10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Keep You Healthy This Spring

Spring is the perfect time to update your diet to include plenty of fresh and delicious foods. You can add them to your usual recipes for a dash of flavour and plenty of health benefits.

Here’s our Top 10 Picks for anti-inflammatory foods to keep you healthy this spring.

 

You want to stay hydrated as the weather heats up. Add a sprig of fresh mint to your water for a refreshing flavour, or use it to top off your favourite fruit salads. Mint is a powerful herb with an antioxidant, which may help relieve spring allergy symptoms. The menthol in mint can also reduce congestion and soothe an upset stomach.

These add flavour to foods such as salads, soups and sautéed with other vegetables and lean meats. Onions contain polyphenols such as flavonoids that help prevent disease and boost our immune systems. They also have natural antihistamines to minimize spring allergy symptoms as well as anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.

Warm weather is the perfect time for plenty of healthy salads. Try arugula and leafy greens such as red leaf and romaine lettuce. They are packed with fibre, chlorophyll, water and vitamins A and K to reduce inflammation, detoxify your body and hydrate it. Mix raw greens in a bowl with fresh vegetables, including spring onions, tomatoes and cucumbers. Pour balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil over the salad, which also has anti-inflammatory properties. Make a dinner salad by adding a few thin slices of grilled chicken for protein and croutons to include carbohydrates for a complete meal.

Carrots have vitamin A and other antioxidants to combat cancer and maintain healthy nails, skin and hair. Add carrots to anything from salads, soups, pasta sauces or steam them to serve as a side dish. Snack on raw carrots with calorie-free dip, salsa or hummus as a guilt-free treat.

Tart cherries are flavourful and may minimize pain from exercising and arthritis. According to a recent study, tart cherries have the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food. Add tart cherries to your low-fat yogurt or bowl of morning oatmeal.

Beets add colour and health benefits to a variety of dishes. Eating beets can help lower your blood pressure, eliminate toxins and boost your stamina for a longer workout. Shave beats to add them to salads or roast them as a healthy side dish.


This Aussie smashed favourite is a great source of healthy unsaturated fat and antioxidants. The anti-inflammatory properties of avocados are so strong that they may actually offset less healthy food choices! The options are endless; smash it with feta on toast, add slices into a salad or make a healthy smoothie with frozen avocado, mango and coconut milk.


While ginger is often associated with winter, it is great all year round. It can minimize nausea and boosts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in your body. Put ginger in a smoothie or tea, or sprinkle ginger over salmon for a healthy meal with plenty of omega-3 fatty acids.


Speaking of salmon, this is another healthy food to include in your springtime recipes. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna can reduce inflammation in your body. Try to have at least 1-2 servings weekly. Serve it poached, roasted, grilled, pan-seared or baked.


Sick of salmon? Emu oil is packed full of Omega 3, 6 & 9 and essential fatty acid, which gives it such unique anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Boost your immune system and general health and wellbeing by incorporating emu oil into your daily life. You can take emu oil capsules or add a spoonful of emu oil to salad dressings or orange juice. You can even use the oil topically on your skin to treat conditions like eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.