The idea that grains are pro-inflammatory seems to be a ubiquitous belief nowadays. From medical professional friends to lay people to Crossfitter's at the bar (...drinking beer/vodka), I get the question a lot: are grains inflammatory? Source: wellnessmama.com Epidemiological evidence overwhelmingly suggest that whole grains, and dietary patterns that include whole grains, like the Mediterranean diet, are either associated with lower circulating markers of inflammation (CRP, IL-6, etc), or have a null effect (1-9). The most recent Nutrition Reviews on the topic concluded that while epidemiological evidence supports a positive effect of whole grains on inflammatory markers, intervention studies don't indicate a clear effect on markers of inflammation, and calls for additional research (10). If you're further interested in epidemiological associations with diet and inflammation, see the most recent Nutrition review (11). Since the Nutrition Reviews publication, a ran...
Nutritional Sciences: Basic Science and Clinical Perspectives