani study of over 14,586 adults, examined the inflammation markers of white blood cells (WBC) and platelets. High amounts of both markers are indicative of inflammation in the body. From this study, it was found that persons who adhered to the Mediterranean-style diet had lower WBC counts and lower platelet counts, as opposed to those that did not properly follow this diet style [6].

Another study focused on 50 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with moderate disease activity, over the course of two (2) ten (10) weeks periods. The anti-inflammatory diet was compared to a control diet during the experiment. After both phases, the patients were analyzed using the Disease Activity Score (DAS28-ESR). This score included what is referred to as the 28 joint count which looks at both joint swelling and tenderness. It also utilizes blood tests called ESR or CRP. Other components of this score includes the patients’ own opinion about the state of their joint symptoms/ disease.  A special formula is used to cover these scores into a value which reflects the state of activity of the patient’s disease. While there were no significant differences in the DAS28-ESR overall, persons who completed both diets noted a considerable reduction in the DAS28-ESR during and after the anti-inflammatory diet [7], which suggest an improvement in the patient’s disease activity.

Most recently, in 2025, 33 clinical trials with over 3,400 persons were compiled and analyzed. Inflammation markers, specifically high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), IL-6, and IL-17, all of which increase with inflammation, were observed. Persons who adapted a Mediterranean-style diet had lowered levels of hs-CRP, IL-6 and IL-17. Interestingly, a sub-group of persons under the age of 60 years who adapted the Mediterranean-style diet for less than 12 weeks had significant drops in their IL-6 levels [8].

Foods to include

When adapting an anti-inflammatory diet, some of the foods that should be included are [9] [10]:

• Green leafy vegetables such as:
  • Spinach
  • Dasheen leaves
  • Kale
  • Patchoi

• Whole grains such as:
  • Oats
  • Brown rice
  • Quinoa

• Nuts and seeds such as:
  • Almonds
  • Chia seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Flaxseeds
  • Walnuts

• Beans and legumes such as:
  • Kidney (Red) beans
  • Lentils
  • Black beans

• Provisions such as [11]:
  • Yam
  • Sweet potato
  • Cassava

• Fresh fish such as:
  • Salmon
  • Tuna
  • Sardines

While these foods are just a few examples, an anti-inflammatory diet can include a much wider range of foods beyond those listed here.

Foods to avoid

On the other hand, some foods that should be avoided when incorporating an anti-inflammatory diet are:

• Refined carbohydrates such as:
  • White bread, rice and crackers
  • Roti made with white flour
  • Sugary cereals
  • Pasta

• Sugary foods and snacks such as:
  • Candy
  • Soda (Soft drinks)
  • Cakes and pastries

• Red meats such as:
  • Beef
  • Goat
  • Duck

• Processed meats such as:
  • Bacon
  • Sausages
  • Bologna

• Artificial additives such as:
  • MSG
  • Food dyes
  • Preservatives

• High salt foods such as:
  • Instant noodles
  • Fast foods/ fried foods
  • Snacks (Potato chips, cheese puffs and tortilla chips)

• Recreational drugs such as:
  • Alcohol
  • Nicotine in vapes and cigarettes
  • Cannabis

Please keep in mind that these are just a few examples and many other foods may also contribute to inflammation. It’s always a good idea to do a bit of your own research and consult with your Rheumatologist to understand which foods are the most suitable for you.

Getting started

When starting to adapt an anti-inflammatory diet, it is important to remember the goal isn’t perfection, rather it’s sustainability. Start by making small changes, for example, if you’re not ready to cut out flour from your diet, try switching to a healthier alternative such as whole grain flour. Moreover, you can also start introducing healthier ingredients you may not have used before, which are in keeping with an anti-inflammatory diet. If you like eating processed foods, try cutting down more and more every week until it is a limited part of your diet. 

Below is an example of a weekly diet which follows an anti-inflammatory style diet.

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
Breakfast	Oats with chia seeds and a fruit	Whole-grain sada roti with tomatoes choka	Greek yogurt with granola, honey and bananas	Whole-grain toast with a boiled egg	Eggs with spinach and tomatoes	Whole-grain pancakes with honey	Mango smoothie with turmeric, ginger and black pepper
Lunch	Brown rice, pigeon peas, carrots and grilled chicken	Quinoa, with tuna and avocadoes	Sweet potatoes with lentils	Cassava with saltfish and tomatoes	Brown rice, kidney (red) beans and callaloo (dasheen leaves)	Quinoa, patchoi and sardines	Grilled shrimp with sweet potato wedges
Dinner	Whole grain crackers and tuna	Lentil soup with carrots and pumpkin	Whole grain toast with avocadoes or eggplant	Tuna salad with boiled plantain	Bell (sweet) peppers with cottage cheese and chicken filling	Fish broth with fresh Carite fish, provisions and vegetables	Whole-grain sada roti with pumpkin

Each change is one step closer to managing your inflammation. Remember, in the end, every small changes adds up, so be patient with your progress and kind to yourself throughout your anti-inflammatory diet journey.

Jadon Soodoo
Incoming Y1 DDS Student, U.W.I., St. Augustine

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References

1. [1] H. Marks, “What is Holistic Medicine,” 31 10 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-holistic-medicine.
2. [2] “Functional Medicine,” The Institute for Functional Medicine, [Online]. Available: https://www.ifm.org/functional-medicine.
3. [3] “In brief: What is an inflammation? – InformedHealth.org – NCBI Bookshelf,” 11 April 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279298/.
4. [4] H. H. Publishing, “Inflammation,” Harvard Health, 27 March 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/inflammation.
5. [5] K. T. P. A. S. E. V. C. B. E. sigalou C, “Mediterranean Diet as a Tool to Combat Inflammation and Chronic Diseases: An Overview,” Biomedicines, vol. 9, no. 7, p. 201, 2020. 
6. [6] D. C. A. D. C. A. C. S. P. M. D. M. C. C. I. L. d. G. G. Bonaccio M and M.-s. P. Investigators, “Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower platelet and leukocyte counts: results from the Moli-sani study,” Blood, vol. 123, no. 19, p. 3037–3044, 2014. 
7. [7] B. L. H. E. G. I. L. H. W. A. Vadell AKE, “Anti-inflammatory Diet In Rheumatoid Arthritis (ADIRA) – a randomized, controlled crossover trial indicating effects on disease activity,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 111, no. 6, pp. 1203-1213, 2020. 
8. [8] G. M. Z. M. S. H. A. A. N. A. Keshani M, “Mediterranean Diet Reduces Inflammation in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials,” Nutrition & Metabolism, 2025. 
9. [9] H. E. LeWine, “Foods that fight inflammation,” 26 March 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation.
10. [10] C. Clinic, “Mediterranean Diet: Food List & Meal Plan,” Cleveland Clinic Health Library, 7 March 2024. [Online]. Available: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet.
11. [11] E. P. &. J. H. Rafał Wiśniewski, “Edible Tubers as a Source of Bioactive Compounds in Baked Goods: Benefits and Drawbacks,” Molecules, vol. 30(13), 2025.