In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy This Meal Plan Is Great for YouFAQsSugar and InflammationFoods to Focus OnMeal Prep TipsDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You
FAQs
Sugar and Inflammation
Foods to Focus On
Meal Prep Tips
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
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EatingWell
How We Create Meal PlansRegistered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
Fiber is a workhorse in the nutrition world. This unassuming nutrient has manyhealth benefits, such as improving heart health, promoting satiety and reducing blood sugar levels, and it can even help withweight loss. And yet, only 7% of adults in the United States reach their fiber goals.Fiber intake recommendations can vary based on age, sex and stage of life, but the Food and Drug Administration sets the Daily Value of fiber at 28 grams per day.In this meal plan, each day provides around 34 grams of fiber, with no day providing less than 30 grams.
What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Eat Enough Fiber
To complement fiber’s health benefits, we chose recipes containinganti-inflammatory ingredients. You’ll find antioxidant-rich produce, such as berries, cherries, dark leafy greens and cruciferous veggies, and inflammation-fighting healthy fats from salmon, tuna, avocado, nuts and seeds. Additionally, theanti-inflammatory dietencourages you to cook more meals at home and reduce your consumption of highly processed and refined foods, including added sugars.
While the occasional sweet bite or dessert won’t derail your anti-inflammatory efforts, most people eat more added sugars than they realize. On average, Americans consume 17 teaspoons of added sugars per day, considerably above the American Heart Association’s recommended daily max of 9 teaspoons per day for men and 6 for women.That’s why we opted to skip them in this meal plan. While you can expectadded sugarsto be in foods like desserts and sweetened drinks like soda, they also tend to be present in more unexpected foods, such as cereals, bottled salad dressings and flavored yogurt, to name a few. Double-check thenutrition labelon the foods in your home to see if they contain surprising added sugars.
For this plan, we set the calories at 1,500 per day. As with all meal plans, this is meant to serve as a template for an anti-inflammatory, high-fiber eating plan. Make adjustments as needed to fit your routine. This 1,500-calorie meal plan has modifications for 2,000 calories to support those with differentcalorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
Frequently Asked QuestionsAbsolutely! If you don’t like a meal and prefer to make a swap, go for it. In this plan, we set the daily calorie level at 1,500 calories, aim for a minimum of 30 grams of fiber per day (with most days going above that) and include plenty of protein, with each day providing at least 79 grams. We also made sure not to exceed 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.If you’re closely monitoring your calorie intake, you may want to mix and match meals with one that has a similar calorie level, or plan to adjust a snack or two. Check out more of ourhigh-fiber anti-inflammatory dinnersfor inspiration.Yes, if you prefer to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, that works! Each breakfast is between 313 and 410 calories, while the lunch options range from 350 to 413 calories. These calorie ranges are fairly close, but if you’re monitoring your calories closely, you may want to reduce or increase a snack to hit your goal.Fiber has many health benefits. It helps keep you full, which can help with weight loss and weight management. It also improves heart health, lowers cholesterol and improves blood sugar levels. Additionally, fiber helps improve gut health and promotes regular bowel movements.We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! If you don’t like a meal and prefer to make a swap, go for it. In this plan, we set the daily calorie level at 1,500 calories, aim for a minimum of 30 grams of fiber per day (with most days going above that) and include plenty of protein, with each day providing at least 79 grams. We also made sure not to exceed 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.If you’re closely monitoring your calorie intake, you may want to mix and match meals with one that has a similar calorie level, or plan to adjust a snack or two. Check out more of ourhigh-fiber anti-inflammatory dinnersfor inspiration.
Yes, if you prefer to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, that works! Each breakfast is between 313 and 410 calories, while the lunch options range from 350 to 413 calories. These calorie ranges are fairly close, but if you’re monitoring your calories closely, you may want to reduce or increase a snack to hit your goal.
Fiber has many health benefits. It helps keep you full, which can help with weight loss and weight management. It also improves heart health, lowers cholesterol and improves blood sugar levels. Additionally, fiber helps improve gut health and promotes regular bowel movements.
We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
Does Sugar Cause Inflammation?
