Sigma Nutrition Radio #329: Diet & Inflammation
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Apr 20, 2020 Alan Flanagan, research communication officer at Sigma Nutrition who explains nutrition science clearly. He defines acute versus chronic inflammation and how we measure it. He examines if diet can cause chronic inflammation and which foods lower inflammatory scores. He debunks PUFA and omega-6 myths, discusses sugar, ultra-processed foods, wheat/gluten claims, dairy, carcinogen risks, and COVID-related diet misinformation.
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Dietary Inflammation Often Mediates Disease Risk
- Inflammation often acts as a mediating/moderating factor in disease rather than a sole causal agent.
- The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) evaluates whole-diet inflammatory potential and links higher DII scores to outcomes like colorectal and cardiometabolic disease.
Choose Omega‑3s And Colorful Veg To Lower Diet Inflammation
- Favor diets high in omega-3s, flavonoid-rich colorful vegetables and oily fish to lower dietary inflammatory index scores.
- Avoid energy-dense patterns high in refined carbs, sugar, and saturated fat that raise the DII.
Omega‑6 Blame Comes From Trans Fat Confounding
- The omega-6 inflammation claim stems from 1960s studies that confounded polyunsaturates with trans fats in hydrogenated margarine.
- Mechanistic and human studies show omega-6 intake doesn't raise circulating arachidonic acid or cause inflammation.