What foods should you avoid on an inflammatory diet?

October 25, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2019 review published in Nature Medicine, chronic inflammation is an underlying factor in many major diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Choosing an anti-inflammatory diet involves focusing on whole foods while understanding what foods should you avoid on an inflammatory diet to reduce the risk of long-term health issues.

Quick Summary

This guide details the specific foods and food groups that promote inflammation, including refined carbohydrates, processed meats, sugary drinks, and trans fats. It explains the dietary triggers that can exacerbate chronic inflammatory conditions and provides a clear list of items to limit or eliminate for better health outcomes.

Key Points

Refined Sugars: Limit or eliminate sugary drinks like soda and sweetened juices, as they cause rapid blood sugar spikes and release pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Refined Carbohydrates: Avoid foods made with white flour, such as white bread and pastries, which break down into sugar quickly and promote inflammation.
Trans Fats: Steer clear of processed vegetable oils and foods containing partially hydrogenated oils like margarine, shortening, and commercial baked goods.
Processed and Red Meats: Reduce consumption of processed meats like bacon and hot dogs, and moderate your intake of red meat, as they contain inflammatory compounds.
Alcohol: Minimize excessive alcohol consumption, which can trigger systemic inflammation in the body.
Individual Triggers: Pay attention to potential food sensitivities, such as dairy or gluten, which can cause inflammatory reactions in susceptible individuals.
Unbalanced Fats: Avoid an excessive intake of omega-6 rich vegetable oils, ensuring a balance with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats.

An inflammatory diet is characterized by an eating pattern that can contribute to chronic, low-grade inflammation throughout the body. Unlike acute inflammation, which is a necessary immune response to injury, chronic inflammation can lead to a host of health problems over time, from heart disease and diabetes to autoimmune disorders. By understanding and removing the most common pro-inflammatory foods, you can significantly improve your overall well-being.

Sugary Drinks and Refined Carbohydrates

Excessive sugar intake is a primary driver of inflammation. Sugary beverages like soda, sweetened juices, and energy drinks flood the body with simple sugars, causing a rapid spike in blood glucose levels. This triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which contribute to systemic inflammation.

Foods to avoid: Soda, fruit juices with added sugar, sports drinks, candy, pastries, cookies, and other desserts.

Refined carbohydrates, often made from white flour, have a similar effect. Foods like white bread, white pasta, and crackers are quickly broken down into sugar, prompting the same inflammatory response. The rapid blood sugar fluctuations that result can increase oxidative stress and fuel inflammatory pathways.

Foods to avoid: White bread, white rice, many breakfast cereals, and products made from white flour.

Unhealthy Fats: Trans and Excessive Omega-6

Trans fats are a major dietary contributor to inflammation. Although the FDA has banned artificial trans fats, they can still be found in some products. These fats increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol and can cause dysfunction in the cells lining your blood vessels. Foods containing partially hydrogenated oils are a key source.

Foods to avoid: Fried foods (e.g., french fries, donuts), margarine, shortening, and many commercial baked goods and snack foods.

While omega-6 fatty acids are essential, a modern diet often contains an imbalance of too many omega-6s and too few anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Many vegetable oils are high in omega-6s, and an excess amount can contribute to a pro-inflammatory state.

Foods to avoid: Corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and other processed vegetable oils.

Processed and Red Meats

Processed meats, such as bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats, are linked to higher levels of inflammatory markers. They contain saturated fats and advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can directly trigger inflammation.

Foods to avoid: Bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, and other processed meats.

Research on unprocessed red meat is more mixed, but many experts agree that excessive consumption is associated with increased inflammation. This effect is often magnified when red meat is paired with other pro-inflammatory foods.

Foods to avoid: Burgers, steaks, and other cuts of red meat, especially when consumed frequently or cooked at high heat.

The Role of Alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption can trigger systemic inflammation. It is a well-known toxin that, when consumed in large quantities, can cause chronic, low-grade inflammation throughout the body, affecting organs like the liver. Alcoholic beverages are also often high in added sugars, which compounds the inflammatory effect.

To avoid: Excessive intake of all types of alcoholic beverages.

Food Sensitivities and Dairy

For some individuals, specific food sensitivities or allergies can trigger an inflammatory response. The body's immune system can react to certain food proteins or components, leading to the release of inflammatory mediators. Common culprits include gluten and dairy.

For most people, dairy is not inflammatory and some fermented dairy products may even have anti-inflammatory benefits. However, those with lactose intolerance or a dairy protein allergy may experience inflammation-related symptoms.

Consider eliminating if sensitive: Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt) and gluten-containing foods (wheat, barley, rye).

Comparison of Pro-Inflammatory vs. Anti-Inflammatory Foods


Food Category	Pro-Inflammatory Examples	Anti-Inflammatory Replacements
Carbohydrates	White bread, pastries, sugary cereals, white pasta	Whole grains (oats, quinoa), legumes, vegetables, fruits
Fats	Trans fats (margarine, shortening), processed vegetable oils	Olive oil, omega-3 rich fish (salmon), nuts, seeds
Protein	Processed meats (bacon, hot dogs), excess red meat	Lean poultry, fish, beans, lentils, nuts
Beverages	Soda, sweetened juices, excess alcohol	Water, green tea, herbal tea

A Path to Better Health

Making a shift towards a less inflammatory diet is a gradual process. A good strategy is to start by focusing on removing highly processed foods and sugary drinks first, as these are the most consistent triggers. Incorporate a wide variety of anti-inflammatory foods, including leafy greens, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats, to crowd out the less healthy options. Listening to your body and working with a healthcare provider can help you determine if specific foods like dairy or gluten are personal inflammatory triggers. By being mindful of what you eat, you can empower yourself to manage and reduce chronic inflammation naturally.

For more detailed information on anti-inflammatory eating patterns, consider exploring the Mediterranean diet, which is a well-researched eating style that emphasizes fresh, whole foods and healthy fats. It can serve as an excellent model for reducing inflammation through diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Acute inflammation is a short-term, necessary immune response to injury or illness, like the swelling around a cut. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is a prolonged, low-grade inflammatory state that can damage tissues and organs over time, and it is often linked to diet.

For most people, dairy does not cause inflammation and can be part of an anti-inflammatory diet. However, those with a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance may experience inflammation-related symptoms and should consider limiting or eliminating it.

Refined carbohydrates, like white bread and pastries, are quickly converted into sugar in the body, causing blood sugar levels to spike. These spikes trigger the release of inflammatory messengers, contributing to chronic, low-grade inflammation over time.

No, not all fats are bad. While trans fats and an excess of omega-6 fatty acids can be pro-inflammatory, healthy fats found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish are rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and beneficial compounds.

Focus on an abundance of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lean protein sources like fish and poultry. Spices like turmeric and ginger also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Yes, many people with inflammatory conditions like arthritis find relief by adopting an anti-inflammatory diet. Reducing inflammatory foods and increasing antioxidant-rich whole foods can help manage symptoms.

Research on red meat's direct inflammatory effect is mixed, but excessive intake is often associated with higher inflammatory markers. Processed meats like hot dogs and bacon are more clearly linked to inflammation. Limiting red meat and avoiding processed versions is a common recommendation.