Nutrition for inflammation
The anti-inflammatory diet
Less about restriction and more about what to eat more of. The aim is to lift your antioxidant levels and dietary fibre, minimise refined and processed foods, and shift toward a lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, the same pattern that underpins the Mediterranean way of eating.
The purpose of an anti-inflammatory diet
Promote foods that may help reduce inflammation.
Minimise foods that may encourage an inflammatory environment.
Support optimal digestive function for effective, efficient nutrient digestion and absorption.
Inflammation is an important part of the body’s natural immune response and can be helpful, protecting tissues, increasing blood flow, and supporting wound healing. When it persists longer than necessary, it may hinder the healing process instead.
How do I know this diet is right for me?
While the focus is to include more anti-inflammatory foods, it may also limit some foods such as red meat, dairy, and wheat, so care should be taken to support your transition and make sure all your dietary requirements are met. As with any major dietary change, it is important to consult your healthcare practitioner first. These adjustments often work well alongside medical interventions, supplementation, and lifestyle changes.
What to expect
No two people experience inflammation the same way. It can range from mild to severe and acute to chronic, with symptoms including pain, impaired function, poor sleep, stiffness, headaches, poor focus, or loss of energy.
Many anti-inflammatory diets are influenced by the Mediterranean diet: rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and healthy fats from fish, olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds. Well-established research shows people who eat this way have consistently lower levels of inflammation. To get the most benefit, your practitioner may suggest these changes as a long-term lifestyle rather than a short course.
Foods to avoid and enjoy
| Food group | Avoid Limit | Enjoy More of |
|---|---|---|
| Refined flour and grains | Refined flours and grains including white rice. Reduce or eliminate gluten if required. | Oats, rye, spelt, gluten-free pseudo-grains such as buckwheat or quinoa, and brown rice. |
| Sugar | Table sugar, lollies, soft drinks, anything with high-fructose corn syrup, and sauces containing sugar. Keep your glycaemic load low. | Occasional small serves (1 to 2 pieces, twice a week) of organic, raw, dairy-free dark chocolate. |
| Fats and oils | Trans and saturated fats from fried foods or deli meats, refined vegetable oils, and products that contain them such as mayonnaise and margarine. | More long-chain omega-3 PUFAs from chia seeds, flax seeds, and fatty fish, plus monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) from avocado and olive oil. |
| Dairy | Cow, goat, or sheep milks and yoghurts. | Eggs, coconut yoghurt, unsweetened nut milks. |
| Meat | Reduce red meat, choose lean cuts and trim visible fat including chicken skin, avoid charred or barbecued meat. | 2 serves fatty fish a week (wild salmon and trout, sardines, mackerel). Mostly plant-based proteins including legumes, nuts, and seeds. |
| Fruit and vegetables | Nightshade vegetables containing glycoalkaloids that may affect intestinal permeability: tomatoes, eggplants, white potatoes, capsicum, chilli. | Antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits high in phytochemicals and flavonoids: berries, dark leafy greens, cabbage, garlic, onion, carrot, pumpkin, zucchini, broccoli, sweet potato. Aim for 5 or more cups a day. |
| Fruits | Dried fruits. | Enzyme-rich choices such as papaya (papain), pineapple (bromelain), mango, and berries. |
| Herbs and spices | Chilli, cayenne, paprika. | Anti-inflammatory spices: ginger and turmeric. |
| Beverages | Coffee and alcohol. | Green tea, herbal teas such as ginger or peppermint, turmeric lattes. |
A sample anti-inflammatory day
Breakfast
Two-egg omelette with cashew cheese, shredded basil, baby spinach, and mushrooms.
Morning snack
A small palm full of mixed raw almonds, walnuts, pepitas, and sunflower seeds, with a piece of fresh fruit such as an apple or pear.
Lunch
2 home-made chickpea and broad bean patties with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, rocket, red onion, shredded purple cabbage, and sliced avocado, drizzled with unhulled tahini and olive oil dressing.
Afternoon snack
1/2 cup coconut yoghurt with sliced banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon, plus a turmeric latte.
Dinner
1 piece of salmon baked with fresh dill, lemon juice, and olive oil, served with 1/2 cup sweet potato mash (infused with garlic) and a side of steamed broccoli and green beans.
Drinks
2L filtered water sipped through the day, flavoured with lemon or lime slices, mint, or cucumber.
Adapted for Elemental Health and Nutrition from the Orthoplex and Bio Concepts anti-inflammatory diet resource.
Frequently asked questions
What is an anti-inflammatory diet?
An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on foods that help reduce inflammation, rich in antioxidants, fibre and omega-3 fats, while minimising processed foods and excess omega-6. It is closely modelled on the Mediterranean pattern, which is well researched for metabolic, cardiovascular and brain benefits. In practice it means plenty of colourful vegetables and fruit, oily fish, olive oil, legumes, nuts and seeds, and anti-inflammatory herbs like ginger and turmeric, with refined and processed foods kept low.
What foods reduce inflammation?
Helpful foods include antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruit such as berries, dark leafy greens, broccoli, garlic, onion and pumpkin, with a target of around 5 or more cups a day, oily fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel a couple of times a week for omega-3, plant proteins such as legumes, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and anti-inflammatory spices like ginger and turmeric. Enzyme-rich fruits such as papaya and pineapple are also featured.
What foods should I avoid to lower inflammation?
Foods to minimise include refined flour and grains, sugar, trans and saturated fats, refined vegetable oils, and dairy aside from eggs, along with nightshades such as tomato, eggplant, white potato, capsicum and chilli for some people. It also helps to limit red meat, keep cuts lean, and avoid charred or barbecued meat. A key target is improving the balance toward omega-3 and away from excess omega-6 by adding oily fish, chia and flax.
Reviewed by Rohan Smith, BHSc Nutritional Medicine · Elemental Health & Nutrition, Adelaide. Last reviewed 13 June 2026.
Important: This summary is general information, not personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or a treatment protocol. Speak with a qualified practitioner about your individual situation. Book a consultation →