2026/10/02 08:26
Nutritionist Zhang Xinfang said that blueberries are rich in polyphenols and are also a good food. However, if your daily diet is high in oil, salt, and processed foods, blueberries alone may not be able to offset inflammation in the body; diagram. (Picture taken from freepik)
[Health Channel/Comprehensive Report] Blueberries, ginger tea, and fish oil are often labeled as "anti-inflammatory". Eating these foods every day may not solve the inflammation problem in the body. Nutritionist Zhang Xinfang said that health does not depend on "eliminating" inflammation by a certain food. What really deserves attention is the long-term overall dietary pattern. A reminder that instead of binging on so-called anti-inflammatory foods every day, it is better to start with a dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, fish, nuts and good fats, while reducing sugary drinks and highly processed foods, rather than relying on a single food.
Zhang Xinfang pointed out in a Facebook fan page that inflammation is a normal defense response of the body. When infected or injured, the body will activate the inflammatory response, just like turning on the alarm system to help deal with the problem. However, if there is low-grade, persistent inflammation for a long time, chronic health problems such as metabolism and cardiovascular disease may occur. It is emphasized that factors that affect inflammation are not just diet, but also lifestyle factors such as weight, exercise, sleep and smoking.
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Common anti-inflammatory food myths
Zhang Xinfang said that many people think that eating blueberries can fight inflammation. Blueberries are indeed rich in polyphenols and are also a good food. However, if your daily diet is high in fat and salt, and you often drink sugary drinks and eat processed foods, but you expect to offset it by eating blueberries, you may be thinking about health too simply.
In addition, Zhang Xinfang said that ginger tea is also a frequently mentioned anti-inflammatory food. The gingerol in ginger is indeed an ingredient of research concern. However, the fact that it contains ingredients that may affect inflammation does not mean that drinking ginger tea will eliminate chronic inflammation. The ingredients in food have physiological effects and cannot be directly equated to having a therapeutic effect. Similarly, eating health foods such as fish oil cannot directly offset an unhealthy diet. Just like staying up late every day, you cannot expect to make up for it by just sleeping on the weekend.
Don’t rely on a single food to fight inflammation
Zhang Xinfang further mentioned that in recent years, systematic reviews and integrated analyzes compiled multiple randomized controlled trials and found that the Mediterranean diet is related to the improvement of some inflammatory indicators, such as hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-1, etc. However, not all markers of inflammation improved significantly. A reminder that studies have observed correlations and changes between overall dietary patterns and body indicators, which does not mean that eating only a certain anti-inflammatory food can produce the same effect.
Zhang Xinfang emphasized that there is no need to pursue a "100-point anti-inflammatory diet" in daily life. As long as the overall diet is rich in vegetables and fruits, increases in whole grains and beans, eats fish in moderation, chooses nuts and good fats, and reduces sugary drinks and highly processed foods, it is actually a good start.
