Chronic low-grade gut inflammation underlies many digestive conditions — from IBS to IBD — and contributes to systemic inflammation linked to fatigue, brain fog, and mood disruption. What you eat at lunch directly influences the inflammatory state of your gut for hours afterwards.
These eight lunches draw on ingredients with documented anti-inflammatory effects, and most can be prepared in under 20 minutes.
1. Grilled salmon and quinoa bowl with cucumber and spinach
Anti-inflammatory stars: Salmon (EPA and DHA omega-3s), spinach (vitamin K, magnesium), olive oil (oleocanthal and polyphenols), quinoa (complete protein, fibre)
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 150g salmon fillet, grilled
- 80g quinoa, cooked
- Large handful baby spinach
- ½ cucumber, diced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, pepper, fresh dill
Method: Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Grill salmon with olive oil, salt, and pepper for 12–14 minutes. Toss spinach and cucumber with lemon juice and olive oil. Assemble bowl with quinoa base, salmon, and salad.
2. Turmeric chicken and rice soup
Anti-inflammatory stars: Turmeric (curcumin — potent anti-inflammatory), ginger (gingerols, prokinetic), chicken (glutamine for gut barrier), carrots (beta-carotene)
Ingredients (2 servings):
- 200g chicken breast, diced
- 100g long-grain rice
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 750ml low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, pepper, fresh parsley
Method: Sauté chicken in olive oil until browned. Add carrots, turmeric, and ginger; cook 2 minutes. Add stock and rice. Simmer 20 minutes until rice is cooked and carrots are tender. Season and finish with fresh parsley. Note: Avoid adding onion or garlic if following low-FODMAP; use garlic-infused oil instead.
3. Sardine and tomato salad on sourdough spelt
Anti-inflammatory stars: Sardines (very high omega-3, vitamin D), tomatoes (lycopene), sourdough spelt (partially fermented — lower fructans than regular bread)
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 1 tin sardines in olive oil, drained
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- Handful rocket
- 1 tbsp capers (optional — good gut motility stimulant)
- 1–2 slices sourdough spelt bread
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt, pepper
Method: Mix sardines, tomatoes, rocket, and capers. Dress with lemon juice. Serve on toasted sourdough spelt.
4. Roasted carrot and red lentil soup
Anti-inflammatory stars: Red lentils (polyphenols, fibre; rinse canned lentils well to reduce FODMAP load), carrots (beta-carotene), cumin (carminative — reduces gas), olive oil
Note: Lentils are high-FODMAP in large servings. If following low-FODMAP, use ¼ cup canned and well-rinsed lentils per serving.
Ingredients (2 servings):
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 100g red lentils (rinsed)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 600ml vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, pepper, squeeze of lemon
Method: Roast carrots with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and cumin at 200°C for 25 minutes. Add to a pot with stock, lentils, and turmeric. Simmer 20 minutes. Blend partially. Finish with remaining olive oil and lemon.
5. Tuna and avocado rice paper rolls
Anti-inflammatory stars: Tuna (omega-3), avocado (monounsaturated fat, potassium; low-FODMAP at 30g per serving), cucumber, and sesame seeds
Ingredients (1 serving, 3 rolls):
- 3 rice paper wrappers
- 1 tin tuna in olive oil, drained
- ¼ avocado, sliced thinly
- ½ cucumber, julienned
- 1 carrot, julienned
- Fresh mint
- Tamari soy sauce for dipping (gluten-free)
Method: Soak rice paper wrappers briefly in warm water. Fill with tuna, avocado, cucumber, carrot, and mint. Roll tightly. Serve with tamari.
6. Warm roasted capsicum and feta quinoa
Anti-inflammatory stars: Capsicum (vitamin C — highest of any vegetable; antioxidant-rich), quinoa (complete protein, prebiotic fibre), feta (probiotics)
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 80g quinoa, cooked
- 1 large red capsicum, roasted and sliced
- 30g feta cheese, crumbled
- Handful spinach, wilted
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Fresh basil
Method: Roast capsicum under grill until charred; remove skin and slice. Warm quinoa. Wilt spinach in a pan with olive oil. Combine all ingredients. Top with feta, drizzle with olive oil and lemon.
7. Walnut and blueberry spinach salad with grilled chicken
Anti-inflammatory stars: Walnuts (ALA omega-3, polyphenols — among the most prebiotic nuts), blueberries (anthocyanins), spinach, olive oil vinaigrette
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 120g grilled chicken breast, sliced
- Large handful baby spinach
- 50g blueberries
- 20g walnuts
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- Salt, pepper
Method: Grill chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss spinach, blueberries, and walnuts with olive oil and vinegar. Top with sliced chicken.
8. Miso soup with tofu, seaweed, and rice
Anti-inflammatory stars: Miso (fermented soybean — probiotics and polyphenols), seaweed (prebiotic fibre, iodine, anti-inflammatory compounds), firm tofu (complete protein, easy to digest)
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 200ml hot water (not boiling — preserves probiotic bacteria)
- 80g firm silken tofu, cubed
- 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed, rehydrated
- 2 spring onion greens, sliced (green part only for low-FODMAP)
- 80g cooked short-grain rice
Method: Dissolve miso in warm (not boiling) water. Add tofu, wakame, and spring onion greens. Serve alongside steamed rice.
Anti-inflammatory principles to apply to any lunch
Prioritise colour — polyphenols are what give vegetables and fruits their colour. More colour = more diverse polyphenols for your gut bacteria.
Include fatty fish 2–3 times per week — the omega-3 dose from oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna) is difficult to replicate from other sources.
Use olive oil as your primary fat — swap seed oils (sunflower, vegetable) for extra virgin olive oil where possible.
Minimise ultra-processed foods — emulsifiers, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners have documented effects on gut barrier function and the microbiome that undermine anti-inflammatory eating.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a food anti-inflammatory?
Anti-inflammatory foods generally contain: omega-3 fatty acids (fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed), polyphenols (colourful vegetables, berries, olive oil, green tea), fibre (which produces anti-inflammatory SCFAs via fermentation), and antioxidants (vitamins C, E, beta-carotene). They reduce cytokine production, oxidative stress, and NF-κB signalling — key inflammatory pathways.
Can diet reduce gut inflammation?
Yes, with important caveats. Dietary patterns (Mediterranean diet, diverse plant-rich diets) have well-documented effects on inflammatory biomarkers including CRP and IL-6. For functional conditions like IBS, reducing specific dietary triggers reduces symptom-associated inflammation. For IBD, diet is a useful adjunct to medical treatment but cannot substitute for it.
Is olive oil good for gut health?
Yes. Extra virgin olive oil contains oleocanthal (anti-inflammatory properties comparable to low-dose ibuprofen), polyphenols that feed beneficial gut bacteria, and oleic acid which supports intestinal epithelial integrity. Studies show that Mediterranean diet adherence — where olive oil is a primary fat source — is associated with higher microbiome diversity and lower gut inflammation.
Are there anti-inflammatory foods that are also low-FODMAP?
Yes — many. Salmon, tuna, chicken, eggs, spinach, carrots, courgette, capsicum, tomatoes, cucumber, rice, quinoa, blueberries, strawberries, walnuts, and extra virgin olive oil are all both low-FODMAP and anti-inflammatory. Building lunches from these overlapping lists is a practical strategy for people with IBS who also want anti-inflammatory benefits.