Fighting inflammation? Here are the foods you need to eat

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If you eat turkey, salmon and strawberries thinking these foods are part of a healthy diet, we have some bad news for you -- these foods could be the reason you're not losing weight. They cause inflammation, which likely makes you gain weight.

Holistic and sports nutritionist and author of 'The Metabolism Plan' Lyn-Genet Recitas said a few tweaks to your diet can improve your health and the number on the scale.

Recitas has done extensive research on foods that cause inflammation.

"I've seen salmon cause two-pound weight gain or strawberries cause a pound of weight gain because of inflammation," explained Recitas.

"When you eat a food that doesn't work for your chemistry, what happens is a histamine response, and that causes short-term water weight gain. That histamine response raises your cortisol levels, and that's what makes the salmon stay on as actual weight right now," she continued.

In her book, Recitas says small tweaks in our food choices can make a huge difference in our health.

"A lot of the foods that I chose here are 85 percent reactive, which means over the age of 35, for 85 percent of the population, it's going to cause inflammation," explained Recitas.

Even coffee can contribute to inflammation. "The worst way to drink it is black. You want to have it with half and half -- or better yet fresh whipping cream -- because the fat slows down the absorption of the acidity of coffee. So, by adding extra calories, you've increased your weight loss," said Recitas.

Stick with sugar as the sweetener.

"Adding stevia slows weight loss by half a pound a day," she added.

Recitas said it's okay to eat cheese, but cow's cheese is harder to digest.

"Parmesan is an exception, but goat's cheese is universally friendly," explained Recitas.

While the cooked salmon is bad, raw is okay.

"Raw salmon is only 10 percent reactive," said Recitas.

And when it comes to meat, leaner isn't always better.

"Turkey burgers again are 85 percent reactive. Beef burgers -- they're only three percent reactive. If you test the turkey and gain two pounds like most people do, and you test the beef burger, and you lose half a pound like most people do, you eat what works for you, and then it doesn't feel like a diet."

"Strawberries are also 85 percent reactive, and strawberries are also a goitrogen. What goitrogens do is attack thyroid function," said Recitas.

Instead, eat blueberries.

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