A diet high in sugar may have an impact on inflammation.
Research suggestsTrusted Source that diet can have a significant impact on inflammation in the body — some foods increase inflammation, while others reduce it. A diet high in sugar might be a key factor contributing to chronic inflammation.
A systematic review from 2018Trusted Source reported that several studies have linked consuming more dietary sugar — especially from sugary drinks — with chronic inflammation. People with higher sugar diets have more inflammatory markers in their blood, including a marker called C-reactive protein.
A 2014 studyTrusted Source showed that people who reduced their intake of sugar sweetened drinks had lower inflammation factors in their blood. These findings support the theory that sugar consumption can cause inflammation.
Researchers have tried to determine how sugar causes inflammation. Sugar stimulates the production of free fatty acids in the liver. When the body digests these free fatty acids, the resulting compounds can trigger inflammatory processes.