People considering the keto diet should know that it cuts out a lot of inflammatory foods, which are refined grains and sugar. The ketogenic diet, a high-fat, low-carb diet, replaces carbohydrates with many anti-inflammatory foods. The type of anti-inflammatory foods added to a keto diet are ginger, walnuts, turmeric, leafy greens, and more. The Body Reboot book goes into more detail about the diet and how making this positive lifestyle change will not only help fight inflammation but may also combat diseases such as cardiovascular disease. If you or family members are struggling with inflammation, consider going on the keto diet and incorporating these foods.

Harvard Health Publishing discusses why combatting inflammation is so significant. It turns out eating foods that reduce inflammation can help with obesity and lead to healthier eating habits. Since many of the foods eaten on the ketogenic diet are anti-inflammatory, it makes sense why the diet has helped people combat diseases such as heart disease.

“Some of the foods that have been associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease are also associated with excess inflammation,” Dr. Hu says. “It's not surprising, since inflammation is an important underlying mechanism for the development of these diseases.”

Unhealthy foods also contribute to weight gain, which is itself a risk factor for inflammation. Yet in several studies, even after researchers took obesity into account, the link between foods and inflammation remained, which suggests weight gain isn't the sole driver. “Some of the food components or ingredients may have independent effects on inflammation over and above increased caloric intake,” Dr. Hu says.

If you’re just starting on the keto diet and are curious about what steps to start taking to eliminate sugar and unhealthy carbs from your diet, here are some quick tips from Medical News Today:

Anti-inflammatory diets may be a big adjustment for people who tend to eat different kinds of food.

There are several things a person can do to make the transition to an anti-inflammatory diet easier, including:

eating a variety of fruits and vegetables
reducing the amount of fast food eaten
eliminating soda and sugary beverages
planning shopping lists to ensure healthful meals and snacks are on hand
carrying small anti-inflammatory snacks while on the go
drinking more water
staying within the daily calorie requirements
adding supplements, such as omega-3 and turmeric, to the diet
exercising regularly
getting the proper amount of sleep

Tumeric

Perfect Keto discusses how turmeric is incredible for reducing inflammation, and many studies have shown that as well.

Turmeric shines through as the anti-inflammatory superstar. In the last two decades alone, there have been over 6000 scientific studies showing the benefits of turmeric curcumin — the compound in turmeric that has been found to significantly reduce inflammation.

Curry isn’t just delicious, it’s a functional food. Turns out, curcumin is 154% more effective when combined with black pepper, specifically the piperine compound in black pepper.

Not only that, but when curcumin and piperine join forces, inflammation goes down quicker and curcumin stays in your blood for longer, which provides more anti-inflammatory perks from the same amount of curcumin.

Make turmeric a daily non-negotiable in your life to maximize the health benefits. From curry to golden smoothies there are plenty of ways to enjoy this wonder root. When you can’t enjoy turmeric in food, you can still get the perks with a high-quality supplement blend of curcumic and peperine.

Berries

Shape magazine also weighs in and tells us why berries have tons of anti-inflammatory properties, may help fight cancer, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. You can eat berries in moderation on the keto diet, and it’s nice knowing that these tasty fruits can fight inflammation and provide your body with vitamins too.

“All berries, including raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are high in antioxidants called flavonoids,” explains Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., a New York City–based registered dietitian, bestselling author, and founder of The F-Factor Diet. “Flavonoids contribute to anti-inflammatory effects by reducing free-radical damage to cells.” The antioxidants in dark-colored berries like blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries have been shown to help fight cancer, slow cognitive decline, and also reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. There's really no reason not to try to up your berry intake. Zuckerbrot recommends aiming for 1 cup a day.

Broccoli

Broccoli is something you should be eating a lot of on the keto diet, and even better, broccoli has a lot of nutrients and anti-inflammatory properties! See what Dr. Axe has to say about broccoli and why it’s such a vital veggie to incorporate into your diet daily:

The poster vegetable for healthy eating, it’s no secret that broccoli is a valuable addition to any diet. For an anti-inflammatory diet, it’s invaluable. Broccoli is high in both potassium and magnesium, and its antioxidants are particularly potent anti-inflammatory substances in their own right.

