Inflammation is an important part of your body's healing process. Your immune system triggers an inflammatory response to fight off foreign invaders in your body. Unfortunately, this inflammatory response sometimes occurs even when you're not being threatened, such as when you have ankylosing spondylitis. One of the best ways to reduce inflammation is by eating a diet low in inflammatory foods.
Processed foods. Convenience foods, such as baked goods and snacks that are prepackaged, often contains trans fats. Trans fats can trigger inflammation, raise your bad cholesterol, and lower your good cholesterol. Check the ingredient list for partially hydrogenated oils.
Sugar and some sugar substitutes. Refined sugars cause your body to release cytokines that cause inflammation. Look for ingredients such as corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, or maltose on the label. Sugar alternatives such as aspartame and sucralose may also cause inflammation in people who are sensitive to them.
Processed meats and red meats. Both processed meats and red meats are high in saturated fats. Processed meats include:
- Bacon
- Hot dogs
- Jerky
- Pepperoni
- Sausage
- Some deli meats
- Salami
Omega-6 fatty acids. Although you need foods high in omega-6 fatty acids in your diet for healthy levels of inflammation, you need to balance them with foods low in omega-3 fatty acids. Eating too many omega-6s causes a pro-inflammatory response. Some foods high in omega-6 fatty acids are:
- Corn oil
- Canola oil
- Sunflower oil
- Mayonnaise
- Peanut oil
- Safflower oil
Refined carbohydrates. Refined carbs have had most of their fiber and nutrition stripped away. They're absorbed by your body very quickly and cause your blood sugar to spike. When your blood sugar is elevated, it triggers an inflammatory response in your body. Refined carbohydrates include foods such as:
- White rice
- White bread
- Crackers
- French fries
- Sugary cereals
- Rolls
