Keeping your lungs healthy is essential. Yet, common factors, including environmental toxins, as well as eating an inflammatory diet, can be harmful for lungs. What’s more, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can affect your quality of life. What’s more, nutrients have been identified to be particularly beneficial for lung function. In this article, we will look in to the 10 benefits of food for respiratory health.
The Connection between Nutrition and Respiratory Health
A healthy diet includes lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats and vegetables. Healthy eating habits also include replacing foods that contain trans fats, added salt. Following are the benefits that we get for our lungs:
1. Nutritional Substrates for Immune Regulation
Through diet, substrates are acquired for the biosynthesis of regulatory molecules. It influences the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
2. Key Nutrients for Pulmonary Health
Vitamins (A, C, D, and E), minerals (zinc, selenium, iron, and magnesium), flavonoids, and fatty acids, reduce the risk of pulmonary diseases.
3. Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects
Through their anti-inflammatory effects, nutrients are associated with better lung function. This is because they can decrease the harmful effects from the immune system.
4. Epigenetic Modifications and Homeostasis
Bioactive compounds present in the foods we eat include histone deacetylase modifications that inhibit the transcription of proinflammatory cytokines. This contributes to the maintenance of homeostasis in the context of infections
5. Activation of Immune Responses
These nutrients play an important role in activating immune responses against pathogens.
6. Anti-inflammatory Role of Key Nutrients
The anti-inflammatory role of flavonoids, fatty acids, vitamins, and microbiota are important for the control of allergies.
7. Antiviral Effects of Nutrients
Aside from the antiviral role of vitamins, flavonoids, and minerals, we will address the mechanisms involved in each function.
8. Perspectives on SARS-CoV-2 Infection
These mechanisms are relevant in the discussion associated with acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Considering that patients with severe disease have vitamin deficiencies, particularly vitamin D.
9. Flavonoids and Viral Replication
Research has proven that the use of flavonoids can decrease viral replication in vitro.
Healthiest Foods for Better Lung Health
Following are the best foods that you can eat to protect your lungs:
1. Beets and beet greens
The vibrantly colored greens of the beetroot plant contain compounds that improve lung function. Beetroot is rich in nitrates, which offers benefits to lung function. Nitrates help relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure. Moreover, they also boost the oxygen intake. Beetroot supplements improve lung function in people with pulmonary hypertension and high blood pressure. Beet greens are packed with magnesium, potassium and carotenoid antioxidants, which are essential to lung health
2. Peppers
Peppers are the richest sources of vitamin C, which acts as a powerful antioxidant. Getting vitamin C is important for those who have an addiction to smoking. Cigarette smoke has damaging effects on your body’s antioxidant stores. It’s recommended that such people must consume 35 mg of vitamin C per day. Many studies prove that smokers benefit from higher doses of vitamin C which shows better lung function. But the result is adverse in people with lower vitamin C intake. Consuming one medium-sized red pepper delivers 169% of the intake for vitamin C.
3. Apples
Research has shown that eating apples on a regular basis helps better lung function. Apple intake is associated with a slower decline in lung function. Consuming five or more apples per week shows greater lung function. Apple intake also lowers the risk of asthma and lung cancer. Due to the presence of a high amount of antioxidants in apples which include flavonoids.
4. Pumpkin
Pumpkins contain plant compounds and are enriched in carotenoids, including beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. All these natural chemicals are powerful antioxidants. Carotenoids intake is associated with better lung function in young populations. People who smoke may benefit from consuming carotenoid-rich foods.
Summary
Healthy eating reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and pulmonary diseases. People may boost more energy by maintaining a balanced diet. A dietitian can provide further tips for eating a more healthy diet.