Broccoli is an antioxidant powerhouse, with key vitamins, flavonoids and carotenoids, and thus a perfect anti-inflammatory food. These work together to lower oxidative stress in the body and help battle both chronic inflammation and the risk of developing cancer.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens also help fight inflammation and Perfect Keto mentions that’s because they’re rich in anti-inflammatory polyphenols. See why else leafy greens are great for you to eat (besides the obvious fact that green veggies are good for you)!

Is there anything kale can’t do?

Kale, spinach, chard, mustard greens, romaine lettuce and other leafy greens are extremely rich in anti-inflammatory polyphenols.

These vegetables are also rich in antioxidants that repair and fend off the damage of free radicals, such as beta carotene, and vitamins C, E and K.

Leafy greens also provide some magnesium, which helps prevent chronic inflammation.

The amount of nutrients is going to vary from green to green, so the key is to get variety.

Shape couldn’t agree more with Perfect Keto that leafy greens are excellent for fighting inflammation and also are packed full of vital nutrients!

Leafy green veggies like kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, arugula, and spinach are rich in antioxidants that restore cellular health, as well as anti-inflammatory flavonoids, says certified doctor of natural medicine and clinical nutritionist Josh Axe, D.N.M., D.C., C.N.S. They also provided a concentrated dose of important vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium. Swiss chard, in particular, is packed with antioxidants that can help protect your brain against oxidative stress caused by free-radical damage. As a general rule, the darker the shade, the more nutritious they are, so pile on all the greens!

Nuts

WebMD reminds us why nuts are so good for us and on keto make a healthy and yummy snack. Just stick with the nuts that have the lowest amount of carbs such as peanuts and almonds so that the calories and carbs don’t get out of hand.

They have a healthy kind of fat that helps stop inflammation. (Olive oil and avocados are also good sources.) Stick to just a handful of nuts a day; otherwise, the fat and calories will add up.

Fish

WebMD also talks about fish and how this healthy keto-friendly food can provide omega-3 fatty acids and also counteract inflammation!

Put it on your plate at least twice a week. Salmon, tuna, and sardines all have plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation.

The bulletproof blog further explains why wild salmon can combat inflammation and also help with the chronic pain you may be experiencing! It sure sounds like this is something worth regularly incorporating in your diet.

Wild salmon is one of the best dietary sources of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. You want a lot of them, especially if you’re dealing with inflammation or chronic pain. Your body uses omega-3s and omega-6s to make your cell membranes, and it will take whichever one you give it. Omega-6s are inflammatory, while omega-3s are not — so one of the best ways to decrease systemic inflammation is to shift your dietary omega-6:omega-3 ratio in favor of omega-3s.

The average Western diet has an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of about 20:1. You want closer to 2:1, or even 1:1.

The best way to reach an optimal anti-inflammatory ratio? Cut out omega-6 oils (more on that in a second) and eat plenty of omega-3 rich fish. Wild salmon is absolutely packed with omega-3s.

Don’t eat farmed salmon; it has inferior nutritional value and the fish absorb contaminants from subpar feed and low-quality farm water.

At the time of writing this post, we're currently giving away free copies of the Body Reboot book because it's our mission to increase awareness and to help people lose weight and get healthy! If you help us cover the cost of shipping, we’ll send a copy to your door FREE. Go over to this page to see if there are any copies left. At the time of writing this post, we're currently giving away free copies of the Body Reboot book because it's our mission to increase awareness and to help people lose weight and get healthy! If you help us cover the cost of shipping, we’ll send a copy to your door FREE. Go over to this page to see if there are any copies left.

Sources: Perfect Keto, Harvard Health, WebMD, Shape, Dr. Axe, Bulletproof