You might be familiar with well-known triggers of asthma attacks, such as exercise and breathing in dust or smoke. However, asthma is a complex disease, and it's possible that the food you eat can trigger an asthma attack or be involved in the development of asthma.
Anti-asthma diets claim to help by restricting foods or food additives that cause allergic reactions or otherwise trigger asthma attacks. If you have a food allergy, asthma-like symptoms could result from a reaction to a natural food, including milk, egg, nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. There is also evidence that certain food additives trigger asthma-like symptoms.
Among food additives, sulfites and sulfur dioxide are most often listed as asthma triggers. These additives are used in many processed foods and can be found in dried fruit, condiments, drinks, wine and beer. Other food additives that are restricted from anti-asthma diets include food preservatives, including benzoate preservatives, BHA and BHT, artificial food colors such as Yellow #5, and flavorings such as monosodium glutamate and aspartame.
Since asthma is caused by inflammation and an overactive immune response, some anti-asthma diets emphasize eating foods that help to maintain healthy immune systems. Some studies suggest that certain antioxidant vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of asthma and other respiratory conditions.
What to Look for
If you have asthma, commit to making dietary changes that promote overall health. Eating fewer processed foods and replacing them with whole foods and ingredients is a great start to a healthy diet. Read food labels to avoid triggers. Common food allergens, sulfites, preservatives and artificial colors are required to be listed as ingredients.
Highly processed foods contain artificial preservatives, colors and flavorings linked to asthma and also contain extra calories from added sugars and fats. Watching those calories is important since obesity can increase your risk of developing asthma.
Common Pitfalls
Research that explores how diet affects asthma may lead to a cure or better treatments for the disease. But the link between most food components and asthma is still fairly weak. For example, milk was long thought to worsen asthma and other respiratory illnesses. But consuming full fat milk and cheese recently has been linked to lower asthma rates.
It's important to create an overall healthy diet that limits food allergies, artificial food additives and specific triggers such as sulfites. Stay away from dietary supplements containing one or more nutrients or compounds that claim to prevent or treat asthma. These are not proven and may be harmful if misused.
