The 10 Best Anti-Inflammatory Recipes for Foods to Eat This Year

By Andrea Cohen
Published 10/22/2023
Updated 1/21/2025
Dietitian Reviewed: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT
In This Article
The 10 Best Anti-Inflammatory Recipes for Foods to Eat This Year

There are hundreds of healthy foods to support hundreds of diets, but medical research shows eating one type of food -- anti-inflammatory food --  may offer multiple levels of protection from many serious common diseases such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, arthritis and type 2 diabetes.

We’ve pulled together this simple list of the 10 best anti-inflammatory recipes for foods to eat this year.

Why should you start cooking these anti-inflammatory Heart Healthy recipes? 

It turns out that what you eat has a big effect on how much inflammation there is in your body. Inflammation isn’t always a bad thing. In short bursts it helps your immune system protect you from illness and jumpstarts the healing process when you’re injured. 

However, chronic inflammation can damage healthy cells, causing pain, fatigue and other unwanted symptoms. It may even contribute to your body developing a host of serious diseases like Alzheimer’s or heart disease.

 One of the best ways to fight chronic inflammation is to cook homemade anti-inflammatory recipes.

Another idea to lower inflammation is to eat fewer processed foods that contain added sugars, unhealthy fats and artificial ingredients. Adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet may help your body reduce the effects of chronic inflammation and protect you from many diseases.

Here are 10 foods to lower inflammation and anti-inflammatory recipe ideas you’ll want to try this year.

  1. 01

    Berries

    Anti-inflammatory foods such as blueberries in this Blueberry pie, or strawberries, raspberries, blackberries are packed with fiber, antioxidants and potent phytochemicals such as anthocyanins that help reduce inflammation.

  2. 02

    Fish

    Fatty fish like this Wasabi Pea Salmon salmon, or herring, or mackerel or anchovies are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Your body metabolizes omega-3s into compounds that fight inflammation and help lower cholesterol.

  3. 03

    Cruciferous Vegetables

     

    Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, arugula and kale are rich in sulforaphane, an antioxidant that helps decrease inflammation. They also contain soluble fiber, which helps digestion. Garlic Roasted Broccoli is an anti-inflammatory food.

     

     

  4. 04

    Avocado

    Along with potassium, magnesium and fiber, avocado is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and carotenoids, which may reduce inflammation.

  5. 05

    Tomatoes

    This bright and colorful fruit (yes, tomato is a fruit!) is not only high in vitamin C and potassium, but recipes like this Cherry Tomato Bruschetta  are loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant that helps fight inflammation.

  6. 06

    Walnuts

    This protein-rich nut contains monounsaturated fats, vitamin E and magnesium, helping to lower inflammation and heart disease risk. Almonds are also good at fighting inflammation. Add nuts to make and anti-inflammatory salad like this Spinach Salad

  7. 07

    Green Tea

    Green Tea is good for you because it’s full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties due to its high catechin content. This may reduce the risk of several health conditions, including heart disease, obesity and cancer. Use green tea bags to make a mint iced tea.

  8. 08

    Olive Oil

    Antioxidants and polyphenols in olive oil, such as oleocanthal, combat inflammation and help protect cells in your body. These anti-inflammatory properties may be why olive oil is a staple in most Mediterranean diet recipes. Olive oil is delicious to use in baking, like this Olive Oil Banana Cake.

  9. 09

    Oranges

    Add citrus fruit to heart healthy side dishes like this beet and blood orange salad. Citrus is a great source of vitamin C, which strengthens your immune system. Oranges also contain fiber, folate and flavonoids, making it a heart healthy ingredient to lower inflammation.

  10. 10

    Turmeric

    When it comes to spices that fight inflammation, turmeric ranks at the top of the list. That’s why you are seeing turmeric added to so many popular dishes, like this golden sesame-turmeric hummus. This spice has a warm, earthy flavor and contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound.

Do you want to see more anti-inflammation recipes? Try these:

Avocado Recipes

Salmon Recipes

Brussels Sprouts Recipes

Health eCooks Cookbook on Amazon
Ad

Latest Blog Articles