C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and TNF-alpha are the primary markers of systemic inflammation measured in clinical research. Elevated CRP is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, depression, and all-cause mortality. The Dietary Inflammatory Index, developed to quantify the inflammatory potential of dietary patterns, consistently finds that plant-based whole food dietary patterns score in the anti-inflammatory range, while ultra-processed food-dominant Western dietary patterns score in the pro-inflammatory range.
Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms of Plant Foods
- Omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid from flaxseed, walnuts, and chia seeds is the plant precursor to EPA and DHA, which produce anti-inflammatory eicosanoids and resolvins
- Polyphenols: flavonoids, phenolic acids, and stilbenes from plant foods inhibit NF-kappaB, the master regulator of inflammatory gene expression
- Fibre: short-chain fatty acids from fibre fermentation, particularly butyrate, reduce intestinal permeability and systemic inflammatory burden from bacterial lipopolysaccharide translocation
- Phytochemicals that reduce COX-2: quercetin, kaempferol, and curcumin inhibit the same cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme targeted by ibuprofen and aspirin
- Replacement effect: every ultra-processed food replaced by a whole plant food simultaneously removes a pro-inflammatory food source and adds an anti-inflammatory one
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