The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) is based on research that examined the effects of eating a pro-inflammatory diet and how it impacted the values of certain inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
The Dietary Inflammatory Index assigns a numerical score to a total of 45 parameters consisting of individual foods, food components and nutrients to indicate whether a person’s overall dietary pattern is considered pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory.
Among the list of the most anti-inflammatory foods are the following:
- Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout)
- Nuts
- Berries
- Ginger
- Leafy green vegetables
- Green tea
- Turmeric
- Tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dark chocolate
- Antioxidants
- Fiber
Among the list of the most pro-inflammatory foods are the following:
- Processed meats
- Sugar sweetened beverages
- Refined grains
- Fried foods
- Foods high in saturated fat
- Trans fat
- High sodium foods
- Alcohol