Nutritionists Warn of 2 Surprising Ingredients Causing Inflammation And Weight Gain

Nutritionists Warn of 2 Surprising Ingredients Causing Inflammation And Weight Gain

It's normal to occasionally suffer a small amount of irritation. However, if the problem persists for a long time, it could seriously jeopardize your health and increase your risk of developing conditions like cancer and type 2 diabetes. Weight gain and obesity are additional potential outcomes of chronic inflammation, which is one of the reasons it's so crucial to work to keep your inflammation levels low if you're attempting to lose weight. While there are many apparent things to avoid, including processed snacks that are high in sugar, there are a few dangerous components that you might not be aware are contributing to inflammation.

We spoke with nutritionist Lisa Richards, author of The Candida Diet, and weight reduction consultant Joanna Wen, proprietor of Spices & Greens, to learn about some of the worst options available. They warned us that two sneaky components to watch out for are vegetable oils and artificial sweeteners.

1. Plant-based oils

Since they are made from veggies and vegetables are healthful, vegetable oils may seem harmless enough. Richards cautions that many vegetable oils are actually very inflammatory and can be preventing you from achieving your weight loss objectives.

"Vegetable oils can be inflammatory due to an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids," she explains. "While both types are essential for health, the typical Western diet contains an excessive amount of omega-6 fatty acids, primarily found in vegetable oils like corn, soybean, and sunflower oils."

When you consume to many omega-6 fatty acids, she tells us, your body could produce more pro-inflammatory molecules in your body. For this reason, it's important to prioritize healthy fats instead. "In contrast, omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, have anti-inflammatory properties," Richards notes. Replacing vegetable oils with healthy fat-rich olive oil is one good way to go.

She says that an imbalance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in vegetable oils might cause inflammation. The normal Western diet contains an excessive amount of omega-6 fatty acids, which are mostly found in vegetable oils like corn, soybean, and sunflower oils, even though both types are necessary for health.

She warns that an excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acids may cause your body to manufacture more pro-inflammatory chemicals. Instead, it's crucial to give healthy fats first priority. Contrarily, Richards observes that omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, have anti-inflammatory qualities. Olive oil, which is high in healthful fats, can be used in place of vegetable oils.

2. Synthetic sweeteners

You might believe that artificial sweeteners are a decent substitute for sugar given that we know that eating too much sugar can lead to a number of health problems, including weight gain. Wen regrettably notes that these sugar substitutes can also cause inflammation.

Artificial sweeteners can actually cause inflammation in the body, which can contribute to weight gain and other health problems, she says, despite the fact that they may look like a healthy substitute for sugar. You're better off staying as close to natural sweeteners as you can.

Although making dietary changes and eliminating items like these that cause inflammation may be challenging at first, your body will probably end up appreciating you. Your waistline will get thinner if you prioritize a nutritious diet along with an effective exercise program.