The 7 Best Polyphenol-Rich Foods to Fight Inflammation

An anti-inflammatory diet is at the top of everyone’s mind, but no diet plan can address this without polyphenol-rich foods. Polyphenols are naturally occurring plant compounds found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds and cocoa. They are powerful antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, improving our overall health.

Sell? We absolutely are. Amy Shapiro, registered dietitian and founder of Real Nutrition, explains that the best strategy for getting this essential nutrient is to eat a variety of colorful plant-based foods every day. But if you want to maximize your intake, these foods are the richest sources of polyphenols.

berry

Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries: Berries are one of the best food sources of polyphenols. Corinna Kalogeropulou, a registered dietitian at Mendinground Nutrition, says you can expect 560 milligrams of the nutrient in blueberries, 260 milligrams in blackberries, 235 milligrams in strawberries and 215 milligrams in raspberries. The best part? They’re easy to incorporate into any meal. Serve them with Greek yogurt, smoothies, oatmeal, salads, or on their own.

dark chocolate

Finally an excuse! Studies show that dark chocolate containing 50% to 85% cocoa powder contains 460 to 610 mg of polyphenols. Shapiro recommends adding cocoa powder to smoothies, baked goods or oatmeal, or eating an ounce of delicious dark chocolate bar.

coffee

Depending on how the coffee is brewed, Shapiro said, each cup of coffee may contain 200 to 500 milligrams of polyphenols. You can enjoy your coffee however you want every day; she recommends watching for added sugars.

artichoke

Among vegetables, artichokes are one of the richest sources of polyphenols. Artichokes contain about 260 milligrams per 100 grams, Shapiro said. “If you don’t like cooking, you can buy them frozen, canned or canned. I just steam, bake or add the canned variety to salads and grain bowls.”