A Traditional Korean Diet with a Low Dietary Inflammatory Index Increases Anti-Inflammatory IL-10 and Decreases Pro-Inflammatory NF-κB in a Small Dietary Intervention Study

Abstract

Chronic low-grade inflammation may increase the risk of chronic disease, while diets rich in anti-inflammatory components may reduce it. To determine the anti-inflammatory properties of the traditional Korean diet (K-diet) that comprises high amounts of vegetables, fiber and phytochemicals, moderate amounts of legumes, and low amounts of animal fat, ten obese women aged 50–60 years were randomly assigned to the K-diet or control diet group. The control diet was a Westernized Korean diet commonly consumed in Korea, which is high in animal fat and protein. Subjects were housed in metabolic unit-like conditions during the 2-week intervention. Plasma was collected before and after the intervention to measure inflammatory cytokines using ELISA. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) was calculated based on nutrients and food intake. The DII score for the K-diet was lower than that of the control diet (−0.94 ± 1.39 vs. 1.04 ± 1.61, p < 0.001). In the K-diet group, anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-10 levels increased (4.45 ± 0.34 pg/mL vs. 5.94 ± 0.33 pg/mL, p = 0.0102), whereas pro-inflammatory nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) levels decreased (7.70 ± 0.62 pg/mL vs. 2.71 ± 0.49 pg/mL, p = 0.0015), but not in the control group. In the K-diet group, NF-κB levels negatively correlated with IL-10 levels (r = −0.794, p = 0.006). The K-diet has anti-inflammatory properties, and IL-10 and NF-κB are putative inflammatory markers for K-diet studies.

A Korean-Style Balanced Diet Has a Potential Connection with Ruminococcaceae Enterotype and Reduction of Metabolic Syndrome Incidence in Korean Adults

“…The persons having the KBD were lower in the blood concentrations of hemoglobin A1c, triglyceride, CRP, and WBC than those having other diets in the present study. Consistent with our study, those with a KBD have shown high anti-inflammatory properties and the lowest incidence of metabolic syndrome in previous studies [ 49 , 50 , 51 ]. These results suggest that the adults with KBD had a lower inflammatory response than those with RBD or WBD [ 49 ].…”

“…Consistent with our study, those with a KBD have shown high anti-inflammatory properties and the lowest incidence of metabolic syndrome in previous studies [ 49 , 50 , 51 ]. These results suggest that the adults with KBD had a lower inflammatory response than those with RBD or WBD [ 49 ]. Therefore, ET-R was interpreted as KBD, which has a typical anti-inflammatory function.…”

Dietary modulation of gut microbiota for the relief of irritable bowel syndrome

“…A diet enriched with nutrients that are known to have anti-inflammatory properties such as vitamins C, D, and E, beta-carotene, polyunsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, and dietary fiber can be a low inflammatory diet [ 119 ]. Interestingly, the host blood vitamin levels are associated with IBS symptoms.…”

Associations Between Dietary Inflammatory Index and Sex Hormones Among 6- to 19-Year-Old Children and Adolescents in NHANES 2015–2016

“…The dietary inflammatory index can measure an individual's dietary inflammation potential (15). A higher DII score can predict Increased levels of inflammation markers (including interleukin 6 and c-reactive protein) (16)(17)(18).…”