Eliminate all dairy. Avoid gluten. Do not ever touch sugar again.
Under the heading of "anti-inflammatory diets," TikTok videos offering these kinds of guidelines have been viewed by over 20 million people.
The claim is straightforward: You will lose weight, get rid of bloating, and improve your health if you avoid entire food groups.
Although the concept of eating to lower inflammation has scientific support, the social media version ignores subtleties and runs the risk of being unduly restrictive.
Let us see what is happening.
Inflammation: what is it?
Although inflammation is frequently seen as something that should be avoided at all costs, it is actually a natural and healthy process that aids in the body's ability to repair itself and protect itself against illnesses, injuries, and infections. We would not be able to heal from even minor wounds without it.
Immune cells, nutrients, and oxygen are delivered to the damaged area via inflammation, which is triggered by the immune system when the body detects damage or infection. This promotes healing.
Both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) inflammation are possible. Acute inflammation aids in the healing process and is beneficial. For instance, a sore throat expands in order to combat infection, or a scraped knee becomes red, swollen, and heated as the skin heals.
Conversely, persistent inflammation may be detrimental. It is frequently undetected and develops gradually at a low level, but it has been connected to a number of chronic illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Why does persistent inflammation occur?
Chronic inflammation has been associated with a number of factors, including age, smoking, obesity, sedentary behavior, hormonal changes, stress, and irregular sleep patterns.
Diet is also very important. Higher levels of inflammation have been closely associated with a normal Western diet that is low in fresh fruits and vegetables and rich in ultra-processed foods such packaged baked goods, soft drinks, fast food, processed meats, and confections.
Are diets that reduce inflammation beneficial?
Yes. Inflammation in the body can be influenced by our diet. Reduced inflammation is linked to diets heavy in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, and healthy fats and low in highly processed foods and added sugars.
The most studied example is the Mediterranean diet. In addition to having moderate amounts of fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy, it is abundant in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, and it has very little red or processed meat and added sugars.
Researchers examined the best available data in 2022 and discovered that those who ate a Mediterranean-style diet had lower blood levels of inflammatory markers, indicating that it may help lower chronic inflammation.
Additionally, a growing body of evidence indicates that diets heavy in processed foods and low in fiber may alter the gut's bacterial balance, perhaps contributing to chronic, low-level inflammation.
Where TikTok makes mistakes and right
Probiotic pills are suggested in many TikTok videos as a way to reduce inflammation, and new research is beginning to back this up. Probiotics may lower some inflammatory blood markers in both healthy individuals and those with medical conditions, according to a 2020 analysis of randomized controlled trials, which is the strongest type of evidence.
Although encouraging, scientists warn that additional study is need to identify the best strains and dosages.
False: "Avoid lists" (dairy, gluten) unless there is a medical justification
For the majority of people, TikTok's recommendation to limit dairy or gluten in order to reduce inflammation is not supported by solid scientific evidence.
Usually, only people with allergies or celiac disease have inflammation from dairy or gluten, in which case a doctor's order is required. Eliminating them without cause could result in needless nutrient deficiencies.
Systematic evaluations indicate that dairy products frequently have neutral or even beneficial effects on inflammation in the general population.
Additionally, probiotics, which are abundant in foods like yoghurt, kefir, and some cheeses, can help lower inflammation.
Many people avoid gluten to aid with fatigue or digestive problems because they think it will reduce chronic inflammation.
However, there is not much scientific data to support this. Consuming wholegrains has really been demonstrated to improve inflammation and have a good impact on health status.
The majority of processed, gluten-containing items, including cakes, pastries, white bread, fast food, and packaged snacks, are already avoided in a Mediterranean-style diet.
This eating pattern automatically limits your intake of gluten if you are sensitive to it, without requiring you to give up healthful wholegrains.
Who could gain?
In addition to standard care, an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern can be helpful for patients with specific medical disorders.
For diseases such polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, autoimmune disorders, and arthritis, where chronic inflammation exacerbates symptoms or advances the course of the disease, research points to possible advantages.
An authorized practicing dietitian should provide guidance on dietary methods in these situations to guarantee that adjustments are safe, well-balanced, and customized to each person's circumstances.
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