Key takeaways
- Certain foods can fuel chronic inflammation, a condition linked to a range of health problems; diet plays a key role in either exacerbating or easing it.
- Culprits include gluten, low-quality dairy, processed/red meats, refined sugars and fried foods, all of which can disrupt gut health, blood sugar balance, or hormone regulation.
- Quality and moderation matter. Choosing ancient grains, grass-fed or fermented dairy, lean proteins, whole foods and healthy oils can help reduce inflammation.
While there are no “bad” foods, certain foods can definitely cause sensitivities or issues with digestion. And, some foods can even contribute to inflammation. “Chronic, systemic inflammation is a serious health concern that can be made worse—or better—with diet,” states Johns Hopkins Medicine.
But which foods are the most inflammatory? Yohan Mannone, a France-based naturopath specializing in micronutrition, has some ideas. So many, in fact, that he recently wrote a book called My Anti-Inflammatory Diet in which he details the healthy lifestyle changes and anti-inflammatory foods he ate that enabled him to overcome a chronic illness.
In the book, he also discloses a list of inflammatory foods he recommends avoiding, two of which recur systematically: “There are as many good ways of eating as there are human beings, so it’s impossible for me to prescribe a single plate valid for everyone,” he says. “On the other hand, we now know that certain types of food are inflammatory, especially if they are not of high quality. It is therefore preferable to avoid them.” Below, a few excerpts from his book in which he explains more.
We spoke to Mannone and to Grace Shaw, hormone health coach and co-founder of Agora Health, to find out five key foods that cause inflammation—and why.
Two foods that increase inflammation
Gluten is a protein found in cereals like wheat, barley, rye, and spelt—and in foods made from them, such as bread, pasta, cookies, and pastries. It’s valued in baking for its elastic, sticky structure that makes dough rise and bread extra fluffy.
The problem, Mannone explains, is that the make-up of modern wheat differs from its ancestral form. Through intensive crossbreeding, it now contains 42 pairs of chromosomes instead of the original 14, making it higher-yielding but harder for humans to digest. Poorly broken down, gluten can disrupt the gut by feeding harmful bacteria, contributing to dysbiosis and triggering the release of zonulin, a protein that loosens intestinal tight junctions and can lead to “leaky gut.”
While people with Celiac Disease must avoid gluten entirely, according to Mannone, we could all focus on limiting it—particularly modern wheat. He recommends choosing more digestible sources, like breads made from einkorn (an ancient wheat) and natural sourdough, where fermentation partially breaks down gluten and makes it easier to digest.
Lactose is a carbohydrate that’s made up of glucose and galactose. It’s normally digested by the enzyme lactase, which breaks it down to feed healthy gut bacteria. But in adulthood, many people stop producing enough lactase. Without it, the body struggles to process lactose, which ferments in the gut and can cause symptoms of intolerance—digestive issues, inflammation, skin problems, migraines, joint pain, and more.
Lactose intolerance, however, doesn’t always mean cutting out dairy completely. Hard cheeses like Parmesan, Gouda, or gruyère contain very little lactose, and lactose-free dairy products are often easier to tolerate.
Beyond lactose, dairy also contains casein, its main protein. Some forms of casein (notably A1 beta-casein from hybridised cow breeds) can trigger inflammation, immune reactions, and gut permeability, whereas A2 casein—from goats, sheep, or heritage cow breeds—is considered less harmful.
Equally important is how the milk is produced. Traditional grass-fed cows provided omega-3-rich milk, but today’s intensive farming relies on grain- and soy-based feed that’s high in inflammatory omega-6s. Industrial practices also bring pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, and other residues into the milk supply, all of which may impact human health. Processing methods like pasteurization and UHT further degrade nutrients, and alter proteins in ways that can stress the gut.
When choosing dairy, Mannone recommends:
- Opting for organic products from grass-fed goats, sheep, or Jersey cows to reduce exposure to pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones.
- Choosing fermented dairy (yogurt or cheese) to benefit from beneficial bacteria.
- Using raw butter or ghee, which are free from both lactose and casein.
Whether salami, bacon, steak, or sausages, processed and red meats are linked to inflammation because they tend to be high in saturated fats, additives, and advanced glycation end-products (or AGEs) that form when cooking at high temperatures. “These compounds can activate inflammatory pathways in the body,” explains Shaw. Processed meats in particular are preserved with either nitrates and/or nitrites, which can then form nitrosamines. These are linked to oxidative stress and inflammation.
You don’t have to forgo red meat entirely. Shaw recommends considering the source of the meat and opting for quality over quantity. “Occasional intake of lean red meat can provide iron and B vitamins, which are needed in a balanced diet,” she says. “Moderation is key.”
If you do want to cut down on processed and red meat, consider swapping for chicken, fish, and plant-based proteins, such as tofu and legumes.
“Refined sugars cause rapid spikes in blood glucose, followed by inevitable crashes, which over time can contribute to insulin resistance,” says Shaw. “This constant blood sugar rollercoaster promotes low-grade chronic inflammation in the body, placing extra stress on the endocrine system and disrupting hormone balance.” Diets high in refined sugars also feed harmful gut bacteria and reduce microbial diversity, an imbalance which can weaken the gut barrier and increase the passing of toxins into the bloodstream – this can also drive inflammation.
Refined sugars feature in processed foods, like fizzy drinks, sweets, pastries, white supermarket bread, and packaged snacks, all of which are nutrient-poor overall. “Natural sugars found in fruit, on the other hand, come with fiber and nutrients that help slow absorption—so not all sugar is made equal,” explains Shaw. Sugar comes under a number of different names on ingredient lists, including high-fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, coconut sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, fruit juice concentrate, and any ingredient ending with “-ose”, so keep an eye out when you are food shopping.
Fried foods are “often cooked in refined oils that, when heated to high temperatures, produce harmful compounds like trans fats and oxidised oils,” explains Shaw. “These don’t just increase inflammation; they also elevate oxidative stress. Regular consumption can also interfere with how the body processes and utilizes key hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, the two key female hormones, meaning that it may contribute to menstrual irregularities, fertility challenges, and conditions like endometriosis and PCOS.”
Regular intake is also linked to weight gain, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, not to mention the fact that it disrupts the gut microbiome, which can further contribute to low-grade chronic inflammation.
Occasional frying at home using a high-quality oil (like olive or avocado) is better than regularly relying on deep-fried takeaways, says Shaw, who points out again that balance is important.
Ingredient lists that feature the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated oils” are red flags for inflammatory foods, and should be replaced with whole, homemade, and unprocessed foods. “If in doubt, follow the Mediterranean diet,” says Shaw.
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