The idea behind the Inflammation Free Diet, is that consuming foods that fight inflammatory responses, prolong your health and help inhibit weight loss. This does not mean that all ?healthy? foods aren?t anti-inflammatory, some wholesome foods have slight inflammatory effects on the body. It is important to know which healthy foods don?t, and the IF rating system helps you do that. The formula used to calculate the IF Rating includes more than 20 different factors that affect a food?s inflammatory or anti-inflammatory potential, including: amount and type of fat, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, glycemic index, and anti-inflammatory compounds. For each of these factors, points are added or subtracted based on the amount of that nutrient present compared with the documented effects of various dosages of that nutrient on inflammation in humans. The result is a single number that estimates the net effects of all of these factors. A negative IF Rating suggests that a food or meal may have inflammatory effects; a positive IF Rating indicates an anti-inflammatory effect. So the higher the number is, the stronger the effect is.
The IF Ratings of individual foods and ingredients can be combined to estimate the effects of meals and recipes. The IF Rating is dependent on serving size. For example, the IF Rating of 1 cup of romaine lettuce is 73; the rating for 2 cups is 146. The IF Ratings predict how various foods and combinations of foods are likely to affect inflammation in the body. Based on serving size, the larger the number, the stronger the effect. Foods with positive IF Ratings support the body?s anti-inflammatory processes. Foods with negative ratings may contribute to inflammation, especially when consumed in excessive quantities. The IF ratings of foods are available in The Inflammation Free Diet Plan book by Monica Reinagel or the smart phone app, IF Tracker.
A surprise to me were dried fruits. You would think healthy, but it has a rating of -49 or more.