Do Anti-Inflammatory Diets Work?

anti-inflammatory diet chronic disease chronic inflammation elimination diet gluten-free diet macrobiotic diet mediterranean diet whole30 diet Feb 08, 2025

An array of Mediterranean diet foods, including fish, assorted vegetables, olives and other ripe fruits, and freshly baked bread.

Did you know that six in 10 Americans suffer from chronic diseases? These health conditions — which last at least a year and require continuous medical care — are the top causes of disability and death in the country. They’re a massive drain on the U.S. healthcare system, costing 4.5 trillion dollars annually.¹

The problem isn’t unique to America. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies chronic diseases as the biggest threat to human health. After all, stroke, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses kill three out of five people worldwide.²

Research shows a strong link between chronic diseases and chronic inflammation — a condition influenced by lifestyle factors, especially diet. This connection has fueled interest in anti-inflammatory diets, which claim to reduce inflammation and boost overall well-being.^2,3

In this article, we’ll examine four popular anti-inflammatory diets to see if they live up to the hype:

What is chronic inflammation?
Mediterranean diet
Macrobiotic diet
Whole30 diet
Gluten-free diet

But first, let’s make sure we understand what chronic inflammation is.

What is chronic inflammation?

Inflammation is your body’s natural response to illness, injury, or invaders like germs and toxins. Have the flu and running a fever? Twisted your ankle and it’s swollen? Got diarrhea after eating something bad? That’s inflammation in action. It’s a vital process that helps your body heal.^4,5

Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is another story. This occurs when your inflammatory response stays active over a long period of time. At first, such low-grade inflammation may not cause obvious symptoms. But over time, it can damage your tissues and organs, paving the way for chronic diseases.^5,6

Anti-inflammatory diets are often recommended to help fight chronic inflammation — and thus, prevent or manage chronic conditions. Among the best known of these regimens is the Mediterranean diet.⁶

Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is inspired by the traditional eating habits of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea like France, Spain, Greece, and Italy.⁷

This dietary pattern emphasizes vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, herbs, spices, fish, seafood, and extra virgin olive oil. It also allows poultry, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and red wine in moderation. In contrast, red and/or processed meat, refined grains, sugary drinks, beer, liquor, added sugars, and other highly processed foods and drinks are to be limited or avoided.⁷

Some studies suggest that people in the Mediterranean region have better overall health and lower rates of chronic diseases compared to those following a typical American diet. This might be because the Mediterranean diet is rich in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, all of which play a role in reducing inflammation. Research also suggests this diet improves cell processes (like autophagy, your body’s recycling system) and balances immune cells. It may also reduce the activity of molecules that make immune cells stick together, which helps prevent blood vessel problems. Interestingly, people who don’t follow the Mediterranean diet tend to have higher levels of inflammation markers in their blood.^8,9

Beyond combating inflammation, the Mediterranean diet is linked to various health benefits. This dietary pattern can help with long-term weight loss. It’s also recommended for heart and brain health. It aids in stabilizing blood sugar levels as well. This means it can be beneficial for preventing or managing obesity, heart disease, stroke, mental decline, and type 2 diabetes.⁷

On the other hand, you should avoid the Mediterranean diet if you’re allergic or intolerant to nuts, seafood, or grains. The diet may not be for you either if you’re deficient in iron and/or calcium (since it doesn’t emphasize red meat and dairy). And be careful with this diet if you avoid alcohol.^10,11

Macrobiotic diet

Japanese philosopher George Ohsawa developed the macrobiotic diet in the 1920s. It’s a high-fiber, high-complex-carbohydrate, and low-fat eating plan focused on whole grains and vegetables.¹²

Ohsawa’s philosophy includes avoiding food additives, pesticides, and nutritional supplements. Thus, the macrobiotic diet encourages eating unprocessed, organic, and locally grown foods, while steering clear of high-fat, processed, salty, and sugary items.¹²

What can you eat? Think whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and buckwheat; vegetables such as kale, broccoli, carrots, and onions; plus pickles, beans, soy products (like miso), and sea vegetables (like seaweed). You can also use vegetable oil and natural seasonings like sea salt. Steaming or sautéing are the recommended cooking methods.¹³

Organic tree fruit and berries, seeds, cucumbers, celery, and lettuce, are OK a few times a week. Fish, seafood, dairy, eggs, poultry, and meat are meant to be eaten just a few times a month.¹³

On the no-go list are pork, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, tropical fruits, spicy food, processed foods, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks, sodas, sugar, molasses, vanilla, and strong seasonings like garlic and oregano.¹³

One study found that the macrobiotic diet had a much lower Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score than the average American diet. This suggests the macrobiotic plan may help protect against inflammation, which might explain why it’s been linked to cancer prevention.¹⁴

However, the macrobiotic diet can be very restrictive. It may not be right for you if you love spicy food or can’t live without coffee or the occasional alcohol, for instance. Plus, many of the allowed foods are high in salt. This means the macrobiotic diet isn’t ideal if you have high blood pressure or kidney disease. Because the macrobiotic diet recommends only occasional meat consumption, there’s also a risk of not getting enough of certain essential nutrients like protein, iron, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin B12.¹³

