6 Foods That Fight Inflammation

Many chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer and obesity have been linked to inflammation, the body’s natural reaction to injury and infection. When inflammation gets out of hand, it can affect the brain, according to Caroline Apovian, codirector of Brigham and Women’s Hospital Center for Weight Management and Wellness. “Once there, these substances damage the brain’s nerve cells, affecting memory and thinking skills.”

Here are foods you can try as part of your diet to help quell inflammation.

1. Pineapples

Bromelain, an enzyme found only in pineapples, keeps blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots. These clots can break off from artery walls and interrupt blood flow to the brain. Pineapples are also rich in folate (aka vitamin B9), which may help make you more alert and better able to focus.

2. Purple potatoes

Purple potatoes have more antioxidant power than their white and yellow cousins. Studies have found that the plant pigments that give them their lovely color, called anthocyanins, are antioxidants that can reduce inflammation.

3. Cucumbers

Cucumbers provide a substantial amount of potassium, which helps brain cells communicate with each other. Low potassium levels have been associated with mood problems and depression, a British Journal of Nutrition article notes, and a diet high in the mineral helps relieve symptoms.

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4. Raisins

Raisins are a top food source of boron, a brain-boosting mineral. Boron improves mental alertness, short-term memory and focus, and eye-hand coordination and dexterity, says Forrest Nielsen, retired research nutritionist at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.

5. Pumpkin seeds

To help protect memory and overall brain health, reaching for a handful of pumpkin seeds is a smart choice. Sometimes referred to as pepitas, these unassuming seeds are packed with magnesium, a mineral that fights inflammation and contributes to the growth of new brain cells.

6. Artichokes

Artichokes are a good source of vitamin K, which plays a key role in episodic memory, the ability to remember things such as where you left your keys. Vitamin K also helps to speed communication between brain cells, research suggests. Artichokes are high in antioxidants and in magnesium, a mineral that may promote better sleep.

Learn more about Foods That Fight Inflammation.

_{This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide any expert, professional or specialty advice or recommendations. Readers are urged to consult with their medical providers for all questions.}