The #1 "Bad" Carb You Should Eat to Lower Inflammation, According to a Dietitian

No, you don't have to avoid carbohydrates for your health. In fact, some carbs may even help reduce chronic inflammation.

Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia

In a time when the keto diet is all the rage, many people have come to fear carbs. Yet, carbs are delicious and essential nutrients for your health and well-being! Carbs are not a monolith; they're found in a bunch of foods, including fruits, dairy products, grains and more. They're your body's main source of energy, and certain carbs may even help lower inflammation.

Short-term inflammation is a normal and critical part of your body's immune response to illness or injury. Yet, chronic inflammation is linked to cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders, per a 2019 study in Nature Medicine. Learn how carbs can help reduce inflammation and the No. 1 "bad" carb you should eat to lower inflammation.

Related: 6 "Bad" Carbs You Should Be Eating, According to a Dietitian

Why Carbs Can Help Lower Inflammation

Fiber Comes from Carbs

Fiber is a indigestible carbohydrate and a critical nutrient that many Americans don't consume enough of, per the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It's found in plant foods like whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Higher-fiber diets are linked with lower rates of various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and pancreatic cancer, per a 2018 review in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The authors of this review believe that fiber helps reduce chronic disease risk since a higher intake of this nutrient is associated with fewer inflammation markers in the blood.

While more research is necessary, a 2020 review in Nutrition Reviews found that consuming more dietary fiber may help reduce inflammation and, as a result, reduce symptoms of depression.

Certain Carbs Are Good Sources of Phytonutrients

Grains, dairy and fruits are some of the most nutritious sources of carbohydrates. Whole grains and fruits are often also good sources of phytonutrients—health-promoting nutrients found in plants. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, phytonutrients may help protect against inflammation.

Furthermore, whole grains and fruits often contain antioxidants like vitamins C and E, beta carotene, selenium and manganese. A 2020 review in Nutrients even found that eating a diet high in fiber and phytonutrients can reduce inflammation related to COVID-19; however, the authors caution that a certain amount of inflammation is necessary for the immune system to work properly.

Related: Does Dairy Cause Inflammation? Here's What a Dietitian Says

Many Carbs Are Free from Added Sugars

Added sugars are linked with various health issues, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their prevalence in many people's diets is also linked with increased inflammation, notes a 2022 review in Frontiers in Immunology.

While certain carbohydrates out there have added sugars, like cakes or cookies, many carbohydrates only contain natural sugars. For example, you may worry that whole fruit or 100% fruit juice has a lot of sugar, but they're all natural sugars, not added sugars. Plus, fruit is packed with other nutrients like fiber and vitamins.

The Best "Bad" Carb to Lower Inflammation

To help lower inflammation, try eating more grapes! Despite grapes getting a bad rap because of their sugar content, they need not be feared. Multiple studies have shown that their nutrient profile can help reduce inflammation and its negative effects on health. In fact, grapes' anti-inflammatory benefits may even help reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol, per a 2020 study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Related: Does Inflammation Cause High Cholesterol?

They Contain Fiber

Grapes, like most fruits and vegetables, have some fiber. While grapes aren't the richest fiber source, they contain a little over 1 gram per cup, according to the USDA. It's best to spread your fiber intake throughout the day since eating lots of fiber at once can lead to bloating or digestive upset. So, snacking on grapes or adding them to your lunch can help incrementally increase your daily fiber intake. For example, this Tangy Chicken Salad with Grapes makes for a delicious, easy-to-pack lunch. You can also pair grapes with other sources of fiber, like in this Broccoli & Grape Salad.

They're Packed with Antioxidants

Grapes are one of the best sources of resveratrol, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, per a 2019 review in Acta Biochimica Polonica. The skins of red and other dark-colored grapes, particularly, are high in resveratrol. The anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol may help manage some autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and colitis, per a 2019 study in Nutrients.

Grapes also contain quercetin, catechin, flavonoids and anthocyanins, more antioxidants associated with lower inflammation and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, per a 2021 study in Food Chemistry: X. This is true for grape juice, too. A 2021 study in Foods found that the juice of Airen grapes, a type of white grape produced in Spain, has especially high concentrations of some of these compounds.

Plus, grapes contain some lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help prevent age-related macular degeneration, an eye condition associated with aging, per a 2022 study in Nutrients.

Our Grape Chutney is a delightful, antioxidant-rich topping to add to sandwiches or roasted meats.

They're Free of Added Sugars

While some people may worry that grapes are high in sugar, all the sugars in grapes are natural sugars. There's a difference in how your body processes natural and added sugars; the latter are linked to increased health issues like inflammation, not natural sugars. If you're opting for grape juice, just check the label to ensure it doesn't have added sugars, as some juices might.

Of course, if you have diabetes or insulin resistance, you may need to be more mindful of your carbohydrate consumption in general, so pairing grapes with sources of protein and fat could be helpful. You may also want to consider eating a smaller serving of grapes and adding other, lower-carbohydrate fruits to help reduce inflammation, like berries or pomegranate.

The Bottom Line

Eating more plant foods high in fiber, antioxidants and other phytonutrients, like grapes, may help reduce chronic inflammation and lower your risk of developing certain chronic diseases.

Besides grapes, plenty of other carbs have gotten a bad rap but could help reduce inflammation. In fact, according to a 2021 study in Biomedicines, incorporating a variety of whole grains, fruits, spices and sources of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet is linked with reduced inflammation. So, rather than avoiding fruits because of their sugar content, lean into all the nutrition they have to offer you!

Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Avoid Carbs

Read the original article on Eating Well.