There are several ways that fruit can help reduce asthma symptoms, so let’s take a look at them one by one.

By providing vitamin C

The most obvious way that fruit contributes to asthma control is with significant doses of vitamin C. A study conducted by Dr. Clemetson on hundreds of New Yorkers clearly showed that with more vitamin C their blood levels of histamine were reduced. In another part of the same research paper, he studied the effect of using particular doses of vitamin C and found that even a dose of one gram a day was effective in reducing histamine levels in the people he studied.

So it’s clear that eating a diet rich in fruit will increase your vitamin C intake and consequently lower your histamine levels.

And by providing Quercetin too

Quercetin, pronounced “kwer set in,” is a recent nutritional superstar. It has been well known for years as a kind of sidekick to vitamin C. It appears to provide a sparing action of vitamin C in the body. But it’s also an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in its own right. We’re focusing on its anti-allergic properties, but there’s also a lot of excitement about its potential anti-cancer benefits.

Quercetin is found in apples and onions, but also in black and green tea, as well as in many fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, raspberries, and red grapes.

And by providing natural anti-inflammatories

A study conducted by the University of Crete found that children with asthma benefited from eating what the researchers called “fruity vegetables.” The fruits they had in mind are “tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers, green beans, zucchini” and no others. At least no other results were found in this study for other fruits or vegetables.

The same team also found that including fish in children’s diets seemed to reduce wheezing symptoms in asthma.

It could be that by disturbing fruit and fish, natural anti-inflammatory chemicals are responsible for reducing asthma symptoms. My own 2 cents here would be that if fish is not acceptable in the diet, then flax oil, also known as linseed oil, could be used.

Can Diet Cure Asthma?

If your diet includes enough foods that contain vitamin C, quercetin, and anti-inflammatories, does that mean your diet will also cure your asthma and other allergies? I think it could be in some cases.

Everyone is different, and some people may need extra doses of vitamin C or other natural remedies. In any case, it is best to consult a professional health care expert for personal advice. But there’s enough science here to make eating lots of fruit an obviously healthy course of action for anyone with asthma and other allergy symptoms.