Improve Your Lung Health With These 8 Foods
Now, more than ever, it is important to keep our lungs healthy, but when is the last time you ate something and said, "This will improve my lungs?" In addition to regular physical activity and avoiding harmful habits such as smoking and vaping, there are actually certain foods that can improve our lungs.
Everyone associates eating healthy foods with weight loss. Typically, people do not think of foods affecting lung health. However, there is a long list of foods that optimize lung function and leave you feeling healthier than ever. Check out these 8 foods that can improve the health of your lungs.
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mira33/thinkStock 1Beets
Beetroots are rich in nitrates, which reduce blood pressure and increase oxygen intake.
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hello_meni/ThinkStock 2Peppers
Peppers are rich in vitamin C, which is an especially crucial vitamin for people who smoke. In fact, it is recommended that people who smoke should consume an extra 35 mg of vitamin C per day.
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Andrew Michael/ThinkStock 3Apples
Regularly eating apples promotes lung function as it is associated with a slower decline in lung function in ex-smokers.
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Karisssa/ThinkStock 4Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain lycopene, which has been associated with improved lung health. A 2019 study actually showed that people with asthma that had a diet rich with tomatoes lowered their chances of having poorly controlled asthma.
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Blueberries
Another study involving 839 veterans, found that consuming 2 or more servings of blueberries per week slowed lung decline due to age by up to 38%.
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olgakr/ThinkStock 6Edamame
Edamame contains compounds called isoflavones, which are associated with better lung function and reduced shortness of breath.
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bonchan/ThinkStock 7Oysters
Oysters are a great source of B vitamins and zinc, which are important for people who smoke. Studies show that higher zinc intake may help protect smokers from developing COPD.
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Amguy/ThinkStock 8Yogurt
Yogurt is rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium. These nutrients help boost lung function and also protect against COPD.
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