The Best Foods for Healthy Lungs

If you’re looking for strategies to improve your lung health, you’ve probably heard the usual advice: avoid (or quit) smoking, stay away from highly polluted areas and exercise regularly. However, you may not realize that eating the right foods is also a great way to promote healthy lung function.

Like the rest of your body, your lungs benefit from a balanced diet full of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. But there are also some particularly powerful foods that can help you protect the health of your lungs and reduce the risk or symptoms of lung-related diseases, such as asthma Y chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Below, you’ll find seven of the best foods for lung health, including key nutrients to include in your diet if you want to improve lung function and prevent disease.

How does diet affect lung health?

One way diet affects lung health is through inflammation. Certain foods, such as refined carbohydrates, sodas, and red meat, cause inflammation in the bodywhich is associated with the development of many health conditions, including COPD and other lung diseases. following a anti-inflammatory diet Rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, and healthy fats, it can reduce inflammation and keep organs healthy.

Some specific foods have also been linked to healthier lungs in research. For example, fruits like apples and tomatoes contain high levels of antioxidants, which one study found can help with lung function. Similarly, eat high-fiber foods (like lentils and beans) has also been linked to better lung health.

In addition to eating nutritiously, there are also other ways to protect your lungs against diseases and toxins, including:

• Don’t smoke or vape (or quit if you currently use nicotine)
• Avoid exposure to polluted air or secondhand smoke
• stay physically active
• Follow health and hygiene recommendations, including washing hands and staying up to date on dental care and vaccinations.

7 foods that benefit your lungs

Generally speaking, eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet is a great way to take care of your lungs. Here are seven lung health foods you can add to your diet today.

apples

Apples, in particular apple skins, contain an antioxidant called quercetinthat it has been shown that relieve inflammation in the lungs and help people living with lung diseases like COPD. On top of that, eating apples and other fruits (including bananas and tomatoes) has been found to help prevent decline in lung functionespecially for people who used to smoke.

Peppers

Red bell peppers and chili peppers have high concentrations of vitamin C, another key antioxidant that promotes better lung health and decreases inflammation. get the recommended daily amount of vitamin C is important to everyone, but it’s especially vital if you smoke, as smokers have lower levels of vitamin C than non-smokers.

beets

Brightly colored root vegetables, beets are full of dietary nitrates. When consumed, your body converts these nitrates into nitric oxidewhich helps relax blood vessels, increases oxygen flow and lowers blood pressure, all of which help improve lung function. beets too contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables like Swiss chard, kale, and spinach contain multiple types of antioxidants (including vitamin C and carotenoids) that help fight inflammation. Even better? consuming enough carotenoids – which are also present in tomatoes, peppers and many fruits – is associated with a lower risk of lung cancer.

legumes

Legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils have high levels of fiber, which is found to improve lung function in a study. Another study found that consuming dietary fiber has a “protective effect” in the lungs of smokers and nonsmokers and helps reduce the prevalence of COPD.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes and tomato-based products (including tomato juice) are a fantastic source of vitamin C and lycopene, another type of antioxidant carotenoid that relieves airway inflammation. Lycopene may also offer a lower risk of death in people with COPD.

berries

Deep-colored berries like blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries are high in anthocyanins, an antioxidant from the flavonoid family. The anthocyanins have numerous benefitsincluding the reduction of mucus and inflammation in the lungs, as well as the potential to delay age-related decline in lung function.

conclusion

Keeping your lungs in good shape is vital to your overall health. By adopting a diet rich in antioxidants, fiber, and the other lung-strengthening nutrients listed above, you’ll have a better chance of preventing lung disease, at least from a nutritional perspective.

In addition to eating right, you can make sure your lungs are as healthy as possible by following a exercise your body regularly. If you have a chronic illness, tracking key health metrics (in addition to seeing a medical professional) is a great way to stay on top of your lung health and overall wellness.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health care provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.