7-Day High-Protein, High-Fiber Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan, Created By a Dietitian

Protein is one of the building blocks of all the cells in your body. From your hair to your muscles to your hormones, it’s necessary to make sure you’re consuming enough protein to fuel all these body processes. But there are times in life when you may need a little more protein, such as when we are very physically active, if you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet, if you’re older than 65 and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Not to mention, things like injuries or illness can temporarily increase your protein needs.

But there is another major benefit of protein, and that’s the satiety factor it provides. Protein helps you feel full, which can help if you are trying to lose weight. But research suggests that eating too much protein and avoiding carbohydrates—especially those with fiber—can have a negative effect on your bowels and gut microbiota. In addition to protein, it’s important to consume fiber, especially fiber that comes from whole grains and vegetables. Fiber has several functions in the body promoting healthy digestion and healthy weight maintenance, supporting heart health and reducing the risk of constipation that may come along with eating more protein.

Consuming more anti-inflammatory foods alongside more protein and fiber is a triple whammy when it comes to health benefits. The anti-inflammatory diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet that focuses on nutrient-dense foods that are also often high in protein and fiber. But which ones should you focus on?

In this high-protein, high-fiber anti-inflammatory meal plan, we focus on lean proteins, high-fiber vegetables, whole-grains, legumes and nuts to help you feel full and satisfied. Each day has at least 75 grams of protein, which is higher than the recommended 50 grams per day for a 140-pound person. (Protein needs are typically calculated at 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight.) And for fiber, adults should aim for at least 25 grams, but we boosted this plan up to 30 grams of fiber per day. This meal plan is set at 1,500 calories, which is a level that most will lose weight, but if you require more or fewer calories, adjustments for 1,200 calories and 2,000 calories are also listed.

What Is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

The anti-inflammatory diet limits highly-processed foods, added sugars and excessive red meat consumption and instead focuses on healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, legumes, fruits and vegetables. By concentrating on nutrient-dense foods (those that give you a lot of nutrients in a serving) you can help reduce chronic inflammation in the body.

Chronic inflammation differs from acute inflammation in a few key ways. Acute inflammation occurs in response to an injury—such as when you fall down and bruise yourself—and usually resolves once an injury is healed. But chronic inflammation occurs even without an injury, is longer term and can persist without noticeable symptoms. This type of inflammation is associated with chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune disorders and neurodegenerative disorders.

How To Reduce Chronic-Inflammatiom

A few ways to reduce chronic inflammation include getting enough sleep and exercising, but another way is to increase your consumption of foods that have been shown to help lower inflammation, such as dark leafy greens, nuts and blue and red produce like cherries, pomegranates, berries and beets.