6 Best Drinks To Reduce Inflammation, Says Science — Eat This Not That
Need a refresher on chronic low-grade inflammation? We figured because it’s a silent problem with few easy-to-recognize symptoms, just like high blood pressure. Think weight gain, fatigue, joint pain, skin problems, and digestive issues, for starters. Any number of problems can cause these symptoms and one of them could be chronic low-grade inflammation, that is, when your body’s immune system pumps out inflammatory substances as a way of dealing with injury and disease. It’s the bad side of a good thing.
A short-term inflammatory immune response helps us fend off an attack. It’s not good when the inflammation lasts long term and is triggered by poor lifestyle choices. Over time, chronic inflammation harms our cells. You can find out more about how inflammation affects your health by clicking here.
Since chronic low-grade inflammation is so closely tied to the stuff we bring into our bodies like tobacco smoke, chemicals, red meat, alcohol, sugary and fried and highly processed foods, changing lifestyle habits is an effective way to cool our inflammation. And one of the easiest ways to start is by choosing beverages that science has shown will reduce inflammation. Here are the best, and for more on how to eat healthy, don’t miss Eating Habits to Lose Abdominal Fat As You Age, Say Dietitians.
One of the most researched and most powerful anti-inflammatories is bromelain, an enzyme found in abundance in pineapple. A review of studies on bromelain in the journal Foods in 2021 explored its many possible therapeutic effects for the treatment of cancer, burns, cardiovascular disease due to its anti-coagulant properties, allergies, sinusitis, and arthritis. One reason bromelain is so effective is that it has a high bioavailability, meaning it is absorbed quickly by the body and remains potent for a significant amount of time.
Studies have shown that bromelain produces both analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and reduces knee pain and inflammation in patients with osteoarthritis. Pineapple juice taken after exercise may even relieve post-exercise inflammation by helping to repair and ease muscle soreness because it is also rich in potassium.
While all parts of the pineapple contain bromelain, most of this magical compound is found in the stem. Because the stem is a little on the tough side, you can blend or juice the core with the sweeter flesh to make a delicious anti-inflammatory elixir.
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Turmeric is a yellowish-orange spice containing a powerful anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases as well as relieve inflammatory pain from osteoarthritis. In one 2019 study of turmeric’s effectiveness, 139 patients with knee osteoarthritis were split into two groups. One group took a turmeric capsule three times a day while the other group took a 50-milligram tablet of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac twice a day. After 14 and 28 days, all the patients were scored for pain severity. The researchers found that the natural spice was just as effective as the popular NSAID at reducing knee pain and inflammation and resulted in fewer adverse side effects. Other studies show that turmeric is effective at reducing the inflammation that causes colitis.
Turmeric powder is easy to mix into smoothies and it also makes a pleasing tea. But since curcumin is absorbed better by the body when taken with some fat, adding milk or avocado to your turmeric smoothie is a smart option.
Or try warm turmeric milk made with almond milk and coconut oil (for the fat). Whisk the following ingredients into a saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes: 2 cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 Tbsp. honey (optional), 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, a pinch of black pepper, and freshly grated ginger. Makes 2 servings.
Green tea is one of the healthiest beverages you can drink. “Green tea is packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, as well as the antioxidant EGCG, which research shows can enhance fat burning and increase metabolism,” say Eatthis.com medical board members Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CDN, CFT and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT, the Nutrition Twins.
Among the best variations of green tea is matcha, which contains a higher concentration of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is also one of the most potent anti-inflammatory polyphenols. A number of studies have suggested that drinking matcha green tea may reduce symptoms of various inflammatory disorders.
In one 2022 report in the journal Food Science and Human Wellness, researchers say green tea polyphenols…
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