Beetroot in the morning, turmeric at midday, celery juice in the evening… When it comes to fighting inflammation, nutritional recommendations multiply, often without hierarchy or solid evidence.
Yet in the context of elevated CRP, chronic pain or metabolic syndrome, the question is a clinical one: which foods really influence low-grade inflammation? And above all, how to integrate them intelligently into your patients' daily lives?
In this article, find all of Simplycure's advice for structuring your recommendations around anti-inflammatory foods, rigorously and effectively. Clinical evidence, validated dietary patterns, nutrients to prioritise and supplements to consider… We tell you everything!
Understanding inflammation to better target the plate
You already know the difference between acute and chronic inflammation. But in a dietary context, a quick targeted reminder changes everything: it is low-grade inflammation, silent, persistent, systemic, that we are looking to modulate here.
This underlying terrain is at the heart of accelerated ageing, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular and joint disease, and so on. It is fuelled by immune imbalance, excess weight and certain digestive disorders.
This is why certain foods or nutrients are relevant (and others are not) for reducing inflammation. And why simple markers such as CRP (<6 mg/L) remain useful for objectively measuring the effects of dietary changes.
Which foods are anti-inflammatory? What the science says
With that framework in place, we can now turn to what really matters to you: which anti-inflammatory foods should you recommend? What evidence should this be based on? And in which cases should you prioritise them?
A reference tool: the dietary inflammatory index (DII)
The literature increasingly uses the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)1, a score calculated from the intake of 45 nutrients and foods. It ranks diets according to their pro- or anti-inflammatory potential, based on biological markers such as CRP, IL-6 or TNF-α.
What the research shows:
Diets with a low DII score (anti-inflammatory) are associated with lower CRP, reduced cardiovascular risk, and better microbiota diversity2.
Diets with a high DII score are associated with more type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Pro-inflammatory foods to limit
According to this index, several food groups are clearly associated with inflammatory activation:
Ultra-processed products
Added sugars
Sugary drinks
Excess red meat or processed meat
Oils rich in omega-6 (e.g. sunflower, corn)
Excess alcohol
The goal is not necessarily to exclude them, but to reduce how often they are eaten in order to rebalance the underlying terrain.
Anti-inflammatory foods to favour
5 main food groups are identified, validated by the literature and applicable in daily practice:
Food groupConcrete examplesKey molecules / nutrientsAnti-inflammatory effectsFruit & vegetables (varied)Broccoli, blueberries, pomegranate, beetroot, spinachPolyphenols, fibre, antioxidantsReduced oxidative stress, immune modulationWholegrains & legumesOats, brown rice, lentils, chickpeasFermentable fibre, magnesiumSupports the microbiota, reduced intestinal permeabilityOily fishSardine, mackerel, salmon, herringOmega-3 (EPA/DHA)Reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines, effect on prostaglandinsSpices & herbsTurmeric, ginger, raw garlic, rosemaryCurcumin, gingerol, allicinInhibition of inflammatory pathways, antioxidant effectNuts & seeds, vegetable oilsWalnuts, almonds, flaxseed, olive oil, rapeseedUnsaturated fatty acids, phenolic compoundsReduced inflammatory markers, modulation of the metabolic terrain
What the studies show
Certain dietary approaches clearly reduce markers of inflammation, in particular:
CRP
pro-inflammatory cytokines
intestinal permeability
microbiota diversity
This is notably the case for the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, or minimally processed plant-based dietary patterns3.
When diet is not enough: a focus on supplementation
Some patients follow your recommendations to the letter, and yet CRP does not move. Or joint inflammation persists, digestive problems set in… In these cases, targeted supplementation can make a difference, provided it is well chosen.
Here is what the literature says, and what Nutri&Co recommends, in relation to the most studied actives.
ActivePreferred formClinical indicationsDosage / durationOmega-3 (EPA/DHA)Purified fish oil, EPA/DHA ratio 2:1Systemic inflammation, joint pain, CV≥ 1 g/day of EPA+DHA for ≥ 3 monthsVectorised curcuminMicelles, phytosomes, phospholipid complexesOsteoarthritis, chronic pain, metabolic inflammation200 to 500 mg/day of bioavailable curcuminoids, as a courseBoswellia serrataStandardised extract (≥65% boswellic acids)Osteoarthritis, persistent joint pain100 to 300 mg/day depending on the productMangosteenExtract rich in xanthonesJoint inflammation, antioxidant supportDepending on formulation (often combined with boswellia)Low-FODMAP soluble fibrePHGG, acacia gumSensitive digestive terrain, permeability, IBS, SIBO5 to 10 g/day, increased gradually
Mistakes to avoid in practice
Even with the right actives, certain mistakes limit clinical effectiveness. Here are the points to watch out for:
Supplementing too early without dietary adjustment
Supplements will have little or no effect if pro-inflammatory intake (ultra-processed foods, sugars, excess alcohol…) is not reduced first.
Choosing poorly bioavailable forms
Non-vectorised curcumin is very poorly absorbed. The same goes for oxidised or poor-quality omega-3.
Introducing fibre unsuited to an inflamed digestive terrain
Certain fibres high in FODMAPs worsen digestive symptoms. Favour gentle, soluble fibres, introduced gradually.
Clinical case: persistent inflammation despite a “healthy” lifestyle
Patient profile
Woman aged 52, active, vegetarian diet, generally balanced lifestyle. CRP persistently at 4.8 mg/L despite notable efforts.
Complaints: mild joint pain, fatigue, moderate digestive problems.
Terrain analysis
Diet low in processed products but unbalanced (lack of DHA, very few legumes, excess FODMAP fibre)
Supplementation with non-vectorised turmeric
No omega-3 or specific fibres for the microbiota
Recommended strategy
- Targeted dietary rebalancing:
- Gradual introduction of
- legumes
- and
- wholegrains
- Addition of
- oily fish
- or a supplement of
- omega-3
- at the right dose. Introduction of
- fresh spices
- and
- herbs
- every day
- Correcting the supplementation:
- Switching to
- vectorised curcumin.
- Introduction of
- low-FODMAP soluble fibre
- (PHGG)
Clinical follow-up: change in CRP at 8 weeks, digestive and joint follow-up
Conclusion: concrete levers for modulating inflammation through diet
As we have seen, tackling low-grade inflammation calls for a rigorous approach, tailored to each patient's underlying terrain.
The anti-inflammatory foods validated by the literature (just like certain well-chosen supplements) can strengthen your care, provided they are recommended clearly, in context and followed up over time.
On the Simplycure platform, you will find anti-inflammatory micronutrition solutions within a catalogue of 4,500+ products, ready-to-use protocols and a simplified patient space to support adherence.
Want to know more about Simplycure? Contact us!
