5 Unexpected foods that cause inflammation

AGAVE SYRUP

Despite its reputation as a natural and healthy alternative to table sugar, you probably shouldn’t drown your morning oatmeal in agave syrup. This sweetener is comprised of about 85 percent fructose, which is a kind of sugar that only your liver cells can break down (glucose, by comparison, can be metabolized by every cell in your body). Going overboard on all types of sugar is a recipe for inflammation, but too much fructose in particular puts a strain on the liver, causing the accumulation of tiny fat droplets in your liver cells. This buildup, called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, can eventually cause inflammation that impairs the liver’s functioning. (Check out this ranking of popular natural sweeteners to see what you should use instead).