13 Best and Worst Foods

for Your Lungs

Smart food choices may help you breathe easier if you have
asthma.
AMANDA GARDNER
September 22, 2015

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Eating for asthma

Can what you eat affect asthma? Although research is far from
definitive, there are some hints that this might be true.

"There's really no diet that will eliminate or cure your asthma but
there are certain things you could be incorporating to help," says
Robert Graham, MD, an internist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York
City.

Keep in mind that individual reactions to food vary a great deal, but
here are some guidelines on what to eat to possibly help asthma, or
at least not make it worse.
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Apples
Best

Here's one more reason to put apples on your list of foods to eat
everyday. A British study found that even after controlling for other
factors, people who reported eating two to five apples a week had a
32% lower risk of asthma than people who ate less. Any amount less
than that didn't seem to make a difference one way or the other.

The authors speculate that beneficial compounds known as

flavonoids may be responsible. One flavonoid in particular, khellin,
has been shown to open up airways.

RELATED: 25 Amazing Apple Recipes

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Cantaloupe
Best

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that may ward off lung damage by

fighting free radicals. One study of preschool children in Japan found
that those with the highest intake of vitamin C were less likely to
suffer from asthma than those with lower intake.

Although vitamin C can be found in most fruits and vegetables, they

are super-abundant in citrus fruits such as orange and grapefruit,
kiwi fruit, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and tomatoes.

RELATED: 12 Foods With More Vitamin C Than Oranges

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Carrots
Best

Carrots are famous for containing beta-carotene, another

antioxidant. Preliminary studies suggest that beta-carotene, which is
converted to vitamin A in the body, may reduce the incidence of
exercise-induced asthma.

The pigment is also essential to keep your eyes and immune system
in top shape and may even help with heart disease, cancer, and
Alzheimer's disease.

Look for beta-carotene not only in carrots but other vibrantly colored
fruits and vegetable such as apricots, green peppers and sweet
potatoes.
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Coffee
Best

It seems that every week there's a new headline on how caffeine

might—or might not—affect your health. With regards to asthma, at
least, caffeine is emerging as a good guy.

One review of seven previously published trials found that

caffeinated coffee might modestly improve airway function for up to
four hours after it is consumed, when compared with drinking decaf
Joe.

"Caffeine is a bronchodilator that may improve airflow," says Dr.

Graham. For the same reason, black tea might be beneficial as well.

Watch the video: How to Make a Latte With Coconut Oil

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Eggs
Worst

Although skin reactions such as hives are the most common

manifestation of an egg allergy, asthma is another possible
reaction.

Egg allergies are most common in children and many outgrow them.
If you or your child has such an allergy (your allergist can confirm
with skin or blood tests), avoid eggs and egg products—so read
labels carefully.

One woman in Spain who was allergic to eggs had an asthmatic

reaction to a paste used to preserve ancient buildings, prompting a
few experts to warn of allergic reactions in people who restore old
buildings. The more likely exposure, though, is through food.
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Flax seeds
Best

Flax seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids as well as magnesium.

Some research suggests that omega-3s, abundant in salmon and
other oily fish, have a beneficial effect on asthma, but that research
is still preliminary.

Magnesium may be another helpful ingredient as it relaxes the

muscles surrounding the bronchi, the airways, and so keeps them
open, says Dr. Graham. Constriction of the bronchi is what triggers
an asthma attack.
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Garlic
Best

According to Dr. Graham, garlic has anti-inflammatory properties.

Certainly centuries of folklore has put garlic at the top of the list as a
remedy for any number of ailments from hemorrhoids to viral
infections.

But garlic does contain allicin, an exceptionally powerful antioxidant.

A 2009 study revealed that as allicin decays in the body, it produces
an acid that destroys free radicals. Does it help asthma? It might,
says Dr. Graham.
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Milk
Best and worst

The data are mixed as to whether milk and other dairy products can
exacerbate asthma. Still, some people do have a bona fide allergy to
milk, which can result in wheezing, coughing, and other respiratory
symptoms.

On the other hand, milk is one of the best sources of vitamin D,

which may ease symptoms of asthma.

Whatever the final verdict on milk and other dairy products, experts
are increasingly realizing that "one of most important aspects in
asthma is understanding allergies," says Dr. Graham.
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Peanuts
Worst

Peanuts can provoke potentially fatal allergic reactions in some

people and allergic asthma in others. But the harmful properties of
this nut may go beyond that.

One study found children with asthma who also had a peanut allergy
seemed to develop asthma earlier than kids without a peanut
allergy and were also more likely to be hospitalized and more likely
to need steroids.

Many asthmatic children with peanut allergies also have allergies to

grass, weeds, cats, dust mites and tree pollen, all of which can
trigger asthma attacks.
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Salt
Worst

The data on whether salt exacerbates asthma are mixed, but an

association does make sense.

The hallmark feature of asthma is inflammation and tightening of

the airways, and salt can contribute to inflammation by causing fluid
retention.

"I always tell people to eat less sodium if they have asthmatic
symptoms," says Dr. Graham. Reducing salt intake is good for lots of
other reasons as well. And keep in mind that most salt intake comes
from restaurant or processed foods, not the salt shaker on your
kitchen table.
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Shellfish
Worst

Shellfish allergies are the third most common allergy in children

(after peanuts and milk), but adults can develop these allergies as
well.

If this is you, avoid crab, crayfish, lobster and shrimp dishes.

(Although scallops, oysters, clams, and mussels cause fewer
reactions, consult your allergist about whether these are safe for
you to eat.)

Beware also of hidden shellfish in fish stock and other products and
be wary of cross contamination. Unlike egg allergies, shellfish
allergies usually stay with you your whole life.
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Wine
Best and worst

Several studies, along with anecdotal evidence, suggest that wine

can trigger asthma attacks, possibly due to the presence of
preservatives called sulfites (also found in dried fruit and shrimp).

Other studies suggest it might be the alcohol itself or another

ingredient of the libation.

But still other studies found less asthma and less severe asthma in
people who drank red wine. Given the mixed research, watch your
intake and avoid it if it seems to be a problem.
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Avocado
Best

Avocados contain an important antioxidant called glutathione, says

Dr. Graham. Experts in general hail the health-promoting qualities of
antioxidants far and wide. Their role in the body is to protect cells
against the damage inflicted by free radicals.

Avocado—be it in a salad or in guacamole—also are rich in

monounsaturated fat, the kind of fat you actually want in your diet
because it helps lower cholesterol.