12 Foods That Can Cause Inflammation

Inflammation is the root of a variety of issues from bloating to joint pain to more serious health conditions like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s if it persists long-term. If you find yourself with mild inflammation or constantly battling it, the foods you eat may be part of the blame. Check your eating habits for these 12 inflammation-causing foods, and swap them with better choices.

Many Americans overdo it on refined carbohydrates like white bread. It’s not that carbs like bread are unhealthy, but rather eating high portions of white bread which can rack up many calories over time. This can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of variety of chronic diseases like obesity and heart disease, which is all triggered by inflammation.

Eating fries and other foods high in saturated fat can trigger inflammation in fat tissue, which is an indicator for heart disease, and can also worsen the inflammation associated with arthritis.

Added sugar is the inflammation-triggering culprit in soda. Women with higher inflammatory markers were found to drink more sugar-sweetened soft drinks compared to women who did not have high inflammatory markers, according to a study published in American Society for Clinical Nutrition that examined the eating pattern of women through the Nurses’ Health Study. Bottom line, stick with sparkling water instead.

Hot dogs are made up entirely of processed meat, filled with saturated fat, which can lead to conditions like heart disease which is associated with excess inflammation. There are many other unprocessed meats you can opt for instead like lean ground beef or chicken breast.

If you love candy and eat it regularly, research shows that excessive intake of added sugar can induce increased inflammation within the body and even lead to an increased risk of metabolic disorders. The 2020-2025 dietary guidelines recommend that no more than 10 percent of total calories come from added sugar daily, so choose wisely where you would like the small amounts in your diet.

Although full-fat dairy can fit into a healthy eating pattern, too much of it can backfire on the body. Full-fat ice cream is brimming with artery clogging saturated fat, which is associated with inflammation.

Pig fat may be back in style, but it’s also loaded with saturated fat and can lead to inflammation-related disease like heart disease. If you’re jonesing for lard, enjoy it on special occasions but steer clear of consuming it regularly.

Drinking one too many, regularly, has been shown to cause inflammation of the liver. The 2015 USDA Dietary Guidelines recommends a maximum of one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. One drink is defined as 12 fluid ounces of beer, five fluid ounces of wine or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof liquor like rum or vodka. If you’re kicking back with three or four drinks several times a week, it’s probably a good idea to scale back.

Whether it’s potato, nut or legume-based chips, these babies are sprinkled with salt to make them taste delicious. Too much sodium can lead to swelling of your hands or feet, or just make your body bloated. Plus, most chips are often fried which can also help trigger inflammation.

Contributing both saturated fat and added sugar, regularly chomping down on doughnuts can contribute to inflammation. If you find yourself eating more than a few a week, then it’s time to find a better-for-you food to replace it such as a whole grain cereal and milk or oatmeal for breakfast, or fruit and yogurt as a snack.

Most energy drinks come with loads of added sugars, which have been shown to contribute to inflammation in the body. Guzzling cans of sugary energy drinks may help keep you awake, but the added sugars can be increasing the inflammation within your body.