Foods That Cause Asthma

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Asthma is classified as a chronic health condition which causes tightness in the chest, coughing, difficulty in breathing, and wheezing.

Asthmatic attacks can also be caused due to stress, infection as well as allergies. There are also many different kinds of foods which are known play an important role in triggering asthmatic attacks. It is also very important to know the foods which cause the asthmatic attacks. This will help in reducing the frequency and intensity of the asthmatic attacks.

Listed below are some foods that are known to cause asthmatic attacks. It is important that you avoid eating these foods, if you are allergic to any of them. If symptoms of this condition keep persisting, it is recommended that you consult your doctor.

Nuts

Nuts are one of the most common foods that trigger asthmatic attacks. It has been estimated that more than 3 million people in the United States suffer from allergies to nuts. The Indivisuals who are highly sensitive to nuts are prone to an asthmatic attack, when consuming nuts as the nut residue and the oils cause an inflammation in the airways. The most common symptoms of an asthmatic attack caused due to a nut allergy are, coughing, tightening of the chest and shortness of breath. However, it has been stated that in cases where the person is extremely sensitive to nuts, they may experience anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is the condition which is associated with swelling in the throat, sudden depression in the levels of blood pressure, loss of consciousness and in very serious cases, even death. The exposure to nuts can be because of directly eating the nuts or the presence of nuts not mentioned on the labels of foods and beverages. In most cases, the presence of nuts or nut oil is mentioned on the label of the product. Therefore, it is important to check the labels before buying any foods or beverages.

Soy

Soy is known to be one of the most common foods that cause symptoms of asthma. Nowadays, soy is not only found in soy milk, tofu or soy flour, It is widely used as an ingredient in the manufacturing of various kinds of products such as baked products, dairy substitutes, flavourings and vegan products. If you suffer from an asthma allergy, consuming a soy product can result in an asthmatic attack within minutes after consuming the product. This can result in continuation of asthmatic symptoms for days at a stretch.

It has been observed that an asthma attack caused by soy also causes other symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, swelling of the lips and rashes on the skin. It is extremely important to check the food labels before consuming them in order to prevent this from happening. Avoid Asian cuisine as they have a lot of sauces that have soy as an ingredient. Avoid places such as bakeries where soy powder is released into the air, as it can cause irritation to your air passages.

Wheat

Wheat is also known to cause allergies for many people. This is because wheat contains proteins such as albumin, gluten, globulin, and gliaden. An allergy to any of these proteins in wheat can result in an asthmatic attack. It has been observed that those who suffer from allergies to wheat can experience asthmatic attacks on consuming wheat as well as inhaling wheat flour. It has been observed that allergic reactions to wheat begin to manifest after few minutes to an hour.

Allergies to wheat are extremely common in children and also affect adults. Allergies to wheat can cause tightening of the chest, difficulties in breathing, and wheezing.

Margarine

Margarine is also known to trigger symptoms of asthma. Margarine contains a lot of bad fats i.e. saturated and Trans fats, which have an adverse effect on your health, by causing heart disease and obesity. Several studies have proved those who had a diet, void of margarine, showed no symptoms of asthma. However, those who consume margarine on a regular basis, showed greater symptoms of this condition. Therefore, it is recommended that you avoid the use of margarine.

Egg

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Egg is also known to cause asthma. As egg is used in many kinds of foods such as noodles, pasta, marshmellows , mayonnaise, breads, pastries, salad dressings, custard and cakes, this makes it one of the toughest foods to avoid. Some foods that do not contain egg are known to have traces of egg due to processing. Allergy induced asthma, caused due to eggs often results in the tightening of the chest, wheezing and coughing. It also causes the lungs to swell, which deters the ability of the person to breathe properly. This can be treated with oral inhalers that are prescribed by the doctor. However, the most effective treatment is to completely avoid the consumption of eggs.

Seafood

Allergies to seafood are a very common type of allergy and are known to affect more than two percent of the whole population of the United States. The major cause of the asthmatic attacks is the proteins present in seafood. In most cases, the symptoms of this condition are very severe. This can also be caused by consuming fish or even inhaling the fumes when cooking it. Mostly, people are only allergic to one kind of seafood. Therefore, it is advisable to consult your doctor about the allergy and stop the consumption of any kind of seafood till then.

Sulfates And Food Additives

Sulfates are added to foods, which are processed and occur naturally as well .They are known to cause asthma attacks. They are present in dried fruits, vegetables, processed potatoes, and pickles. Sulfates are also present in foods by the name of sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium metabisulfite and potassium metabisulfite .It has also been found that food additives such as food dyes as well as preservatives such as benzoates, play a significant role in triggering asthmatic attacks. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and aspartame is also suspected to trigger asthmatic attacks.

Therefore, it is important to avoid consuming these kinds of foods in order to prevent the symptoms of this condition.