Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that causes swelling and inflammation in the airways. This can lead to breathing difficulties, a wheezing sound when you breathe, and a chronic cough. While food alone cannot treat the condition, it can play a role in easing or worsening the symptoms. Here is a list of foods to eat and avoid for asthma:

Foods to eat when you have asthma

• Vitamin D-rich foods
  According to experts, adding a lot of vitamin D-rich foods to children’s diets will reduce the risk of developing asthma. Vitamin D also helps alleviate certain symptoms of asthma. Some foods that are rich in Vitamin D are salmon, eggs, mushrooms, broccoli, and lentils.
• Protein-rich foods
  If your asthmatic, then your lungs often feel weak and struggle to handle chronic inflammation and allergy triggers. One way to keep your lungs strong is to include a lot of healthy proteins in your diet. Proteins build lung muscles and help handle asthma much better. Some of the protein-rich foods are lean meat, fatty fish, dairy products, such as cheese, milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese, eggs, and soy.
• Antioxidant-rich foods
  Antioxidants help prevent cell damage in the body, keeping the organs strong, including the lungs. Antioxidants like beta-carotene and flavonoids should be included in your diet to lower your risk of asthma flare-ups. Beta carotene-rich foods include apricots, sweet potato, kale, pumpkin, squash, and nectarines. Foods loaded with flavonoids included citrus fruits, green tea, red wine, legumes, and apples.

Foods to avoid when you have asthma

• Gas-causing foods
  Excess gas in the gut puts pressure on the diaphragm and can result in chest tightness and re-flare-ups of asthma. Foods to avoid in this category include garlic, beans, onions, cabbage, and aerated drinks.
• Processed foods
  Most processed foods contain preservatives and flavorings. There are many cases wherein people with asthma have ended up developing allergic symptoms towards these additives, which has worsened their asthma.
• Nuts
  Even though nuts may help reduce inflammation, there is a high chance that people with asthma also have nut allergies. It is safe to stay away from these to prevent allergic flare-ups.

This list of foods to eat and avoid for asthma is compiled based on global responses to asthma attacks. There may be specific foods that can trigger your asthma. So, it is important to maintain a food diary and identify foods that do and do not work for you.