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From Cooking Oils To Refined Sugar: 5 Everyday Kitchen Staples That Can Cause Inflammation

Inflammation is your immune system's response to injury or infection and can lead to various symptoms, such as redness, heat, pain, and swelling. Your immune system activates when it detects any foreign pathogen or chemical, triggering inflammation. While short-term inflammation helps protect your health, it can become harmful if persistent or chronic. Studies have linked chronic inflammation to various diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer's.

Many factors can cause inflammation in the body. An unhealthy diet is one of the key contributors. In fact, some kitchen staples that you use regularly can increase your risk of chronic inflammation. If you're wondering what these ingredients are, here is a list:

Also Read: Love Spicy Food? It May Help You Live Longer

Cooking Oils

Certain oils, particularly those high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like corn, sunflower, and soy oil, can be pro-inflammatory.

Arachidonic acid (ARA), an omega-6 fatty acid found in the Western diet, plays a central role in inflammation by producing pro-inflammatory substances such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, according to a study published in the Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes & Essential Fatty Acids. This has led to the belief that increasing omega-6 intake, such as ARA or its precursor linoleic acid (LA), could promote inflammation.

However, studies in healthy adults have shown that higher intake of ARA or LA does not necessarily increase inflammation markers and, in some cases, may even reduce inflammation. Despite this, a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids may interfere with the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. The interaction between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in inflammation remains complex and not fully understood.

Refined Flour

Refined flour, commonly known as maida, can cause inflammation in the body. It is a type of refined carbohydrate that is stripped of fibre and nutrients and breaks down quickly, causing a rapid spike in blood sugar. Maida is also high on the Glycaemic Index (GI), which can lead to the production of advanced glycation end (AGE) products that stimulate inflammation. This spike can lead to an inflammatory response. Additionally, it can cause inflammation in the gut, which can damage the metabolic system and lead to weight gain.

Dairy Products

In general, dairy products, like milk, cheese, and yoghurt, are rich sources of essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. However, they can trigger inflammation and digestive discomfort in some individuals, especially those with lactose intolerance or casein sensitivity.

Lactose intolerance occurs when the body lacks sufficient lactase, the enzyme needed to break down lactose, a sugar found in milk. This leads to symptoms such as bloating, gas, and diarrhoea. Casein sensitivity, on the other hand, involves an immune response to casein, a protein in milk, causing inflammation, stomach cramps, and discomfort.

For these individuals, consuming dairy can lead to gastrointestinal distress and may also trigger systemic inflammation, especially if consumed regularly. As a result, many people with these conditions choose lactose-free or plant-based dairy alternatives. However, several studies suggest that dairy products have no adverse effects on inflammation or have anti-inflammatory properties in healthy people.

Also Read: How is chronic inflammation associated with PCOS? Doctor explains

Processed Meats

Processed meats, like sausages, hot dogs, and deli meats, are loaded with preservatives and unhealthy fats, which can contribute to inflammation. They are high in saturated fat, which can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, a study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews suggested that reducing saturated fat can reduce cardiovascular events by 17%, especially with greater reductions linked to lower cholesterol.

Refined Sugar

Excessive sugar intake is often linked to health problems, like obesity, CVD, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Sugar causes inflammation by raising blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to oxidative stress and triggering inflammatory responses. It promotes harmful substances like pro-inflammatory cytokines and AGEs, damages tissues, and disrupts gut microbiota, increasing inflammation. Over time, this worsens chronic inflammatory conditions and weakens the immune system.

According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, the consumption of sugary drinks and processed foods has increased, contributing to chronic low-grade inflammation and exacerbating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and cancer. These findings highlight the inflammatory effects of high-sugar diets and urge the need to reduce intake.

Conclusion

Inflammation plays an important role in the body's defence against infections and illnesses. However, when it becomes chronic, it can lead to serious health issues like heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's, and cancer. Recognising and addressing persistent inflammation early is crucial. Consult a doctor to identify the cause and manage it effectively.

