7 Summer Foods That Fight Inflammation
Ready to spruce up your diet this summer and fight inflammation at the same time?
You can add everything from phytonutrients to scrumptious taste with what the season has to offer, so take advantage of it starting today!
Although a normal process in the body for things such as breaking down food and creating energy, inflammation can be harmful when chronic stress, poor sleep, little movement, and/or an unsavory diet become the norm.
That’s why, after a year of possible over-sitting, over-eating, and over-stressing paired with less movement, less sleep, and less relaxing, summer 2021 can be just the time to cleanse our bodies of extra inflammation and get back to health.
Whether you are diving straight in to a full fledged anti-inflammatory diet or are just looking for ways to get more of these super nutrient foods into your daily meals, here are 7 summer foods that can aid your goals.
- Green Leafy Vegetables. Yes, we talk about these a lot and for good reason! Kale, spinach, lettuces, Swiss chard, collard greens, and dandelion greens all boast oodles of inflammatory fighting antioxidants. Think you can try for at least one serving a day? Add kale to a summer minestrone soup or make a spinach, mushroom, and goat cheese omelet.
- Berries. Summer is the season of berries, so stock up! Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, and huckleberries all contain a plethora of flavonoids that can decrease inflammation. Celebrate breakfast with a Greek Yogurt and Warm Berry Sauce Parfait or let kids make berry (and spinach!) blended popsicles!
- Beets. These red and golden beauties pack a punch of nitrates that fight inflammation. Make a beet salad with arugula and walnuts (and top with chicken or salmon) for a light lunch or blend up a detoxifying beet smoothie for an afternoon pick-me-up.
- Iced Tea. Refresh with a tall glass of iced tea this summer and reap the benefits of antioxidants! Green and black teas can be steeped in the sun so fill your container in the morning, put out on your porch to bask in the sun, and pour over ice at lunch or dinner. Add berries, lemons, or mint to spruce it up!
- Nuts. Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, and pistachios all contain omega-3 fatty acids which are powerhouses in reducing inflammation. Make your own mix of nuts with additions such as raisins, yogurt chips, or dried fruit to snack on or enjoy a dinner of pecan crusted chicken.
- Tomatoes. These juicy and colorful plants peak in summer and offer lycopene – a compound that can decrease inflammation. Picnic with a tomato, corn, and basil salad or sip on a summer gazpacho.
- Fatty Fish. Grilling is associated with summer and fish is an excellent protein source to fire up the grill for. A rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon and other cold water fish can be helpful to your summer goal of reducing inflammation. Make a simple grilled salmon entree or broil some arctic char with citrus for a lively meal.
Summer eating can be fun, delicious, AND good for you! There may be no better time of year to eat healthy than during these months of fresh produce, so take advantage of what the season has to offer!
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