Asthma attacks are often linked to air quality or pollen. However, what we eat plays an equally significant role in triggering respiratory inflammation. The link between diet and asthma is a major area of medical research, particularly in children or when coughing fits occur after meals. Certain ingredients, additives or hidden compounds can indeed directly inflame your airways.
What is the direct link between diet and allergic asthma?
The link between diet and asthma can be explained by our immune system’s reaction to certain ingested allergens, causing the bronchi to constrict immediately. Sometimes, this is not a true allergy, but an intolerance triggering a sudden release of histamine.
To identify the culprit food, the most reliable method remains an elimination diet. The doctor temporarily removes a suspected food from the diet, then reintroduces it under strict supervision to see if the breathing difficulties return.
Diet and asthma: what are the most common allergens?
Certain unprocessed foods are classic triggers for asthma attacks, particularly during childhood. If you have a predisposition to atopic conditions, here are the foods to watch out for:
- Cow’s milk: Its proteins (lactoglobulins, serum albumin and lactalbumin) are the most common allergens found in children with asthma.
- Eggs: These are a highly allergenic food, often implicated in early-onset respiratory sensitivities.
- Fish and seafood: Fish is naturally very rich in histidine, which can cause a pseudo-allergy (toxic reaction). Crustaceans and molluscs are also implicated.
- Vegetables and pulses: Peanuts, celery, raw carrots, tomatoes and even potatoes can sometimes cause problems in sensitive individuals.
What are the hidden culprits in our processed foods?
It is not just fresh produce that poses a problem. The food industry uses substances capable of releasing large amounts of histamine and blocking your airways.
- Moulds and yeasts: Essential for making wine, beer, sauerkraut, pizza dough or fermented cheeses (Camembert, Bleu d’Auvergne). These foods very often trigger asthma and rhinitis.
- Direct histamine releasers: Chocolate, coffee, mustard and certain herbs and spices can cause sudden attacks immediately after digestion.
- Additives and colourings: Avoid tartrazine (the well-known yellow colouring E102), benzoic acid, nitrites and diphenyl derivatives.
- External contaminants: Residues of pesticides, insecticides or antibiotics used in livestock farming present in food also act as irritants.
Allergenic medicines: the other danger to swallow
Just like food, certain tablets can trigger a sudden inflammatory reaction. This is particularly the case with aspirin, certain antibiotics (penicillin and its derivatives), anaesthetics, hormones or radiographic contrast agents. If you have asthma, never start a new course of treatment without medical approval.
Nutrition has a huge impact on your breathing. Keeping a food diary can help you identify the link between your diet and asthma more easily. If you have persistent concerns, don’t hesitate to consult an allergist for specific tests. For more information, click here:
- Back to the comprehensive guide to asthma
- How can you relieve asthma naturally using plants and gemmotherapy?
FAQ: Your questions about diet and asthma
Can diet trigger an asthma attack?
Yes. Consuming certain allergens (milk proteins, eggs, shellfish) or foods high in histamine (chocolate, mustard, fermented cheeses) can cause an immediate bronchospasm. Food allergy is a common cause of asthma, particularly in young children.
Is cow’s milk bad for people with asthma?
Cow’s milk is not bad for all people with asthma. However, its proteins (lactoglobulins and lactalbumins) are one of the main causes of food-induced allergic asthma in children. If an intolerance is suspected, a doctor may recommend a temporary elimination diet.
Which food additives should be avoided if you have asthma?
Asthmatics should be wary of certain preservatives and artificial colourings known to irritate the airways. The main substances to avoid are tartrazine (colouring agent E102), sulphites (found in wine), benzoic acid and nitrites.