[Disclaimer: This article contains information for informational purposes only, hence, we advise you to consult your own professional if you are dealing with any health issues to avoid complications.]

Lactose-intolerant People Should Drink More Milk, Expert Says

Lactose-intolerant people should drink more milk, expert says

December 1997

Lactose-intolerant people should drink more milk, expert says

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Many people who claim to be lactose intolerant really aren't, says Dennis Savaiano, dean of Purdue University's School of Consumer and Family Sciences.

The problem, Savaiano says, is that dairy foods can be difficult to digest, and people who don't eat these foods often enough haven't acclimated themselves to the foods.

According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. Although lactose intolerance itself isn't harmful -- it may result in gas, bloating or nausea -- it does affect a person's health in the long-term because avoiding dairy foods reduces calcium intake. According to Savaiano, three-fourths of all calcium in diets in the United States come from dairy foods.

Too little calcium in a diet can reduce bone growth, which can lead to osteoporosis later in life. Osteoporosis, which affects 35 million Americans, can result in weakened bones, causing fractures and injuries. Patients in the United States spend $13 billion a year on osteoporosis treatments.

A big problem with both calcium intake and lactose tolerance, nutritionists say, is that most people, especially teen-age girls, don't consume enough dairy products.

"If you only consume dairy products once in awhile, you are more likely to have symptoms from them," Savaiano says. "Also, if you consume them by themselves, as opposed to as part of a meal, they tend to be transported throughout the intestine more rapidly and are more likely to cause symptoms."

Savaiano has four tips to improve digestion of milk and dairy products. "These approaches can improve lactose tolerance to the point that people can consume diets that are quite rich in calcium and in milk and experience no difference in their symptoms from eating a diet without the milk," he says. His tips:

Don't overeat dairy foods, and eat them only in moderation.

Eat dairy foods as part of a meal, such as a cup of milk over cereal with fruit.

If necessary, use over-the-counter digestive aids.

Eat yogurts. "Yogurts are very well tolerated because they contain a lactase that helps digest lactose in the intestine."

Lactose is a form of sugar, or carbohydrate, found in milk and dairy products. This sugar is too large to be absorbed by the intestine, and is broken down by an enzyme, lactase, produced by the body. Most adults don't produce enough lactase to completely break down the lactose. In fact, up to three-fourths of the world's population doesn't produce enough lactase.

However, Savaiano says it is possible to train one's own digestive system to break down the lactose.

"Our studies have shown a really amazing adaptation of the large intestine of humans," Savaiano says. "The large intestines contain bacteria that help digest lactose. By altering the diet over time, bacteria more effectively digest lactose, making milk better tolerated.

"The bacteria are very fastidious and very adaptable. An individual who may produce excessive gas may feel uncomfortable after eating milk products. But if they adapt to small amounts of milk for a couple of weeks, at the end of that period, they are producing far less gas than they were two weeks ago from the same amount of milk, and they tolerate dairy products extremely well."

Research studies on calcium metabolism have shown the effectiveness of this form of treatment, Savaiano says.

"We've found that if you do controlled clinical blind trials, where people don't know what they are consuming, and you take out that placebo effect, you can give subjects a glass of milk with breakfast and another with dinner and they exhibit almost no symptoms.

"Further, we just completed a study at Purdue last summer with a group of African-American adolescent girls who were part of a calcium diet study. On the first day of the study many complained about having to drink the milk -- they said they didn't like the milk and that they were intolerant. When we tested them they had only a very modest level of symptoms, though -- almost incidental. Two weeks later, after they had been consuming a dairy-based, high-calcium diet, we tested them again. Every one of these girls had absolutely no symptoms."

According to Savaiano, although many people think that some babies are lactose intolerant, actually this isn't the case. "Milk allergy is often confused with lactose intolerance, but they are physiologically different," Savaiano says. "Babies do not develop lactose intolerance until they are 3 to 5 years old. The intestinal lactase remains high in all infants, except the very rare situation where there is a genetic lack of the enzyme from birth."

