Chronic inflammation in the body can lead to debilitating health issues like chronic pain, digestive problems, lupus, or weight gain. Besides consistent exercise and drinking plenty of water, incorporating anti-inflammatory ingredients into your recipes can help you manage, prevent, or reverse the effects of inflammation.
To learn more about the anti-inflammatory dinner ingredient that can help with weight loss, we spoke with Eva De Angelis, a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and Health & Nutrition writer at Midss.com. She highly recommends walnuts as an anti-inflammatory dinner ingredient because they’re high in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and Omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation and satisfy your cravings for weight loss. Find out more below!
Walnuts Are The Anti-Inflammatory Dinner Ingredient That Can Help With Weight Loss
Before we discuss why walnuts are so great for weight loss, let's first determine what inflammation is. De Angelis says, "Inflammation is a normal and healthy process, but sometimes we need to fight it, especially when we’re dealing with chronic inflammation. When chronic inflammation occurs, our immune system never 'shuts down' and continues to send out white blood cells and natural chemical compounds, thus prolonging the process and leaving our body in a constant state of alert." This can have serious long-term repercussions including weight gain.
Chronic inflammation can be caused by numerous factors, but she notes that "the mechanism is always the same," through free radicals. "Free radicals are naturally occurring molecules in our bodies, but when produce in excess, they lead to many health issues. So when talking about anti-inflammatory foods, these are the ones that help neutralize these free radicals, thus reducing or avoiding the damage," De Angelis adds. Just as there are dinner ingredients that cause inflammation and weight gain, there are certain foods that are anti-inflammatory and weight loss-friendly. She advises that the very best anti-inflammatory dinner ingredient that she loves and always recommend is walnuts.
This is because walnuts are full of powerful nutrients for weight loss. "Walnuts have an awesome combination of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, great for fighting inflammation. Moreover, walnuts are one of the richest nuts in Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients we can find. Omega-3 fats are perfect for heart and brain health," she explains. And, they can help improve your gut health.
And even though it might seem counterintuitive to eat food that's high in fat for weight loss, De Angelis says, "While one may think walnuts are high in fat and therefore not good for weight loss, this is not completely true. Yes, they're high in calories and fat, but these are healthy anti-inflammatory fats mixed with a vast array of bioactive healthful compounds." Noted!
While walnuts may not be the most traditional dinner ingredient, they go well with a wide variety of meals. Plus, they add a satisfying crunch and that wonderful nutty flavor. "And a little goes a long way, just by adding 0.5 oz we’re getting a whole array of health benefits, including aiding in weight loss and losing a few waist inches," she continues. You can crush walnuts into a creamy pasta sauce, top them on your salads, use them as breadcrumbs for lean protein like salmon, and so much more!
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, there are so many reasons you should cook with walnuts—they're high in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and Omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation and help with weight loss. And, they're a delicious and versatile cooking ingredient. But, it's still important to remember that no one ingredient alone can work a miracle on your body. You should still consistently exercise, stay hydrated, get plenty of sleep, and try to reduce stress as much as possible. And when it comes to anti-inflammatory dinner ingredients, you can't go wrong with De Angelis's recommendations.