Whole30 diet

Two sports nutritionists created the Whole30 diet in 2009. It’s a strict 30-day program. The idea is to eliminate certain foods for 30 days to reset your metabolism and reshape your relationship with food. You slowly add foods back in to see how they affect you.¹⁵

The Whole30 diet encourages you to focus on fresh, minimally processed foods. This means plenty of meat, eggs, and poultry; all kinds of fish and seafood; and all fruits and veggies. Nuts and seeds are also on the menu (except peanuts, which are technically legumes). Also allowed are healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil. You can even have up to two cups of coffee a day.^15,16

But there’s a long list of foods you can’t eat. Sugar in all its forms (honey, maple syrup, etc.), artificial sweeteners, and alcohol are off-limits. Grains (wheat, corn, rice, etc.); pulses and legumes (beans, lentils, and peanuts); soy (tofu, tempeh, soy sauce, etc.); and dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream) are also out. You’ll need to watch out for processed additives like carrageenan, MSG, and sulfites too.¹⁵

Whole30 aims to support hormone balance, a happy gut, and strong immune function. All of these benefits also lead to reducing inflammation. Another advantage of the diet is not having to weigh or measure your food. Also, there’s no fasting or complicated meal timing involved. You don’t need to buy any special products or supplements either. ¹⁶

You may benefit from Whole30 if you want to identify potential food sensitivities. The focus on whole, unprocessed foods can also lead to long-term healthier eating.^15,16

But Whole30 requires strict adherence, which means lots of meal planning and prep work. It can be tough to stick to in social situations, and you’ll have to be good at reading food labels. And because Whole30 is highly restrictive, it may not be suitable for people with a history of eating disorders. Cutting out sugar and alcohol can lead to some withdrawal symptoms as well.¹⁶

Gluten-free diet

A gluten-free diet means avoiding foods that contain gluten. Gluten is a protein that makes flour sticky when you add water. This substance makes bread rise and gives it a chewy texture. Think of it like the glue that holds bread together (the word “gluten” actually comes from the Latin word for “glue”). While some people can digest gluten just fine, the protein can trigger an immune response for others.¹⁷

In people with celiac disease (a gluten-related autoimmune disorder), the body mistakes gluten for a virus. This can cause chronic inflammation, potentially harming the digestive system and other parts of the body. If you’re sensitive to gluten but don’t have celiac disease, the reaction might be different. Instead of a full-blown immune attack, gluten proteins — along with other compounds found in wheat — could trigger inflammation.¹⁸

Wheat is the main source of gluten. So, items like wheat flour, wheat bran, spelt, durum, kamut, and semolina are all off-limits on a gluten-free diet. Barley, rye, and malt also contain gluten and should be avoided. Gluten can sneak into surprising places too, like bread, pasta, cereals, baked goods, snack foods, sauces, alcoholic drinks, and even pizza and broth (unless they’re labeled gluten-free).¹⁷

What’s allowed on a gluten-free diet? There’s meat, fish, and poultry (as long as it’s not breaded); eggs; unflavored dairy; fruits; vegetables; and many grains (quinoa, rice, buckwheat, tapioca, sorghum, corn, millet, and gluten-free oats). You can also use starches and flours like potato flour, cornstarch, almond flour, and coconut flour. Nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, olive oil, and most herbs and spices are fine too. Most alcoholic drinks are OK, but watch out for beer (unless it’s specifically labeled gluten-free).¹⁷

Studies show that a gluten-free diet lowers inflammation markers like antibody levels. It also heals inflammation-induced gut damage. These anti-inflammatory benefits can feel like a huge relief especially if you have celiac disease, as your symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, gas, and fatigue fade away.¹⁷

However, a gluten-free diet can have some downsides. Many gluten-free foods aren’t fortified with certain nutrients. This can make it hard to get enough folate, zinc, selenium, iron, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B12. Constipation can also be an issue, as many common high-fiber foods like bread are off-limits. On top of that, gluten-free foods can be more expensive, sometimes costing five times more than foods with gluten. Finally, going gluten-free can make socializing and dining out more difficult.¹⁷

Conclusion

Anti-inflammatory diets, such as the Mediterranean, macrobiotic, Whole30, and gluten-free plans, offer different ways to eat for better health. Each has its own rules about what you can and can’t eat, but they all aim to reduce inflammation and improve your well-being. Each of these diets can work under the right circumstances. It all depends on what your goals are.

The key takeaway? There’s no one-size-fits-all diet. Ready to discover the perfect anti-inflammatory diet for YOU? It’s a good idea to talk to an expert before making big changes to your diet, and we’re here to help. Let’s work together to create a personalized plan that fits your lifestyle and helps you thrive. Sign up for our Maximize Your Performance program to learn more and book your private consultation today.

References

Do Anti-Inflammatory Diets Work?

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