Objective: Using the available scientific literature, demonstrate the effects of foods and food components on the development of inflammatory processes in the human body and find the guidelines for the proper implementation of an anti-inflammatory diet. Materials and methods: The literature search was based on a search for scientific papers investigating the effect of specific substances and food components on inflammatory biomarkers. The MEDLINE database (PubMed) was searched using the terms “inflammation”, “diet”, “inflammatory markers”, “anti-inflammatory diet”, “dietary inflammatory index”. None of the possible exclusion criteria were used in the literature search, so all papers were included in the study, regardless of the year of publication or the structure of the study. Results: Foods that increase the inflammatory process include meat and meat products, plant sources of omega-6 fatty acids, sweets and bakery products, excessive alcohol consumption, and carbonated and sweetened beverages. Foods that reduce the inflammatory process include olive oil, fatty fish and nuts rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and herbs and aromatic herbs as a source of phytochemicals. Conclusions: An anti-inflammatory diet is associated with a reduction in inflammatory biomarkers, a lower risk of developing non-communicable chronic diseases, and a longer life expectancy. How foods are consumed is an important component of implementing an anti-inflammatory diet, and the optimal anti-inflammatory diet is represented by the Mediterranean and Okinawan diets. Together with regular physical activity and the reduction of alcohol consumption and smoking, an anti-inflammatory diet can prevent the development of various diseases.