Lung-Damaging Foods to Avoid
These five foods have been proven to have negative effects on lung function.
- White Bread Simple carbohydrates such as white bread should be avoided, as it takes more work for the lungs to metabolize them. Switching out these simple carbs for whole-grain, complex carbohydrates can improve lung health.
- Potato Chips Potato chips are filled with salt and saturated fat, two things that are detrimental to lung health. Trans and saturated fats harm your cardiovascular health and can raise blood pressure. The salt in chips can also increase water retention, making it harder to breathe.
- Chocolate First and foremost, chocolate contains caffeine, which can interfere with medication or increase heart rate. Chocolate is also high in sugar and low in nutrients, making it a generally bad choice for someone with lung disease.
- Beer In general, alcohol can increase inflammation in the lungs. For those with poor lung health, beer is a bad choice specifically because it’s also carbonated and can cause bloating, which puts extra pressure on the lungs and can make it harder to breathe.
- Cold Cuts The nitrates in processed cold cuts have been linked to lung decline and worsening COPD symptoms. Lean meats like salmon and chicken are a better choice for those who want to eat meat.
