Hey there, viewers!
Whenever we hear the word ‘inflammation’, we immediately think something’s wrong.
But did you know inflammation is also a sign your body is healing?
It’s the natural way your body protects itself when injured or sick.
The problem is when inflammation lasts a long time.
Chronic inflammation can cause serious health issues like obesity, heart diseases, and diabetes.
In today’s video, we’ll be talking about foods that cause inflammation.
Why is sugar on the top of our list?
What makes high fructose corn syrup bad for you?
What about artificial trans fat and vegetable oil?
We’ll be discussing all of these AND more...
1.
Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup When it comes to the Western diet, table sugar,
also known as sucrose, and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are the two major types of sugar
we consume.
Table sugar has glucose and fructose in equal parts.
HFCS, on the other hand, has 55% fructose and the rest glucose.
We’ve all heard about the harmful effects of added sugar.
Contrary to the natural sugar existing in foods, added sugar is bad for your health.
This is because it can cause inflammation in your body.
This inflammation can lead to chronic and harmful diseases.
Results from one study showed a diet high in sucrose increased the risk of breast cancer.
This can eventually spread to the lungs as well.
The inflammatory properties of sugar were partly responsible for this development.
It’s the same in the case of fructose.
The small amounts of fructose you do get from vegetables and fruits won’t cause any issues.
But if you consume too much fructose, you might end up getting sick.
Research shows fructose can cause inflammation in your endothelial cells (endo-theil-lee-uhl).
These particular cells line up all around your blood vessels.
So when they’re inflamed, it can increase your risk of heart disease.
Do you eat a lot of sugary foods?
Are you keeping track of the amount of sugar you eat in a day?
Share your preferences with the Bestie community in the comments below....
2.
Artificial trans fats While not all fat is bad, artificial trans
fat is the unhealthiest fat you can eat.
Artificial trans fat is made by mixing hydrogen fats with unsaturated fats.
Unsaturated fats are generally liquid.
But once the hydrogen is added, they become a lot more solid.
When you look at the labels on the food you purchase, you may not have any listing of
trans fats.
Instead, you should look for ‘partially hydrogenated oils’.
For instance, most of the margarine you purchase will have trans fats.
In fact, most processed foods will have it, as they can extend shelf life.
Dairy and meat do have trans fats, but they’re naturally occurring and not artificially included.
As such, they do not cause any inflammation.
But artificial trans fats certainly cause inflammation in your body and increase your
risk of getting a chronic disease.
When you eat artificial trans fats, you will be reducing the amount of good cholesterol
in your body.
It also increases inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, or CRP.
Now what is CRP?
Well, C-reactive protein is a type found in blood plasma.
When inflammation rises in your body, circulating concentrations of CRP also rise.
According to one study, women who had the highest intake of artificial trans fats had
about 78% more CRP.
This indicates a higher level of inflammation among women who took a high amount of trans
fat.
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3.
Vegetable and seed oils Compared to the previous century, the amount
of vegetable oils used in the United States has risen by 130%.
Certain vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, may be responsible for increasing the chances
of inflammation.
This is because of all the omega-6 fatty acids in these oils.
It’s necessary to note that you do need some omega-6 fatty acids in your body.
But you will need to balance that out by eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
This way you can improve the ratio between omega-6 and omega-3, and make the most of
your anti-inflammatory properties.
In a study, a group of rats were given a diet in which the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
ratio was 20:1.
These rats showed a much higher level of inflammatory markers compared to the groups whose ratios
were 1:1 or 5:1.
Considering vegetable oils are a major component in most processed foods and are also used
as cooking oil, it’s important to balance this out with foods rich in omega-3 fatty
acids.
This ensures you do not increase the chances of inflammation.
Before we move ahead, here’s another video you might like.
Sure, there are foods that cause inflammation.
These foods destroy your health in the long run.
But what about foods that have the potential to kill you instantly?
Watch and learn more about foods people eat that can kill you.
Now back to our list of foods that cause inflammation...
4.
Refined carbohydrates Although carbohydrates are known to be bad
for you, there are some that are good for you.
Human beings have always had a diet rich in fiber and unprocessed carbs.
It’s always been in the fruits and roots they eat.
But the problem comes with refined carbs.
They’re the main culprit when it comes to inflammation.
When carbs are refined, most of the fiber in them is removed.
This is a problem, as fiber can help satisfy you after a meal, and create healthy bacteria
in your gut.
Additionally, refined carbs come with a higher glycemic index (GI).
This is compared with carbs that are not processed.
This is important because foods with high GI will raise your blood sugar levels.
Research showed that older adults who ate he highest amount of GI foods were nearly
3 times more likely to die of an inflammatory disease.
In another controlled study, it was seen that young and healthy men who consumed 50 grams
of refined carbs, in the form of white bread, had a higher level of blood sugar.
It also increased the levels of a particular inflammatory marker.
You will get refined carbs in foods such as bread, pasta, cookies and cakes.
These refined carbs can also be found in sugary soft drinks, candy and processed foods that
have added sugar.
5.
Excessive alcohol Alcohol is something else that can harm you.
Of course, when you drink in moderation, alcohol can provide some health benefits.
But it’s only valid if you can keep your consumption levels under control.
According to a study, people who drank alcohol had a higher level of CRP.
It was seen that the more alcohol you drank, the higher your CRP level was.
There are other issues when it comes to high amounts of alcohol intake.
When you drink too much, you develop bacterial toxins.
This will not stay in your colon, and instead moves into your body, causing health related
issues.
This condition is usually known as leaky gut.
When this happens, you will increase the risk of inflammation to most of your organs.
Eventually, this can turn into organ damage.
If you want to avoid these issues, you should reduce your alcohol intake to a maximum of
two drinks in a day.
This applies to both men and women.
6.
Processed meat You should avoid processed meat whenever you
can.
When you eat processed meat, you increase the chances of heart disease and diabetes.
You might even have to deal with certain types of cancer down the road.
So what falls under the category of processed meat?
Well, processed meats include foods such as sausages, beef jerky, bacon, smoked meat and
ham.
The reason they’re harmful is because they have a higher amount of advanced glycation
end products, or AGEs, compared to other meats.
These AGEs are usually formed when you cook meat at a high temperature.
AGEs are a reason for inflammation in your body.
Of all the diseases you might suffer from due to processed meat, one of the most common
is colon cancer.
Sure, there are many reasons why a person develops colon cancer.
But when you eat processed meat, it causes your colon cells to become inflamed, resulting
in disease later on in the future.
Knowing about inflammation-causing foods helps you stay healthy in the long run.
You better start cutting down.
Would you like to know about foods you need to eat to stay healthy?
Or foods that naturally cleanse your body from the inside?
Let’s keep things going with a couple more videos, shall we?
Watch 20 Nutritious Foods You Should Be Eating Every Day.
You can also try our video on 10 Great Foods That Naturally Cleanse Your Body.
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about health and nutrition.
Did you know about these inflammation-causing foods before watching this video?
Will you be cutting down on these foods?
Let us know in the comments below!