Savaiano says milk allergies appears in 5 percent of newborns, but that almost all infants outgrow this allergy by their first birthday. "The best way to deal with this is to continue breast feeding," he says.

Source: Dennis Savaiano, (765) 494-8213; e-mail, savaiano@cfs.Purdue.EduWriter: Steve Tally, (765) 494-9809; e-mail, tally@aes.Purdue.Edu;Web, www.Agcom.Purdue.Edu/AgCom/homepages/tally/Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.Edu

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Dairy Allergy Vs. Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance and dairy allergy sound a lot alike. Many people think they're the same thing. But their causes and their effects on your body are very different. So, if you have one of these conditions, understanding dairy allergy vs. Lactose intolerance is important.

Lactose intoleranceis a digestive problem.If you have it, your body can't make enough lactase, an enzyme you need to digest lactose. That's a kind of sugar found in milk and other dairy products. When lactose isn't properly digested in your stomach and small intestine, it moves into your colon, where it's broken down by bacteria and causes bloating and gas. It can be uncomfortable, but it's not dangerous.

Dairy allergy is an immune system problem. If you have it, your body reacts to the proteins in milk and other dairy products as if they're dangerous invaders. It releases substances that cause allergy symptoms. This allergic reaction can be mild (rashes) to severe (trouble breathing, loss of consciousness).

If dairy products give you an upset stomach, don't assume it's an allergy. It could be lactose intolerance. (Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images)

Lactose intolerance is common in adults — about 30 million Americans have it by age 20. It's more common in people with Asian, African, or Native American heritage and less common in people with a northern or western European background.

Dairy allergy is one of the most common allergies, especially in children. As many as 2 in every 100 children younger than 4 years are allergic to milk. It's even more common in babies.

Some symptoms of lactose intolerance and dairy allergy may be the same:

But dairy allergy can also cause a reaction in other parts of your body, including the skin and lungs:

Rash

Hives

Swelling, often in the lips and face

Wheezing

Tightness in throat

Trouble swallowing

There may be blood in the stool (poop) too, especially in babies.

Symptoms such as throat swelling and trouble breathing can mean  a naphylaxis — a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction . It often begins minutes after you eat a food you're allergic to. But sometimes, it can happen hours later. If it happens, you need emergency treatment, starting with an injection of a medicine called epinephrine. If you don't have the medicine on hand, get to an emergency room immediately.

You're more likely to develop a dairy allergy if:

You have other allergies.

You have eczema .

One or both of your parents has a food or other allergy, such as hay fever, eczema, or asthma .

You're a young child.

You're more likely to have lactose intolerance if:

You're an adult, as lactose tolerance tends to decline with age

You're of African, Asian, Hispanic, or American Indian heritage

You have another digestive health problem, such as bacterial overgrowth, celiac disease, or Crohn's disease

You've had cancer treatments that affected your stomach or intestines

The symptoms you have after drinking milk or eating dairy foods might not be enough to tell your doctor whether you have a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance. So, after getting your full medical history, the doctor might suggest some tests.

Tests for lactose intolerance

Lactose tolerance test. You drink a liquid that contains a lot of lactose. About two hours later, the amount of glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream is measured. If your glucose level doesn't rise, you're not digesting the lactose in the drink.

Hydrogen breath test. Again, you drink a liquid containing a lot of lactose. Then, the hydrogen in your breath is measured at regular intervals. If you're not digesting lactose, it will be broken down in your colon, releasing hydrogen that can be detected in your breath.

Stool acidity test. Babies and children who can't be tested otherwise can have their stool tested for lactic acid caused by the breakdown of undigested lactose in the colon.

Tests for dairy allergy

Skin prick test. A small drop of liquid containing the dairy allergen is placed under the skin on your forearm or back. If it causes a raised bump to form, surrounded by itchy red skin, you likely have a dairy allergy. Blood test. This can measure certain antibodies that can develop in your blood if you have a dairy allergy. 

Both tests can have "false positives." You can test positive for an allergy even though you really don't have it. You can also test negative if you do have one.

