Goal · Inflammation

Food and inflammation: what CRP is and what diets actually change

Whole dietary patterns, not single foods, have shown measurable drops in inflammation markers. Most 'anti-inflammatory food' lists rest on lab studies.

By the editors of Alimentotherapy Last reviewed October 18, 2026 3 min read Not medical advice

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The short answer

The best evidence for food and inflammation is for whole eating patterns: in a meta-analysis of 17 intervention trials, Mediterranean-style diets lowered the inflammation marker hs-CRP by about 1 mg/L on average more than control diets Schwingshackl 2014. Single foods sold as "anti-inflammatory", such as turmeric, have much weaker and less consistent human evidence.

Foods and herbs for inflammation, graded

Every claim from our remedy pages that relates to inflammation, strongest evidence first. Each row links to the full page and its sources.

Food or herb	Grade	What the research found
Tart cherryMuscle soreness and recovery after strenuous exercise	Moderate	Pooling 14 studies, tart cherry supplements had a small effect on muscle soreness, a moderate effect on recovery of strength and power, and small falls in the inflammation markers CRP and IL-6.
TurmericKnee osteoarthritis pain	Moderate	A meta-analysis of 11 randomized trials (1,258 people with knee osteoarthritis) found curcuminoids lowered pain scores more than comparators. Daily doses of 1,000 mg or more did no better than lower doses.
Fermented foodsMarkers of inflammation in the blood	Limited	The same trial found the fermented-food diet lowered a range of inflammatory markers. Whether that changes anyone's health over time has not been tested.
GingerOsteoarthritis knee and hip pain	Limited	Five placebo-controlled trials (593 patients) showed a modest reduction in pain, with more people stopping ginger because of stomach upset.
TurmericLowering blood markers of inflammation (CRP)	Limited	Pooled trials report lower C-reactive protein with curcumin supplements in people with inflammatory conditions, but the products, doses and patient groups vary widely, and a lower marker is not the same as feeling better.
Bone brothJoint health and collagen	Not supported	No trials of bone broth for joints exist. A laboratory analysis found broth made to a standard recipe supplied much less glycine, proline and hydroxyproline than a 20 g research dose of collagen supplement, with large swings between recipes.
Chicken soupCalming the inflammatory response to a cold	Not supported	Chicken soup reduced neutrophil migration in a laboratory chamber. Nobody has shown this happens in a person who eats the soup.

What 'inflammation' means here

Inflammation is the body's normal response to injury and infection. The kind diet research looks at is low-grade, long-running inflammation, usually measured with a blood test for C-reactive protein (CRP). A high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) test picks up small rises and is used to estimate heart disease riskMedlinePlus. According to the American Heart Association, an hs-CRP below 1.0 mg/L indicates low cardiovascular risk, 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L average risk, and above 3.0 mg/L high riskMedlinePlus; Pearson 2003.

CRP also rises for many short-term reasons, such as an infection or an injury, and in the second half of pregnancy, so one reading says little. It is a marker, not a disease, and lowering it with food is not the same as showing fewer heart attacks.

Patterns beat single foods

Schwingshackl and Hoffmann pooled 17 randomized trials (2,300 adults, at least 12 weeks each). Mediterranean diets lowered hs-CRP and interleukin-6 and improved blood vessel function more than the comparison diets, though results varied a lot between trials Schwingshackl 2014. In the PREDIMED trial, people at high heart risk assigned to a Mediterranean diet with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts had fewer major cardiovascular events than those on a lower-fat control diet Estruch 2018. That trial measured events, not just a marker, which is why it carries more weight.

The common thread is plenty of vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and fish, with less processed meat and refined starch. That overlaps with the American Heart Association's dietary guidance Lichtenstein 2021, which is useful: you do not need a separate "anti-inflammatory" diet.

Why the food lists overclaim

Lists of "anti-inflammatory foods" usually draw on lab and animal studies of isolated compounds, at doses far above what a meal provides. A spice can calm inflamed cells in a dish and still make no measurable difference in a person. This site grades the human trials; the table on this page shows how weak most of them are.

If you want to measure a change

If you change how you eat and want to know whether it moved anything, an hs-CRP test before and after (at least a few months apart, on a day you are well) is the usual marker. Your own doctor can order it, often alongside a lipid panel, and that is usually the cheapest route with someone to interpret it. If what you are really dealing with is joint pain and swelling, see a clinician first: severe, unexplained or lasting joint symptoms need a diagnosis, not a diet experiment MedlinePlus.

When to see a clinician, not the pantry

Severe, unexplained joint pain and swelling.
Joint pain lasting more than several days.
A fever without flu symptoms.
Losing 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or more without trying.
An hs-CRP result above 3 mg/L, or a high CRP on a routine test: discuss it with your clinician rather than a diet.

Common questions

What is a normal hs-CRP level?

According to the American Heart Association, an hs-CRP below 1.0 mg/L means low cardiovascular risk, 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L average risk, and above 3.0 mg/L high risk. CRP also rises temporarily with infections, injuries and in pregnancy, so test on a day you are well and discuss results with your clinician.

Does a Mediterranean diet lower inflammation?

In a 2014 meta-analysis of 17 randomized trials with 2,300 adults, Mediterranean-style diets lowered hs-CRP by about 1 mg/L and interleukin-6 more than comparison diets, though results varied between trials. The PREDIMED trial also found fewer major cardiovascular events in people at high risk.

Sources

Primary research and government sources, each checked on the date this page was reviewed.