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Anti-inflammatory

The anti-inflammatory diet emphasizes foods that reduce chronic inflammation — a driver of many modern diseases including heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and cognitive decline.

It overlaps heavily with Mediterranean but with explicit focus on inflammation markers rather than cardiovascular outcomes.

Macro split

Carbs

40–50%

Protein

20–25%

Fat

30–40%

Heavy on omega-3, low on omega-6

Foods to eat
  • Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)
  • Leafy greens
  • Berries
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Olive oil
  • Turmeric, ginger
  • Green tea
  • Dark chocolate (small)
Foods to avoid
  • × Refined sugars
  • × Refined carbs (white bread, pasta)
  • × Processed meats
  • × Fried foods
  • × Industrial seed oils (corn, soybean, cottonseed)
  • × Trans fats

CalPilot

Track Anti-inflammatory in CalPilot

CalPilot logs your food in 3 seconds and auto-checks compatibility with your set diet. No manual lookup. No second-guessing.

What it is

Whole-foods diet emphasizing omega-3 fish, leafy greens, berries, olive oil, nuts, and herbs/spices with anti-inflammatory compounds. Limits processed foods, refined sugars, and certain seed oils.

Pros

  • Compatible with most other diet patterns
  • Backed by research on inflammation markers
  • Easy to layer onto Mediterranean or DASH

Cons

  • ! Inflammation markers (CRP, IL-6) not commonly tested
  • ! Some claims (specific spices, etc.) outpace research
  • ! Hard to measure direct outcomes day-to-day

Best for

People with autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, or family history of inflammation-driven disease. Also general longevity-focused eating.

Research

Mixed but generally positive. Reduced CRP and IL-6 in adherent patients across multiple studies.

How CalPilot helps

Pro-inflammatory foods (refined sugars, seed oils) flagged. Anti-inflammatory foods highlighted in daily summary. Omega-6 to omega-3 ratio tracked.

FAQ

How long until I feel anti-inflammatory effects?
2-6 weeks for most subjective measures (joint stiffness, energy). Lab markers show changes in 4-12 weeks.