The anti-inflammatory diet is more of a lifestyle pattern than a strict eating routine. Added sugars aren’t totally off the table, and including them occasionally won’t derail your other anti-inflammatory efforts. But if you’re trying to reduce inflammation, keeping an eye on your added sugar intake may be helpful. Research has shown that a high intake of sugar increases inflammatory markers, which can lead to chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.Added sugars don’t provide much, if any, nutrition and can displace more nutrient-rich anti-inflammatory options, such as fruits, vegetables and nuts.
Does Sugar in Fruit Cause Inflammation? Here’s What Dietitians Say
Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Focus On
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals
Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Lauren Odum
Breakfast (313 calories)
A.M. Snack (131 calories)
Lunch (350 calories)
P.M. Snack (142 calories)
Dinner (572 calories)
Daily Totals:1,508 calories, 62g fat, 79g protein, 172g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 1,442mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 (5.3-oz.) container low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt to breakfast, add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios to A.M. snack and add 3 servingsPeanut Butter-Oat Energy Ballsas an evening snack.
Breakfast (410 calories)
A.M. Snack (125 calories)
Lunch (413 calories)
P.M. Snack (59 calories)
Dinner (489 calories
Daily Totals:1,496 calories, 68g fat, 81g protein, 157g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,432mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingAvocado-Egg Toastto breakfast, 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to A.M. snack and ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios to P.M. snack.
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
A.M. Snack (176 calories)
P.M. Snack (95 calories)
Dinner (481 calories)
Daily Totals:1,477 calories, 67g fat, 83g protein, 145g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,297mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingStrawberry-Peach Chia Seed Smoothieto breakfast, 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to A.M. snack and 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to P.M. snack.
Will Dickey
Dinner (477 calories)
Daily Totals:1,483 calories, 62g fat, 79g protein, 165g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 1,334mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingAvocado-Egg Toastto breakfast, 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to A.M. snack and ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Caitlin Bensel
P.M. Snack (180 calories)
Dinner (395 calories)
Evening Snack (82 calories)
Daily Totals:1,515 calories, 67g fat, 97g protein, 142g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,659mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingStrawberry-Peach Chia Seed Smoothieto breakfast, ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack and 1 plum to P.M. snack.
Photography: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Kelsey Moylan, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
A.M. Snack (173 calories)
Dinner (404 calories)
Daily Totals:1,518 calories, 69g fat, 81g protein, 161g carbohydrate, 39g fiber, 1,394mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingAvocado-Egg Toastto breakfast and add 3 servingsPeanut Butter-Oat Energy Ballsas an evening snack.
Ali Redmond
A.M. Snack (211 calories)
Dinner (467 calories)
Daily Totals:1,521 calories, 71g fat, 88g protein, 148g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 1,611mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingStrawberry-Peach Chia Seed Smoothieto breakfast and add 3 servingsPeanut Butter-Oat Energy Ballsas an evening snack.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.United States Food and Drug Administration.Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.American Heart Association.Added Sugars.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.2020-Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Daily Nutritional Goals, Ages 2 and Older.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.Ma X, Nan F, Liang H, et al.Excessive intake of sugar: An accomplice of inflammation.Front Immunol. 2022;13:988481. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.988481
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.United States Food and Drug Administration.Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.American Heart Association.Added Sugars.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.2020-Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Daily Nutritional Goals, Ages 2 and Older.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.Ma X, Nan F, Liang H, et al.Excessive intake of sugar: An accomplice of inflammation.Front Immunol. 2022;13:988481. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.988481
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.United States Food and Drug Administration.Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.American Heart Association.Added Sugars.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.2020-Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Daily Nutritional Goals, Ages 2 and Older.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.Ma X, Nan F, Liang H, et al.Excessive intake of sugar: An accomplice of inflammation.Front Immunol. 2022;13:988481. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.988481
American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.
United States Food and Drug Administration.Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.
American Heart Association.Added Sugars.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
2020-Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Daily Nutritional Goals, Ages 2 and Older.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.
Ma X, Nan F, Liang H, et al.Excessive intake of sugar: An accomplice of inflammation.Front Immunol. 2022;13:988481. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.988481
