Grated Beet & Carrot Salad with Radish-Miso Dressing

Inflammation is regulated through specific biological pathways, many of which are directly influenced by the nutrients and phytochemicals we consume. Polyphenols influence the molecular switches that turn inflammatory genes up or down. Omega-3 fats influence cell membrane composition and the body’s production of compounds that help resolve inflammation. Fermentable fibers shape microbial metabolites that support immune balance. Antioxidants and flavonoids help buffer oxidative stress at the cellular level. Human intervention studies consistently show that when these compounds are consumed regularly, measurable changes occur—including reductions in circulating endotoxin (LPS), improvements in gut barrier integrity, lower oxidative stress, and shifts in inflammatory gene expression. Below are 14 of the most well-studied anti-inflammatory foods, each supported by human clinical research, that you can begin layering into meals regularly.

An anti-inflammatory diet isn’t about chasing superfoods or eliminating everything at once. It’s about shifting daily patterns so your body receives fewer inflammatory signals and more of what supports repair, balance, and resilience. Inflammation responds to repeated inputs—blood sugar swings, oxidative stress, immune activation, gut barrier disruption, and damaged fats—not isolated meals. Food choices work because they change the signaling environment cells live in every day. Research across metabolic, cardiovascular, neurological, and immune systems consistently shows that inflammation is shaped by what we do repeatedly over time. It’s long-term eating patterns, not quick dietary changes, that determine how inflamed or calm the body’s internal environment tends to be.

Inflammation is one of the body’s most important protective responses, and one of the most misunderstood. Inflammation is not a symptom or a diagnosis, it is a biological signaling process the immune system uses to protect you, repair damage, and restore balance. When inflammation turns on briefly and then resolves, it supports healing. When the signal stays active, or the body can’t complete the resolution phase, this same protective response becomes chronic and quietly damaging. Inflammation is an energy-expensive, chemically coordinated defense response. The immune system turns it on when cells detect danger, and it turns it off once repair is complete. Problems arise when the danger signal is persistent, or the resolution phase fails. That’s when inflammation shifts from helpful to harmful.

Chronic inflammation sits quietly beneath many modern health challenges. And food is one of the most powerful influences on whether we continue to fuel that internal fire, or help calm it. Inflammation can build for several reasons. It can arise from regularly eating highly processed foods that increase oxidative stress, a state in which free radicals outpace the body’s antioxidant defenses. It can also be driven by chronically elevated blood sugar from excess sugar and refined carbohydrates, which keeps inflammatory hormones and immune messengers turned on. And very often, inflammation is sustained by hidden food sensitivities—when the immune system reacts to certain foods, even ones commonly considered healthy. This is where the Anti-Inflammatory Diet becomes so helpful.

A cortisol-balancing way of eating isn’t about special foods or strict rules. It begins by removing foods that drive inflammation or immune reactions, prioritizing anti-inflammatory nourishment, and balancing blood sugar throughout the day. From there, it’s about how meals are structured and spaced so the body doesn’t have to compensate with stress hormones. Cortisol responds best to predictable nourishment. When meals are skipped, overly restrictive, or overly sugary, the body fills the gap by releasing cortisol to maintain blood sugar and energy. When meals are balanced and consistent, cortisol can rise and fall naturally—supporting steadier energy, calmer moods, deeper sleep, and overall resilience.

If digestion feels unpredictable—bloating one day, discomfort the next, reactions to foods that should be fine—it’s easy to assume the problem is the food. However, digestion doesn’t begin in the stomach. It begins in the nervous system. Digestion is a parasympathetic process. When the body feels safe, relaxed, and supported, digestive secretions flow, motility is coordinated, and nutrients are absorbed efficiently. When the nervous system is under stress—whether from inflammation, blood sugar instability, poor sleep, or ongoing emotional or relational strain—digestion downshifts in favor of survival. You can’t digest well while running from a lion.