Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 10 of Real Simple's Favorite Anti-Inflammatory Recipes That'll Make You Feel Better Than Ever Tasty meals—with healing properties to boot! Try them out and see why we love them. By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Samantha Leffler Samantha Leffler Instagram Website Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple and previously launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 5, 2023 Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: CAITLIN BENSEL There are endless benefits to following an anti-inflammatory diet, from decreasing chronic indigestion and persistent body aches to lowering your risk of serious conditions like cancer, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer's, arthritis, and heart disease. If you're new to the subject, inflammation simply refers to your body's natural process of fending off things that could be harmful—injuries, infections—in an attempt to heal itself. Acute inflammation, like a bruise or mild swelling, is normal. But chronic inflammation can be detrimental to our health. Thankfully, fighting chronic inflammation isn't rocket science. The easiest way to reduce your body's inflammation is to simply start eating more whole foods and fewer processed foods. There are a handful of foods—berries, avocado, olive oil, fatty fish, green tea, broccoli, and more—that contain even more powerful, inflammation-fighting nutrients than most. Here, a collection of our favorite family-friendly Real Simple recipes that contain many of the most effective anti-inflammatory ingredients you'll find. And not that you even had to ask, but we promise they're all incredibly delicious. Red Alert: These Are the 4 Worst Foods That Cause Inflammation 01 of 10 Mixed Grains Bowl With Beet-Ginger Dressing Greg Dupree This colorful bowl is one of the best anti-inflammatory recipes you can whip up thanks to a litany of healthy ingredients. For starters, it has a base of rice, lentils, and quinoa, which is known for being rich in antioxidants such as quercetin and kaempferol. Avocado—another nutritious ingredient—boasts plenty of anti-inflammatory benefits as well, as do beets, ginger, and kefir, which make up the bold and flavorful dressing. get the recipe 02 of 10 Smoky Sheet Pan Salmon and Potatoes Caitlin Bensel Fatty fish, like salmon, is an inflammation-fighting star, and when you pair it with ingredients like smoked paprika and navel oranges, it becomes even more impressive. While the recipe already calls for diced avocado, add even more of the green fruit for some additional heart-healthy (and inflammation-fighting) benefits. get the recipe 03 of 10 Tofu and Mushroom Larb Caitlin Bensel Mushrooms are very high in selenium, copper, and all of the B vitamins. They also contain antioxidants (like phenols) that provide major anti-inflammatory protection. Here, you'll use the fun guys in place of meat in a plant-forward version of a popular Laotian dish. The veggie-packed meal also features cashews and mint, both of which have impressive anti-inflammatory properties of their own. get the recipe 04 of 10 Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Grapes and Feta Greg Dupree This recipe proves that vegetables can absolutely be the star of your dinner table. And while cauliflower is a nutrient powerhouse in its own right, the grapes used in this dish are an excellent source of anthocyanins, which fight inflammation. Plus, the sweet morsels are the perfect compliment to the planks of feta and punchy shallots. The 30 Healthiest Foods to Eat Every Day get the recipe 05 of 10 Raspberry Chia Jam Victor Protasio This heart-healthy homemade jam uses a combination of fresh raspberries and just a tablespoon of honey in the whole batch. Both of these ingredients help fight inflammation, and using honey in place of all the sugar (or worse, corn syrup) that processed jellies typically contain makes for a seriously sweet swap. get the recipe 06 of 10 Mole-Spiced Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl Jen Causey Quinoa. Cauliflower. Cumin. Olive Oil. But also greens, honey, and cocoa powder. Could this recipe have more inflammation-fighting ingredients? Yes, if you add fatty fish or bell peppers. (No pressure.) Here, mole sauce serves as a delicious dressing for plenty of protein-packed ingredients, black beans included. get the recipe 07 of 10 Soy-Glazed Salmon Sandwiches With Watercress Jen Causey Salmon—and other varieties of fatty fish, like mackerel and sardines—is an anti-inflammatory superhero. In this delicious dish, you'll coat fillets of it with a chili sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar glaze. Give the salmon a quick sear before serving it atop fluffy brioche burger buns and crisp watercress salad. get the recipe 08 of 10 Berry Matcha Smoothie Getty Images If you want to fight inflammation but are short on time, give this healthy smoothie a go. The blueberries, spinach, and matcha powder are packed with antioxidants, and they happen to taste delicious when blended together. Several of the ingredients in this smoothie have also been shown to improve brain health, which makes this recipe a win-win. 21 Healthy Breakfast Smoothies for When You Need a Quick Meal on the Go get the recipe 09 of 10 Sheet Pan Salmon With Potatoes and Broccolini Victor Protasio Salmon, broccolini, and olive oil make this delicious dish a heart-healthy hero that'll help stave off inflammation too. Got leftovers? Flake the salmon and chop the veggies into bite-size pieces before tossing them with greens for an easy lunch. get the recipe 10 of 10 Ginger Meatball Ramen With Greens and Scallions Caitlin Bensel This easy-to-make recipe combines two delicious dishes: spaghetti with meatballs and ramen noodle soup. You'll get inflammation-fighting benefits from the fresh ginger, scallions, miso, and boy choy, but feel free to swap the sesame oil and/or canola oil for olive oil for an even bigger boost. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit