Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes the airways to become inflamed and swollen. This reduces airflow, causing shortness of breath and wheezing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases that affects children. Asthma can also affect adults, and there is no cure. The exact cause of asthma is unknown, but there is a link to heredity. There is no diet that will alleviate asthma symptoms, but some foods seem more likely to trigger an attack than others.
Foods Containing Sulfites
It is well documented that some asthmatics are quite sensitive to sulfites, especially asthmatics on steroid therapy, according to HealthCentral. Sulfites are found in a variety of foods as they are added to some foods during processing as a preservative. They are found in frozen shrimp, red wine, beer, hard cider, dried fruit, packaged potatoes, bottled lemon and lime juice, pickled foods, including pickles, sauerkraut and relish. Sulfites also occur naturally in some foods, including fresh shrimp, asparagus, leeks, garlic, lettuce, chives and maple syrup. Asthmatics should check package labels for the presence of sulfites, which appear on the label as sodium metabisulfite, sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, potassium bisulfite and sodium sulfite, according to Southwest Asthma and Allergy Associates.
Food Allergens
Asthma attacks that are triggered by foods are not common, affecting only two to eight percent of asthmatics, according to Southwest Asthma and Allergy Associates. Certain food allergens can trigger an asthma attack in some asthmatics, but not all those with food allergies have asthma. Some food allergens that can trigger an asthma attack in asthmatics include peanuts, milk, egg, soy and wheat. For those asthmatics who have asthma attacks triggered by certain foods, consulting with a physician and making a plan to avoid those foods is a good solution.
Food Additives
More research is necessary, but it appears there may be some food additives that are capable of exacerbating asthma and triggering an asthma attack in some, according to Southwest Asthma and Allergy Associates. Food colorings, such as tartrazine; foods containing the preservatives benzoate, BHT and BHA; monosodium glutamate, or MSG; nitrite and nitrate additives and the artificial sweetener aspartame are all suspected triggers for some asthmatics.
Cold Foods and Overeating
For some asthmatics, the temperature of food and beverages can have an effect on their asthma. Eating very cold foods and drinking very cold beverages, especially carbonated beverages, can trigger an asthma attack in some people with asthma, according to Health Services at Columbia.
Asthmatics should avoid overeating, particularly certain foods that cause gas and bloating, which can put pressure on the lungs and trigger an asthma attack. Those foods include cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cucumbers and beans, according to National Jewish Health.
