by Erin D Marion - Published 6 months ago

RD's Top 4 Anti-Inflammatory Meal Hacks

It's not just about what you eat, but also *how* you eat when it comes to balancing inflammation. As a functional dietitian, I know how easy it is to get caught up in finding the "perfect" anti-inflammatory ingredients.

However, when adopting an anti-inflammatory diet, it's more important to focus on the big picture instead of getting bogged down in individual foods.

Here are some basic principles of an anti-inflammatory diet and how to make them work for you:

Create a meal plan for stable blood sugar

I believe imbalanced blood sugar is a major contributor to inflammation. This means that an anti-inflammatory diet is mainly about keeping blood sugar balanced at every meal.

Adding more anti-inflammatory foods is beneficial, but it won't make a big difference if your meal causes a spike in blood sugar and leads to inflammation and stress.

What to do:

Balance your plate when building meals. A balanced plate contains protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. When combined, these macronutrients work together to reduce elevated blood sugar responses to meals. While everyone's nutritional needs are different, here's a general guideline for structuring your plate:

Aim for ½ of the plate to be nonstarchy veggies such as zucchini, bell peppers, leafy greens, fennel, etc.
Aim for ¼ of the plate to be protein such as fish, seafood, beef, eggs, chicken, turkey, tofu, etc.
Aim for ¼ of the plate to be carbohydrates such as starchy veggies like beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes; or grains like rice and quinoa; or starchy legumes like chickpeas or lentils.
Aim for a serving of healthy fats from olive oil, nuts & seeds, avocado, etc. Your healthy fat can be part of your protein source too.

Avoid long gaps between meals

Skipping meals or delaying breakfast can lower blood sugar. Without food, the stress hormone cortisol is released, which mobilizes stored energy from the liver, raising blood sugar. This can lead to a cycle of stress and inflammation.

Following a regular eating schedule is beneficial for overall health and inflammation. The body prefers consistent meal times, so try to eat within an hour of your usual schedule.

What to do:

Here's an example of how to structure your day to maintain circadian rhythm, manage stress, and control inflammation:

Eat breakfast within 1-2 hours of waking.
Have lunch 3-4 hours after breakfast.
Eat a protein-forward snack midway between lunch and dinner.
Have dinner at least 2-3 hours before bed.

Eat a wide range of foods

A varied diet nourishes the gut microbiome. The more diverse the foods, the more diverse and nourished the microbial environment. This, in turn, produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that help reduce inflammation in the body and brain.

What to do:

Eat a variety of fiber-rich foods daily to support your microbiome!

Begin your diet with starchy plant carbohydrates like carrots, beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, potatoes, squash, rutabaga, chickpeas, and lentils. These foods are a preferred source for the microbiome, contributing to the production of anti-inflammatory byproducts.

These starchy plants are rich in fiber, helping to regulate blood sugar levels. Their slow-digesting carbohydrates aid in reducing the stress hormone cortisol, which can cause inflammation when present in excessive amounts.

Aim to consume five different plants daily and 30 distinct plant varieties each week. Remember, plants include fruits, vegetables, legumes such as chickpeas and lentils, nuts, and seeds.

Get creative with recipes, rotate different berries or leafy greens into your smoothies weekly, try one new food each week from the grocery store, enjoy fruit as part of your daily snack, and have fun with food!

Add flavor to your dishes

Spices and herbs (fresh or dried) are among the most potent anti-inflammatory foods. Herbal teas are also powerful anti-inflammatory sources that often go underappreciated.

What to do:

Think of ways to incorporate more spice into your daily meals and drinks. Consider adding cinnamon to your coffee, cardamom to your smoothie, or fresh herbs to enhance your soup or stew.

All types of spices and herbs contain potent concentrations of anti-inflammatory compounds, making any type beneficial. However, some of my personal favorites include:

Cinnamon
Oregano
Rosemary
Parsley
Basil
Thyme
Turmeric

Teas offer numerous health benefits, here are some of my favorites:

Peppermint tea
Ginger tea
Chamomile tea
Nettle tea
Dandelion tea
Hibiscus tea

Key points to remember

Boosting your health at each meal is possible by following these four anti-inflammatory food principles. The best part is that you don't need to go out and buy new superfoods; you can use what you already have to manage inflammation.