The anti-inflammatory “diet” isn’t a specific diet, per se. It’s more of a set of dietary guidelines that focuses on reducing and/or preventing chronic inflammation in your body.
“Overall, an anti-inflammatory diet consists of eating foods that are primarily anti-inflammatory and avoiding foods that are pro-inflammatory in nature,” says Pooja Mahtani, PharmD, MS, CNS, LDN, IFMCP, a licensed dietitian-nutritionist specializing in functional nutrition.
“While there are general guidelines for what foods are considered anti-inflammatory vs. pro-inflammatory, it truly must be personalized for the individual. Foods that are inflammatory to one person may be completely safe for another individual.”
That being said, there are two general principles3 of an anti-inflammatory diet: Eat whole foods that are rich in healthy fats and phytonutrients and maintain a stable glycemic response (i.e. avoid blood sugar spikes and drops).