If your doctor still isn't sure if you have a dairy allergy, they might suggest you try an oral challenge. You'll be fed increasing amounts of different foods that may or may not contain milk to see how you react. Because of the risk of a severe reaction, this test is done at a doctor's office.

If you have lactose intolerance, you can avoid symptoms by cutting out all dairy foods or choosing only lactose-free or lactose-reduced versions, which are widely available.

But, if you enjoy regular milk, ice cream, cheese, or other dairy foods, you probably can still have them, in limited amounts. Research suggests many people with lactose intolerance can tolerate about one cup of regular milk at a time. But some people are bothered by less than that, and others can comfortably have more. Finding your sweet spot may be a matter of trial and error.

Strategies for limiting lactose and minimizing symptoms include:

Adding milk and other dairy foods a little at a time to see how you feel

Having milk with other foods, to slow digestion

Trying yogurt and hard cheeses, such as Swiss and cheddar, which are lower in lactose than other dairy foods

Another way to limit your symptoms is to take a supplement of lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose, before you drink milk or eat dairy food. You can also add drops of lactase to your milk.

If you rely on milk and other dairy products to get enough calcium and vitamin D, you may need to adjust your diet to get more from other sources.

Plant-based milks, such as soy and almond, often have added calcium and vitamin D. You can also get calcium from fortified juices, leafy greens, broccoli, oranges, tofu, and canned salmon with bones. You can find vitamin D in eggs and salmon, and raise your levels by spending time outdoors in the sun. But be careful about sun exposure, which can damage your skin. Also, talk to your doctor about whether a vitamin D supplement makes sense for you.

Lactose intolerance is sometimes temporary, like when it happens after an infection or because of another digestive condition. So, some people will eventually be able to consume more dairy foods.

If you have a dairy allergy, you may not be able to have any foods containing or made from milk. Make sure you get clear guidance from your doctor.

In most cases, staying safe means reading food labels to see if milk or ingredients containing milk are included. Milk proteins are found in many foods you wouldn't expect. Some canned tuna, energy drinks, and even chewing gum contain them. And don't eat lactose-reduced foods if you have a dairy allergy. They still contain the milk proteins that can cause allergic reactions.

Some people with a milk allergy can eat certain cooked or processed foods containing milk —such as baked goods or yogurt. But don't experiment without advice from your doctor.

Like people with lactose intolerance, people with dairy allergies need to make sure their diet contains enough calcium and vitamin D.

If you have a severe dairy allergy or if you've ever had anaphylaxis in the past, talk to your doctor about carrying injectable epinephrine (such as Adrenaclick, EpiPen, or a generic auto-injector) to slow down or stop the allergic reaction. Make sure your doctor or pharmacist shows you how to use it.

Many children with milk allergies eventually outgrow them, so it's not always a permanent condition.

While they both can cause symptoms after you drink milk or eat ice cream, lactose intolerance and dairy allergy aren't the same thing. The first one is a digestive problem that can cause you a lot of discomfort but isn't dangerous. The second is an immune system problem that can sometimes cause serious reactions. Both are manageable conditions, but a dairy allergy will require you to be much more careful about what you eat.

Can you be dairy-sensitive but not lactose intolerant?

It depends on what you mean by dairy-sensitive. Some people use the term dairy sensitivity as a catch-all term to cover lactose intolerance and dairy allergies. Another term, lactose sensitivity, is sometimes used to mean lactose intolerance. To make matters more complicated, some people who get symptoms after consuming dairy foods don't have an allergy or lactose intolerance. They just have trouble tolerating the proteins in milk. So, they might they're sensitive to dairy foods.

Can I have both lactose intolerance and dairy allergy?

Although these two conditions are unrelated, you could have both of them at the same time.

Are dairy and lactose allergies the same thing?

No. When you have a dairy allergy, you're allergic to proteins in milk and other dairy foods. You're not allergic to lactose, a sugar in those foods. If you have difficulty digesting lactose, you don't have a lactose allergy; you have lactose intolerance.

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