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Introduction
Inflammation has become a nutrition buzzword, often used in extreme or misleading ways. This episode aims to clarify what inflammation is, how it relates to diet and health, and whether specific foods truly provoke inflammatory responses in the body.
The episode provides a nuanced, evidence-based look at inflammation and diet. It explains the difference between acute and chronic inflammation, outlines the role of chronic low-grade inflammation in disease, and emphasizes that overall dietary patterns – rather than any single food – are what influence our inflammatory status.
Commonly demonized foods (such as sugar, wheat, and dairy) are scrutinized, and the conversation debunks myths about them being uniformly “inflammatory.”
In this episode, Danny takes a look at what the scientific evidence actually shows about anti-inflammatory diets.
Related resources
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- Enroll in the next cohort of our Applied Nutrition Literacy course
- [01:06]Understanding Inflammation: Basics and Biomarkers
- [04:02]Acute vs. Chronic Inflammation
- [14:21]Biomarkers of Inflammation
- [22:51]Dietary Patterns and Inflammation
- [34:53]Specific Foods and Nutrients Impacting Inflammation
- [47:01]Practical Takeaways for an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
- [51:30]Conclusion
The Hosts
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Dr. Alan Flanagan has a PhD in nutrition from the University of Surrey, where his doctoral research focused on circadian rhythms, feeding, and chrononutrition.
This work was based on human intervention trials. He also has a Masters in Nutritional Medicine from the same institution.
Dr. Flanagan is a regular co-host of Sigma Nutrition Radio. He also produces written content for Sigma Nutrition, as part of his role as Research Communication Officer.
Danny Lennon has a master’s degree (MSc.) in Nutritional Sciences from University College Cork, and he is the founder of Sigma Nutrition.
Danny is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Sports Nutrition Association, the global regulatory body responsible for the standardisation of best practice in the sports nutrition profession.
Introduction to this Episode
Inflammation has become a nutrition buzzword, often used in extreme or misleading ways. This episode aims to clarify what inflammation is, how it relates to diet and health, and whether specific foods truly provoke inflammatory responses in the body.
The episode provides a nuanced, evidence-based look at inflammation and diet. It explains the difference between acute and chronic inflammation, outlines the role of chronic low-grade inflammation in disease, and emphasizes that overall dietary patterns – rather than any single food – are what influence our inflammatory status.
Commonly demonized foods (such as sugar, wheat, and dairy) are scrutinized, and the conversation debunks myths about them being uniformly “inflammatory.” In this episode, Danny takes a look at what the scientific evidence actually shows about anti-inflammatory diets.
Useful Terminology for this Episode
- Acute Inflammation: An immediate, short-term immune response to injury or infection, typically localized and marked by redness, heat, swelling, and pain.
- Chronic Inflammation: A persistent, low-grade inflammatory state that is systemic (body-wide) rather than localized.
- Cytokines: Small signaling proteins released by cells of the immune system that regulate inflammation and immunity. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin-6 (IL-6) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)) promote inflammatory responses, whereas other cytokines help resolve or limit inflammation.
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP): A protein made by the liver that rises in the blood during systemic inflammation. CRP is a common inflammatory biomarker measured in blood tests – higher CRP levels indicate the presence of inflammation.
- Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII): A research-based scoring system that quantifies the overall inflammatory potential of a diet. It compiles the effects of about 45 foods and nutrients on inflammation into a single score. A higher DII score (positive value) indicates a diet more likely to contribute to inflammation, whereas a low or negative DII score indicates a more anti-inflammatory diet pattern.Researchers use the DII to study diet–inflammation relationships across different populations.