8 Foods Linked to Inflammation
If you want to lower your levels of inflammation, which is linked to chronic issues like heart disease, Alzheimer's and more, step away from these.
By Emma Haak
The Oils You Might be Cooking with, like Peanut and Vegetable Oils
What's in them: Omega 6 fatty acids
The science: Think of omega-6s as the not-so-healthy yin to omega-3s good-for-you yang. The fat molecules your body makes from omega-6 are pro-inflammatory, while the ones made from omega-3 are anti-inflammatory, according to a review in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. The review authors write that the ideal ratio of omega-6s to -3s is 1 to 4, but in the past few decades, the average person's ratio has shifted to 15 to 1 (can you say yikes?). That could help explain rising rates of chronic inflammatory conditions like cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease, obesity and Alzheimer's disease.
One more thing: Other oils that could throw off your omega-6–to–3 ratio include corn oil, safflower, sunflower, and grape seed, along with condiments like mayonnaise and salad dressings (especially ones that include those oils). If you regularly consume or cook with a lot of these items, shift your fatty acid ratio back in the right direction by cutting back on the 6s and eating more omega-3-rich foods like fatty fish, olive oil and nuts.
Published 11/03/2016