We all know how important it is to your health to get your five fruits and vegetables a day. But did you know certain fruits can be beneficial to those suffering from asthma.
Bananas, pineapple and apple juice have all been shown to help relieve the symptoms of the disease.
A series of studies have found that antioxidants and fibre found in these fruits can offer additional health benefits.
The first study was carried out by researchers from the National Heart Group and Lung Institute at Imperial College.
A total of 2,640 children aged between five and 10 were asked how much fruit they consumed and how frequent their asthma symptoms surfaced. It was found that those who ate a banana a day were 24 percent less likely to develop symptoms.
Those drinking a glass of apple juice from concentrate every day experienced a 47 percent reduction in wheezing, although this was not shown with children eating whole apples.
A second study, carried out at the University of Connecticut, used mice to test the effects of an enzyme found in pineapples. The enzyme reduced their white blood cell count, which increases with asthma, and more than halved cell markers for inflammatory asthma.
Eating fruit and vegetables high in antioxidants has been linked to a drop in the number of asthma attacks.
With obesity linked to the development of asthma and the worsening of the condition, weight loss can help people with the disease. Fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, are high in fibre and promote weight loss.
Changes to your diet can make a difference to the severity and regularity of symptoms. By adding certain fruits and vegetables at mealtimes, you can make huge improvements to your wellbeing.
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