Allergic reactions to certain foods is a major risk factor for life-threatening asthma attacks, according to an October 2010 study in the "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology." The study found that people with a high risk of food allergies were more likely to have severe asthma episodes. The most common foods that can aggravate asthma include peanuts and nuts, milk, eggs and shellfish.
Peanuts and Nuts
Even small amounts of peanuts and nuts, eaten or inhaled, can cause severe asthma in people who are allergic, notes MayoClinic.com. Unfortunately, peanuts and nuts are difficult to avoid because they are found in many processed foods, including cookies and pastries, ice creams and deserts, cereals, energy bars, salad dressings, candies and chocolates. Foods from other culture, such Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Mexican and African, often add peanuts or nuts into their dishes so eating at restaurants is also a risk for people with asthma and peanut allergy.
Milk
People with milk allergies may experience severe asthma symptoms such as tightening of the airways, severe coughing and wheezing whenever they eat or inhale milk and milk products, notes MayoClinic.com. Dairy foods such as cheese, cream, yogurt, powdered milk and butter are some examples of products that contain milk and may worsen asthma. Some foods that contain milk ingredients, such as protein powders, artificial butter or cheese flavors, even milk chocolate, nougat and caramel may also trigger asthma symptoms that can range from mild to severe.
Egg
Egg can trigger asthma and allergy in children, but it is also one of the most difficult to avoid. Egg is an ingredient in many food products, such as salad dressings, sauces, pasta, noodles, marshmallows, meringue, mayonnaise, ice cream, eggnog, custard, cream-filled pies and commercially baked cakes, breads and pastries. Some food products that do not have egg ingredients get contaminated with egg in the processing facilities, notes MayoClinic.com.
Shellfish
Shellfish includes crustaceans -- shrimp, crabs, lobsters, crayfish -- and mollusks -- squid, clams, oyster, scallops and mussels. In some people with shellfish allergies, exposure to even small amounts of any type of shellfish can trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction that includes severe asthma symptoms. Foods that contain shellfish are easy to identify, but the danger comes with cross-contamination at restaurants and places offering seafood with other dishes.
