Foods To Eat And Avoid When You Have Asthma

Asthma is a condition that affects your lungs and is characterized by wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. The attack generally originates in your airways as they carry air to your lungs. The quantity of air that moves in and out of your lungs is reduced and mucus also clogs up your airways making it even more difficult to breathe.

An asthma attack can generally occur when you are exposed to “asthma triggers.” These triggers differ from person to person and can be pollen, dust, smoke, or even certain foods you eat. Certain foods help reduce asthma attacks while some trigger it.¹

Foods That Reduce Asthma

1. Carrots Reduce Asthma By Boosting Immunity

This is a great reason to include more carrots in your diet! The antioxidant beta-carotene present in carrots is converted to vitamin A in your body. This helps to reduce the incidence of exercise-induced asthma and also helps improve and strengthen your immune system. Be it salads, soups, juices, or smoothies, add carrots wherever you can and keep your asthma under control.²

2. Coffee Improves The Airway Function In Asthma

Your cup of coffee is actually helping you. Debates on whether coffee is good for health are heated. But studies have hinted at coffee being beneficial when it comes to asthma. The reason is that coffee improves the airway function for nearly 4 hours after consumption. It acts as a bronchodilator, aiding widening of the bronchi and alleviation of asthma.³

3. Apples Can Help Alleviate Asthma

Apples might really keep the doctor away by keeping asthma away. The flavonoids present in apples may be responsible for controlling asthma. If not every day, try to include at least 2 to 5 apples a week to reduce the chances of asthma. Eating lesser than that might not really be beneficial.⁴

4. Oranges, Cantaloupes, And Kiwis Reduce Asthma

All fruits rich in vitamin C fight free radicals and can reduce lung damage by allergens. Regular consumption of these fruits will help fight asthma to a great extent. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and extremely beneficial in lowering asthma attacks.

5. Garlic Treats Asthma By Fighting Free Radicals

The anti-inflammatory property of garlic protects us from many ailments, be it hemorrhoids or viral infections. It is also known to reduce flatulence, blood pressure, and allergies. Garlic contains allicin, an exceptionally powerful antioxidant. Studies show that as allicin decays in the body, it produces an acid that destroys free radicals, which might otherwise help reduce asthma.⁵

Foods That Trigger Asthma

1. Eggs Can Be An Asthma Trigger

Allergies due to eggs are very common and asthma can also be one of them. You can know if you are truly allergic to eggs by observing the onset of symptoms or through blood tests. It is best to avoid eggs if you are asthmatic and prone to attacks.⁶

2. Milk Can Induce Asthma

Generally, if you are allergic to milk you’ll know as soon as you drink it. But if you aren’t allergic, milk might actually prove to be beneficial as it is one of the best sources of vitamin D, which has an indirect role to play in immunity. Observe if consuming milk triggers your allergy, else have a healthy supply of milk to get healthy.⁷

3. Salt Tightens The Airways And Triggers Asthma

While there are no direct reports on salt being an asthma trigger, asthma is characterized by inflammation and tightening of the airways and salt contributes to inflammation by causing fluid retention. Reducing salt intake is good for many other reasons as well but it is best if avoided or consumed in moderation to prevent asthma attacks.⁸